Norfolk State men's basketball coach Anthony Evans was named the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Division I State Coach of the Year and two Spartans earned all-state recognition, the organization announced.
Senior center Kyle O'Quinn was voted to the VaSID all-state first team, and senior guard/forward Chris McEachin earned honorable mention honors.
Evans led the Spartans to a 26-10 record and their first-ever MEAC championship and NCAA Division I Tournament berth in 2011-12. The Spartans' 26 victories bested the 2007-08 team's Division I school wins record by 10 and are the most by any NSU basketball team since 1994-95, when the Spartans went 27-6 and advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four. Evans was named the MEAC Tournament's Most Outstanding Coach.
Evans' Spartans also ingrained themselves in college basketball history by becoming just the fifth No. 15 seed to upset a No. 2 seed in NCAA Tournament play. NSU topped Missouri - ranked No. 3 in the nation - 86-84 in a West Region second-round game in Omaha, Neb.
The MEAC Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Performer, O'Quinn averaged 15.9 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. He led the MEAC and tied for fifth nationally with 20 double-doubles, ranked 14th in the country in field goal percentage (57.3), 15th in blocks and 16th in rebounding. O'Quinn was also given the Lou Henson Award as the nation's top mid-major player.
McEachin finished the season second on the squad and 10th in the MEAC in scoring, at 12.8 points per game. His 76 3-pointers made also led the team and were eighth-most in the conference. McEachin had 20 points in the upset of Missouri and a career-high 27 in a victory over Hampton in February.
NSU and Old Dominion were the only two state schools who had more than one player recognized on the first team, second team and honorable mention lists.
Virginia's Mike Scott was named VaSID Player of the Year and Richmond's Kendall Anthony was selected Rookie of the Year.
-NSU