KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A 26-win regular season, a Conference Carolinas regular season crown and an NCAA Tournament berth led to additional honors for the UNC Pembroke men's basketball program on Monday when skipper Drew Richards was crowned as the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Southeast District Coach of the Year for the second-straight season.
 
Richards, who sports a 56-11 (.836) in 2-plus seasons with the Black & Gold, shared last season's coach of the year laurel with two other coaches. He is one of two coaches (Lacey Gane, 1972-73) in the 84-year history of UNCP's basketball program to don district coach of the year honors.
 
In spite of bidding adieu to all five starters off of last season's 27-win club, Richards led the Black & Gold to its most regular-season wins in school history (26) in 2022-23, while also helping the program capture its second-straight Conference Carolinas regular season championship and its ninth NCAA Tournament berth.
 
Richards, who led Lander to a 23-8 record, a Peach Belt Conference Tournament berth and an appearance in the 2019-20 NCAA Tournament, is 79-19 (.806) in four seasons as a collegiate head coach. He helped guide the Braves to a 113-43 (.724) record and four NCAA Tournament appearances as an associate head coach from 2014-19.