Norfolk State University Athletics Director Marty Miller announced Thursday that interim men’s basketball coach Anthony Evans has been named to the permanent head coaching position and has agreed to a three-year contract through the 2010-11 season.

Evans and assistant coaches Lonnie Blow and Robert Jones have guided the Spartans to a 9-9 overall record so far this season, including a 5-1 mark in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. NSU is tied with Hampton for second place in the conference, one-half game behind Morgan State (6-1 in the MEAC).

“Coach Evans’ performance validates the confidence I had in his ability when I appointed him interim head coach,” Miller said. “He has been an excellent leader, teacher and recruiter, and he has the knowledge and experience to take the men’s basketball program to a higher level. I am happy he has agreed to serve as head coach for the next three years.”

“I want to thank Mr. Miller and the University for giving me this opportunity. I also want to thank coach Blow and coach Jones for their help in all aspects of the program,” Evans said. “The players have done a great job learning the system and becoming closer as a team. There is a lot of basketball left to be played this season, so they have to continue working hard. But I am happy with their progress to this point and with what the future holds.”

Prior to the 2007-08 season, Evans, 37, served as an assistant coach at NSU for four seasons (2003-06). Evans, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., was formerly the head coach at Delhi Tech (SUNY-Delhi) in Delhi, N.Y., from 2001-03. His teams went 62-8, including two Region III titles and appearances in the National Junior College Association Division III tournament. He was District I Coach of the Year twice, and Region III Coach of the Year in 2002. His teams at Delhi garnered a No. 1 national ranking at one point during both of his years there.

Evans also coached at Ulster County Community College in Kingston, N.Y., for two seasons before his stint at Delhi. At Ulster, Evans’ team went 23-8 and was the Region XV runner-up in 2001, when he was named the region’s Coach of the Year.

Evans earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from St. Thomas Aquinas in 1994. He played guard for Aquinas, also known as the Spartans.