BOSTON, Mass. - Nicholls State University men's basketball head coach Tevon Saddler was named finalist for two separate awards on Tuesday, as he was one of 25 finalists for the 2023-24 Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year Award, as well as one of 16 finalists for the Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year.

The Ben Jobe award is presented annually to the top minority head coach in Division I college basketball, while the Joe B. Hall award is presented annually to the top rookie, first-year head coach. 

In his debut season at the helm, Saddler led the Colonels to a 20-14 overall record and a third-place finish in the Southland Conference. As the youngest head coach in Division I, Saddler had to rebuild a roster that lost over 80 percent of its point production from a season ago. The Colonels exceeded their sixth-place projection and reached the Southland Conference Tournament title game for just the fourth time in school history. The 20-win campaign was also just the eighth for the program in team history.

Saddler's first career victory came in Week 1 as the Colonels knocked off LSU for just the second time in the all-time series. Nicholls also won a triple-overtime thriller at South Alabama before going on to sweep six Southland opponents including in-state rivals New Orleans, Northwestern State and Southeastern. Saddler's squad was led by newcomers Diante Smith and Jamal West Jr., who were both named All-Southland. 

Saddler not only reached team milestones but also set marks for a first-year head coach. His 20 overall wins and 13 Southland victories were the most ever by rookie head coach at Nicholls. 

The Ben Jobe Award is named in honor of one the most iconic coaches in the history of basketball at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He is best known as the head coach of Southern University, a position he held for 12 seasons. He was also head coach at Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Talladega, Tuskegee, and South Carolina State.

The Joe B. Hall award is named in honor of longtime Kentucky head coach Joe B. Hall who was given the task of following the legendary Adolph Rupp at the school. In his first season, Hall finished 20-8, won the SEC and advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals.

The recipients of the annual awards are determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members on collegeinsider.com.

The 2024 awards will be announced in Phoenix, Arizona, site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.

2024 BEN JOBE AWARD FINALISTS
Amir Abdur-Rahim - South Florida
Tony Barbee - Central Michigan
Kenny Blakeney - Howard
Alvin Brooks - Lamar
Craig Claxton - Hofstra
Donald Copeland - Wagner
Hubert Davis - North Carolina
Corey Gipson - Austin Peay
Justin Gray - Western Carolina
Talvin Hester - Louisiana Tech
Donte' Jackson - Grambling
Kevin Johnson - Southern
James Jones - Yale
Mike Jones - UNCG
Robert Jones - Norfolk State
Erik Martin - South Carolina State
Bashir Mason - Saint Peter's
Lamont Paris - South Carolina
Tevon Saddler - Nicholls
Kelvin Sampson - Houston
Patrick Sellers - Central Connecticut
Shaka Smart - Marquette
K.T. Turner - UT Arlington
Drew Valentine - Loyola Chicago
Darrell Walker - Little Rock

2024 JOE B. HALL AWARD FINALISTS
Adrian Autry - Syracuse
Chad Boudreau - Western Illinois
Chris Casey - Fairfield
Aaron Fearne - Charlotte
Ross Hodge - North Texas
Bryan Hodgson - Arkansas State
Alan Huss - High Point
Matt Logie - Montana State
Phil Martelli Jr. - Bryant
Chris Mudge - Sam Houston
Tevon Saddler - Nicholls
Jim Shaw - Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Duane Simpkins - American
Tony Skinn - George Mason
K.T. Turner - UT Arlington
Sundance Wicks - Green Bay