The North Coast Athletic Conference champion College of Wooster men’s basketball team had four players earn all-conference honors, and the Fighting Scots took home the NCAC Coaching Staff of the Year award, as announced by the conference office on Thursday. Sophomore guard Jamir Billings earned first-team All-NCAC honors, senior guard Najee Hardaway and senior forward Turner Kurt were second-team selections, and junior Nick Everett earned third-team laurels.
Doug Cline just completed his third year leading the program he once starred for. The 1995 Wooster alumnus is 43-19 as head coach and Wooster has a 654-155 record with Cline on staff. He guided the program to its league-leading 19th conference title, the program’s 1,800th all-time victory, and the program’s 34th consecutive full season with at least 18 wins this winter.
Cline is assisted by Jack Stevens, Phil Kuchta, and Mel Burke Jr. Stevens came onboard for the 2017-18 season as a student assistant and was elevated to the lead assistant role upon graduating from the College in 2021. Kuchta and Burke Jr. joined the staff prior to the 2022-23 season. The NCAC Awards Committee recently enhanced the conference’s coaching honors, designating the award for the full staff instead of just the head coach starting with the 2022-23 academic year.
Notable, this is the 19th consecutive time at least three Wooster players made the all-conference team. Wooster last had four players on the all-conference team in 2013.