According to the leagues head coaches and media, Illinois State head coach Tom Richardson might have finished second in the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year race, but his efforts on the sidelines caught the attention of College Insider, Tuesday, as the web-based magazine recognized him as the coach of the year in the league.
College Insider, one of the most popular college basketball magazines on the internet, recognized Richardson as part of the publications installment of its all-league awards. In addition to Richardsons honor, Creightons Kyle Korver was named the player of the league and Southern Illinois Kent Williams was named the leagues most valuable player.
After losing the nations leading returning scorer, Tarise Bryson, to a season-ending injury in the first game of the year, Richardson battled through trials and tribulations and guided the Redbirds to a third-place finish in the conference, by winning 11 of the last 14 games and posting a 17-14 overall mark.
