Photos courtesy of Mark Campbell

NEWARK, Del. -- University of Delaware men’s basketball forwards Kelvin McNeil and Josh Brinkley will miss the remainder of the 2009-10 season due to injuries, Blue Hen head coach Monté Ross announced Thursday.

McNeil (right), a redshirt freshman from Newport News, Va., has missed the last three games with a right knee injury and will undergo arthroscopic surgery on Wednesday, February 10. Brinkley will be sidelined the rest of the year with a stress fracture in his left foot.

McNeil, who appeared in the first 20 games of the season while starting 18, is the Blue Hens’ leading rebounder with 6.2 boards per game. He currently ranks eighth in the Colonial Athletic Association in rebounding and 10th in defensive rebounding. McNeil, who scored 6.0 points per contest, reached double figures in four games on the year. He posted double-doubles against Old Dominion and Vermont, and he recorded season-highs of 13 points and 13 boards in the Blue Hens’ road win over the Catamounts on December 20.

Brinkley (left), a freshman from Richmond, Va., averaged 5.1 points and 3.1 rebounds while appearing in each of the first 22 games this season. He reached double figures three times on the year, and posted season-highs of 17 points and eight rebounds on January 16 against Towson, when he connected on 8 of 9 shots from the field. Brinkley also scored 12 points against Virginia Tech on November 28 and 13 during a home win over Hampton on December 9.

Both players have earned CAA honors this season, as McNeil was named the CAA Co-Rookie of the Week on December 21 while Brinkley was tabbed the CAA Rookie of the Week on January 18.

“It’s a big disappointment for the players and the team, but the most important thing is the health of the individuals,” Ross said. “Kelvin and Josh are still a part of our team, and we will be there with them every step of the way during their rehabilitation. We will look forward to having them both rejoin our program as quickly as they can.”