North Carolina A&T Alexander Wins Coaching Honor

COACH CY ALEXANDER

GREENSBORO, North Carolina -- Cy Alexander added to his legacy when he was named District 15 Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The 2013 NABC Division I All-District coaches were selected by their peers. Alexander earned the honor after completing his first season as A&T’s head men’s basketball coach.

District 15 represents the coaches from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Alexander led the Aggies to the 2013 MEAC title by winning four straight in the conference tournament, including three wins over teams who were seeded higher. Alexander, who just completed his 23^rd season as a collegiate head coach, also led the Aggies to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 18 years. It was an appearance that yielded the Aggies their first-ever NCAA tournament win as they defeated Liberty 73-72 in the first round of the Midwest region on March 19.

The Aggies would lose to eventual Final Four team Louisville two days later, ending the Aggies’ season at 20-17. It was A&T’s first winning season in 15 years and its first 20-win season since 1987-88. In leading the Aggies to the MEAC title, Alexander became the conference’s all-time leader in tournament wins with 31.

“You know, I feel really blessed,” said Alexander, who won 27 MEAC tournament games as the head coach of S.C. State from 1987-2003. “I have to thank my assistant coaches for their hard work, and I have to thank this team for buying into what I was trying to sell when I took over this job last May. I want to particularly thank our seven seniors who are on track to graduate. Hopefully getting (to the NCAA tournament) will enhance our university’s visibility as well as enhance our basketball recruiting.”

Alexander will enter the 2013-2014 season with 370 wins, two returning starters and a key returning reserve in point guard Jeremy Underwood. Only Coppin State’s Ron “Fang” Mitchell has more coaching wins among active MEAC coaches. Alexander is the owner of six MEAC titles, five as the head coach of S.C. State. He only trails Don Corbett for most MEAC titles with one fewer than the legendary former Aggies head coach. Alexander won three MEAC Coach of the Year awards at S.C. State and was named American Sports Wire National Coach of the Year in 1996.

Located in Kansas City, Mo., the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game.

The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men’s basketball coaches.

2013 NABC DIVISION I ALL-DISTRICT COACHES
District 1: Joe Mihalich, Niagara
District 2: Jim Larranaga, Miami
District 3: Chris Holtmann, Gardner-Webb
District 4: Jim Crews, St. Louis
District 5: John Thompson III, Georgetown
District 6: Michael White, Louisiana Tech
District 7: Tom Crean, Indiana
District 8: Bruce Weber, Kansas State
District 9: Mark Few, Gonzaga
Co-District 10: Matt Brady, James Madison
Co-District 10: Bill Coen, Northeastern
District 11: Donnie Tyndall, Southern Mississippi
District 12: Jim Molinari, Western Illinois
Co-District 13: Tommy Amaker, Harvard
Co-District 13: Dave Paulsen, Bucknell
District 14: Jim Christian, Ohio
District 15: Cy Alexander, North Carolina A&T
Co-District 16: Greg McDermott, Creighton
Co-District 16: Gregg Marshall, Wichita State
District 17: Steve Alford, New Mexico
District 18: Tim O’Shea, Bryant
District 19: Jeff Neubauer, Eastern Kentucky
District 20: Dana Altman, Oregon
District 21: Billy Donovan, Florida
District 22: Bob McKillop, Davidson
District 23: Danny Kaspar, Stephen F. Austin
District 24: Kermit Davis, Middle Tennessee State

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION