Bowie State Garners Coach of the Year and All-American Awards

BOWIE, MD---On the eve of the Bowie State University Bulldogs push for its Division II men's basketball national championship, they received individual honors for their outstanding play during the season.

Head coach Luke D'Alessio was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) South Atlantic Coach of the Year. Senior forward Tim Washington was named to the 2003 NABC South Atlantic Region First Team, an NABC Third Team All-American and was named a 2002-2003 Daktronics NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Second Team All-American. Jon Smith rounded out the awards with his inclusion on the 2003 South Atlantic Region Second Team.

D'Alessio's team finished the year a school-best 30-5 and advanced to the Division II Final Four in just his fourth year at the helm of the Bulldogs.

4Taking over for the 1999-2000 season, the Bulldogs went 7-21. As he had done at Catonsville Community College previously, D'Alessio turned the team around quickly, posting successive records of 19-9 and 20-8. The Bulldogs advanced to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association semi-finals in 2003, then made the ultimate breakthrough by winning its first CIAA championship title this season, earning its first berth into the NCAA post-season.

"It's a great honor, there is no question," said D'Alessio. This means we have great players that make coaching easier. Winning the region coach of the year is a reflection of our whole team," he added.

Washington, a 6-9 forward from Washington, DC, was instrumental in the Bulldogs success not only in 2003, but in the three years he has spent in black and gold. He garnered the post-season hardware for his outstanding performance in 2003, including averaging 19.7 points-per-game and 9.3 rebounds-per-game. In the Bulldogs two post-season tournaments in 2003, Washington was nothing short of spectacular. He first earned the 2003 CIAA Tournament Most Valuable Player award then followed that up by being named the 2003 South Atlantic Region Most Valuable Player. He recorded two double-doubles in points and rebounds during the three-game series and scored a career-high 39 points in the regional opener against Lenoir-Rhyne College.

Smith, a 6-9 center, transferred in from Virginia Tech University and immediately took over the center position from Washington, who moved to a more natural power forward slot, and finished the year averaging 14.0 points and 7.3 rebounds and two blocks-per-game. He made his name known and presence felt immediately as he shattered a backboard in the Bulldogs third game of the season at Livingstone College. Smith showed he had no fear in taking a final shot in close games, making no less than three game-winning shots. Against Gannon University, he took a pass from Washington and made a layup with under 10 seconds to play to give the Bulldogs the win. When the Bulldogs traveled to Richmond, VA, to face Virginia Union University, it was Smith and Washington that teamed up again. Washington missed a last-second shot in overtime, but Smith was there for the tip-in for the win as time expired. At the CIAA Tournament, the Bulldogs battled back from an 11-point second half deficit and took the lead for good when Smith hit a 12-foot shot from the left baseline with 24 seconds left in the game to give the Bulldogs a 72-71 lead that would stand up for their first conference championship.