Cole Earns Honorable Mention All-America Honors

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cleveland State’s Norris Cole, the Horizon League Player of the Year, has become just the third Viking in school history to earn honorable mention All-America honors on the Associated Press team. The team was announced on Monday afternoon.

"I am happy for Norris because this award shows the recognition for all that he did for us this past season," CSU head coach Gary Waters said in a release provided by Cleveland State.

"In my estimation, there is only one other guard in the nation who has the total package that Norris has. He scored off the dribble and from the perimeter, passed the ball, rebounded and most importantly, played defense. I couldn't have asked any more from him."

Cole, the only player in the nation to average 20 points, five rebounds and five assists a game this season, joins Clinton Ransey (1985 & 1986) and Clinton Smith (1985) as the only Associated Press All-Americans in Viking basketball history.

The point guard had a record-setting season. The first player in league history to be named Horizon League Player of the Year and Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year in the same season, he set a Cleveland State single season scoring record with 780 points.  The senior led the Horizon League in scoring (21.7ppg), steals (2.2) and free throw percentage (.853), ranked second in assists (5.4), third in minutes played (35.7), fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.93) and defensive rebounds (5.2) and eighth in rebounds. Cole set the CSU single season records for points (780), free throws made (227) and free throws attempted (266), scoring 20 points or more 20 times.

Cole had the top individual game in the Horizon League this year in scoring (41 vs. Youngstown State), rebounds (20 vs. Youngstown State), free throws made (15 vs. Green Bay) and steals (6 vs. UIC).

The senior finished his career as the Cleveland State career record holder in games played (140), consecutive games played (140) and minutes played (4,114). He also ranks second in career victories (90), third in scoring (1,978), free throws made (479) and field goals attempted (1,554) and fourth in free throws attempted (587) and field goals made (677).

Associated Press All-America
First Team
Jimmer Fredette, Brigham Young
Nolan Smith, Duke
JaJuan Johnson, Purdue
Kemba Walker, Connecticut
Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

Second Team
Marcus Morris, Kansas
Derrick Williams, Arizona
Ben Hansbrough, Notre Dame
Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin
Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State

Third Team
Jacob Pullen, Kansas State
Kenneth Faried, Morehead State
Jordan Hamilton, Texas
Tu Holloway, Xavier
Marshon Brooks, Providence

Honorable Mention
Harrison Barnes, North Carolina; Talor Battle, Penn State; Devon Beitzel, Northern Colorado; Keith Benson, Oakland; Solomon Bozeman, UALR; Alec Burks, Colorado; Gilberto Clavell, Sam Houston State; Norris Cole, Cleveland State; Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech; Austin Freeman, Georgetown.

Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh; Andrew Goudelock, College of Charleston; Justin Greene, Kent State; Dwight Hardy, St. John's; John Holland, Boston U.; Ken Horton, Central Connecticut State; Reggie Jackson, Boston College; Rick Jackson, Syracuse; Charles Jenkins, Hofstra; John Jenkins, Vanderbilt; Aaron Johnson, UAB; Terrence Jones, Kentucky; Trevele Jones, Texas Southern; Brandon Knight, Kentucky; Jon Leuer, Wisconsin; Mickey McConnell, Saint Mary's; E'Twaun Moore, Purdue; Markieff Morris, Kansas; Mike Muscala, Bucknell; Chandler Parsons, Florida.

C.J. Reed, Bethune-Cookman; Ryan Rossiter, Siena; Jesse Sanders, Liberty; Kyle Singler, Duke; Mike Smith, East Tennessee State; Isaiah Thomas, Washington; Tristan Thompson, Texas; Nikola Vucevic, Southern California; Brad Wanamaker, Pittsburgh; Casper Ware, Long Beach State.

Kyle Weems, Missouri State; Taj Wesley, Utah State; Jordan Williams, Maryland; Isiah Williams, Utah Valley; Keith Wright, Harvard.