CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Future Hall of Fame head coach
Cliff Ellis was named to the Big South 2010-19 Men's Basketball All-Decade Team presented by Hercules Tires, it was announced by the league office today.
The league's All-Decade Teams were first unveiled as part of the Big South's 30th Anniversary celebration in 2013-14 to recognize the student-athletes and coaches who excelled in their respective sport in each decade since the conference's founding in 1983.
In nine seasons from 2007-08 to 2015-16, coach Ellis led the Chanticleers while members of the Big South Conference. Named the 2010 Big South Conference Coach of the Year, he guided Coastal to two Big South regular-season championships in 2009-10 and 2010-11 and two Big South tournament championships in 2013-14 and 2014-15. Ellis posted a record of 155-75 overall and 87-35 in the Big South during that span and directed the Chants to six postseason tournaments.
Ellis led CCU to the NCAA Championship Tournament in 2013-14 and 2014-15, the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 2009-10 and 2010-11, and the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) in 2011-12 and 2015-16.
The Chants' 28 wins in both 2009-10 and 2010-11 rank second all-time in Big South history for most wins in a single season, white the program's three-straight seasons with 20 wins or more from 2013-16 is tied for the second-longest streak in Big South's record books.
One of four coaches in NCAA Division I history to make multiple NCAA Tournament appearances with four separate schools, he is also the only coach in NCAA Division I history to win at least 170 games at four different institutions.
Over his career he has posted 858 overall wins, including 780 at the NCAA Division I level which ranks 15th all-time. Ellis has been named conference Coach of the Year six times in his career.
Ellis joins seven former Chants in earning All-Decade Team recognition for men's basketball.
William Calvin (three-time all-conference) and Derek Wilson (Big South Player of the Year, two-time all-conference) were both named to the 1985-89 Men's Basketball All-Decade Team, while Robert Dowdell (two-time all-conference, Big South Hall of Famer) and Tony Dunkin (All-American, four-time Big South Player of the Year, Big South Rookie of the Year, Big South Tournament MVP, four-time all-conference, Big South Hall of Famer) were named to the 1990-99 All-Decade Team.
Three Chants in Torrey Butler (two-time All-American, two-time Big South Player of the Year, two-time all-conference), Jack Leasure (All-American, Big South Player of the Year, Big South Freshman of the Year, three-time all-conference), and Pete Paelay (All-American, Big South Player of the Year, two-time all-conference) earned spots on the 2000-09 All-Decade Team.
A 15-person committee of Big South Conference administrators served as the official voting panel to determine the All-Decade Team, with fan voting comprising 20 percent of the overall total.
The 2010-19 Men's Basketball All-Decade Teams are listed below in alphabetical order and features 12 players and one head coach. In case of ties, additional honorees have been added.
2010-19 MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-DECADE TEAM PRESENTED BY HERCULES TIRES
Name, School
Nick Barbour, High Point
John Brown, High Point
Chris Clemons, Campbell
Xavier Cooks, Winthrop
Matt Dickey, UNC Asheville
David Efianayi, Gardner-Webb
Javonte Green, Radford
Keon Johnson, Winthrop
Carlik Jones, Radford
Kelvin Martin, Charleston Southern
Saah Nimley, Charleston Southern
Stan Okoye, VMI
Ed Polite Jr., Radford
Jesse Sanders, Liberty
Ahmad Thomas, UNC Asheville
Head Coach, School
Eddie Biedenbach, UNC Asheville
Cliff Ellis, Coastal Carolina
About the Big South All-Decade Teams
Men's Basketball All-Decade Team candidates were determined based on being at least one of the following:
1) Was a multiple all-conference honoree;
2) Was named an All-American;
3) Is a member of the Big South Conference Hall of Fame;
4) Student-athletes must be a college graduate or left their respective institution in good academic standing;
5) Won a conference championship as a coach and/or was voted conference Coach of the Year;
6) Players of the Year, Tournament MVPs, and first-team all-conference honorees will be among the candidate pool for the 2010-19 All-Decade Teams.
Candidates that participated in two different decades were placed in a specific decade based on consultation from member institutions. Member institutions also had final determination in regards to the inclusion of student-athletes and coaches.
For complete coverage of CCU men's basketball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalMBB (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUSports (Instagram) or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
