CUSA Player of Year Cleveland a Finalist for 2025-26 Nolan Richardson Award
3/10/2026 8:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty senior Zach Cleveland, the Conference USA Player of the Year, has been tabbed a finalist for the 2025-26 Nolan Richardson Award.
The award is presented annually to a Division I player who is the heart and soul of his team and a leader on and off the court. Cleveland is one of only 25 finalists on the listing.
The recipient of the award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of CollegeInsider.com. The 2026 award will be announced in Indianapolis, Ind., site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship Final Four.
On Monday, Cleveland became the first CUSA Player in program history and sixth conference player of the year in Liberty men's basketball history. The forward earned All-CUSA first team honors as well, his third straight year as an All-CUSA selection (first time on first team).
A two-time CUSA Player of the Week award winner this year, Cleveland is averaging 11.6 points (No. 4 on team), 7.4 rebounds (No. 1 on team), 6.9 assists (No. 1 on team), 1.3 blocks (No. 1 on team) and 1.3 steals (No. 2 on team) while shooting 62 percent from the field and totaling 21 double-digit scoring games (tied for No. 2 on squad).
Cleveland ranks eighth in the country in assists per game (6.9) and No. 14 nationally in defensive rebounds per game (6.7). He also has the conference's only triple-double of the year (Feb. 7 vs. Missouri State) and is tied for second in the league in double-doubles with eight.
Cleveland, a native of Bloomington, Ill., averaged 12.7 ppg, 6.5 apg and 6.4 rpg in 20 CUSA regular season games. He ranks No. 4 in program history in career assists (552), No. 8 in rebounds (722), No. 27 in points (1,175) and No. 2 in blocks.
The Nolan Richardson award is named in honor of one of the true legends of the game. His frenetic style of fast-break basketball, with full-court pressure, helped him become the only coach to win NJCCA, NIT and NCAA National Championships. After winning a junior college national championship at Western Texas College, Richardson went on to lead Tulsa to the NIT Championship in his first season at the helm. He averaged 24 wins per season in his five years at Tulsa, leading the Golden Hurricanes to three NCAA Tournament appearances.
In 17 seasons at Arkansas, Richardson led the Razorbacks to nine conference championships, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, three Final Fours and the 1994 NCAA Championship. His famed "40 Minutes of Hell" produced over 500 career wins. Nolan Richardson was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame and 2008, and he was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.
Cleveland and CUSA No. 1 seed Liberty (25-6, 17-3 CUSA) are preparing for their Championship quarterfinal matchup. The Flames will face No. 9 seed Missouri State (15-17, 8-12 CUSA) on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern at Propst Arena in Huntsville, Ala.
The award is presented annually to a Division I player who is the heart and soul of his team and a leader on and off the court. Cleveland is one of only 25 finalists on the listing.
The recipient of the award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of CollegeInsider.com. The 2026 award will be announced in Indianapolis, Ind., site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship Final Four.
On Monday, Cleveland became the first CUSA Player in program history and sixth conference player of the year in Liberty men's basketball history. The forward earned All-CUSA first team honors as well, his third straight year as an All-CUSA selection (first time on first team).
A two-time CUSA Player of the Week award winner this year, Cleveland is averaging 11.6 points (No. 4 on team), 7.4 rebounds (No. 1 on team), 6.9 assists (No. 1 on team), 1.3 blocks (No. 1 on team) and 1.3 steals (No. 2 on team) while shooting 62 percent from the field and totaling 21 double-digit scoring games (tied for No. 2 on squad).
Cleveland ranks eighth in the country in assists per game (6.9) and No. 14 nationally in defensive rebounds per game (6.7). He also has the conference's only triple-double of the year (Feb. 7 vs. Missouri State) and is tied for second in the league in double-doubles with eight.
Cleveland, a native of Bloomington, Ill., averaged 12.7 ppg, 6.5 apg and 6.4 rpg in 20 CUSA regular season games. He ranks No. 4 in program history in career assists (552), No. 8 in rebounds (722), No. 27 in points (1,175) and No. 2 in blocks.
The Nolan Richardson award is named in honor of one of the true legends of the game. His frenetic style of fast-break basketball, with full-court pressure, helped him become the only coach to win NJCCA, NIT and NCAA National Championships. After winning a junior college national championship at Western Texas College, Richardson went on to lead Tulsa to the NIT Championship in his first season at the helm. He averaged 24 wins per season in his five years at Tulsa, leading the Golden Hurricanes to three NCAA Tournament appearances.
In 17 seasons at Arkansas, Richardson led the Razorbacks to nine conference championships, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, three Final Fours and the 1994 NCAA Championship. His famed "40 Minutes of Hell" produced over 500 career wins. Nolan Richardson was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame and 2008, and he was enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.
Cleveland and CUSA No. 1 seed Liberty (25-6, 17-3 CUSA) are preparing for their Championship quarterfinal matchup. The Flames will face No. 9 seed Missouri State (15-17, 8-12 CUSA) on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern at Propst Arena in Huntsville, Ala.
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