KANSAS CITY, MO – For the third time in six seasons, Monmouth University Men's Basketball Head Coach King Rice has been named the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District I Coach of the Year, the organization announced Tuesday. Senior guard Deion Hammond (Mitchellville, MD/Riverdale Baptist School) was also honored, being named All-District First Team.

Rice earns this honor for the third time, also being named District Coach of the Year in 2016 and 2017. He has been named the top coach in District I, which comprises players and coaches from members of the MAAC and America East, in all three seasons in which he has also earned MAAC Coach of the Year. Rice led MU to a league-high 12 wins and a third MAAC regular season title, as well as having three seniors named to All-MAAC teams.

Hammond is named All-District for the second consecutive year, and earns First Team for the first time. He is one of two Hawks all-time to earn NABC First Team honors, joining Justin Robinson, who did it twice. The guard led MU in scoring and was second in the conference, earning a unanimous spot on the league's First Team. He set the program mark for made three pointers this year, and became one of five Hawks at the Division I level to top the 1,600-point mark.