INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana – The Horizon League announced today its 2019-20 Men's Basketball All-League Teams and Specialty Awards winners. Cleveland State Head Coach Dennis Gates has been named Co-Coach of the Year, while junior Algevon Eichelberger has been named to the All-League Third Team, as voted upon by league head coaches, sports information directors and members of the media.
Gates, in his first year at the helm of the Vikings, is only the second head coach in Cleveland State history to be named Horizon League Coach of the Year, joining Gary Waters (2007-08).
"It's so rewarding to see Coach Gates and our team honored with this award," said Cleveland State Director of Athletics Scott Garrett. "To have rebuilt this roster in August, learned through some humbling losses, get our student-athletes' total buy-in throughout the course of the season, and then compete to the buzzer every night in Horizon League play, shows that the future of Cleveland State basketball is incredibly bright under Coach Gates' leadership."
After being picked to finish last in the Horizon League men's basketball preseason poll, Gates' Vikings enter the Horizon League men's basketball tournament as a seven seed with a 7-11 record in league play, its best Horizon League record since the 2014-15 season.
The Vikings hold an 11-19 overall record, making Coach Gates the first head coach with an 11-win season to be named Horizon League Coach of the Year and only the second coach in league history to be awarded the honor with a sub-.500 record, joining 1980-81 Horizon League Coach of the Year Bob Staak (12-16, Xavier).
"I am honored and humbled," said Gates. "I want to thank Cleveland State President Harlan Sands and Director of Athletics Scott Garrett for believing in me to lead this program. I also want to send my appreciation to the Horizon League head coaches, sports information directors and media members for their votes. Most importantly, I share this award with my staff, as well as the young men in this program. I am thankful for their unselfish commitment to the vision of this program both on and off the court."
Under Gates leadership, the Vikings rank second in the Horizon League in steals per game (7.84), third in defensive rebounds (36.1), and fifth in defensive scoring (71.5), field goal percentage (.428) and three-point field goal percentage (.337). Cleveland State's 7.84 steals per game are 2.23 steals better per contest than the Vikings averaged in 2018-19 (ninth in the Horizon League).
This season, Gates has coached junior Torrey Patton to Horizon League Player of the Week (Jan. 6) and Hugo Ferreira to Horizon League Freshman of the Week (Feb. 24).
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Gates was named the 16th head coach in Cleveland State men's basketball history on July 26, 2019, following eight seasons on Leonard Hamilton's staff at Florida State. He shares Co-Coach of the Year honors with Wright State head coach Scott Nagy.
With Gates at the helm of the Vikings, All-League Third Team member Algevon Eichelberger is averaging a career-best 14.4 points per game (+9.2 improvement from 2018-19), a career-high 6.46 rebounds (+3.3 improvement from 2018-19) and a career-high 1.2 assists (+0.6 improvement from 2018-19).
"This award is a true assessment of Algevon's perseverance," said Gates. "He has done everything we have asked of him and is arguably one of the most improved players in the country. To be recognized as an all-league performer speaks to his toughness, resolve and consistency."
Eichelberger is fourth in the Horizon League in field goal percentage, shooting .458 (151-330) from the field. He also sits fifth in the league in offensive rebounds (2.17), seventh in blocked shots (0.96), eighth in rebounds (6.46) and tied for 13th in scoring (14.4).
The junior from Sagniaw, Michigan, has scored in double figures in 24 of 28 games played, including 19 straight contests of notching 10-plus points.
The Vikings will be back on the hardwood on Tuesday, March 3 to take on Oakland in the first round of the Horizon League men's basketball tournament. Tipoff for Tuesday's tilt is set for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
