Sophomore Norchad Omier averaged 17.2 points and 12.0 rebounds in 27 games for Arkansas State, helping the Red Wolves to a 17-10 record. (Courtesy of Arkansas State Athletics)
In not even two full seasons at Arkansas State, Norchad Omier has made plenty of history.
He’s the first Nicaraguan to play Division I men’s basketball. He matched the most Sun Belt Player of the Week honors in a season. Just last week, he turned in a 23-point, 15-rebound, five-block, five-steal performance against Coastal Carolina — a stat line unmatched in the last decade-plus.
Omier added to his remarkable collegiate career by claiming 2021-22 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year honors along with Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Sun Belt recognition. The sophomore is only the third player in league history to win Player and Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season and he’s also only the third to follow a Freshman of the Year campaign with Player of the Year honors.
Omier is the third Red Wolf to win Sun Belt Player of the Year, joining Chico Fletcher (1997-98 and 1998-99) and Jeff Clifton (1993-94) And Omier, who was named to the All-Sun Belt first team in 2020-21 as well, becomes the first ASU player repeat as a first-team honoree since Jason Jennings accomplished the feat in 2000-01 and 2001-02.
The numbers alone tell the story of a remarkable season for the 6-7 forward. Omier averaged 17.2 points and 12.0 rebounds in 27 games for the Red Wolves, shooting nearly 65% from the field. Only Utah Valley’s Fardaws Aimaq is posting at least as many points and rebounds per game, and among players averaging at least 10 points and 10 rebounds, Omier is second nationally in Player Efficiency Rating at 34.4 — one spot behind likely National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe of Kentucky and one spot ahead of All-American Kofi Cockburn of Illinois.
In Sun Belt games, Omier ranked second in scoring (19.1), first in rebounding (13.3), first in field-goal percentage (63.4%), fifth in steals (1.7) and third in blocks (2.0). He also had 12 double-doubles in 15 league games and strung together 10 straight games with double-doubles between Dec. 19 and Feb. 3.
Omier is also the first underclassman to win the award since Georgia State’s D’Marcus Simonds did so in 2017-18, and Omier is only the 8th all-time to do so.
But he wasn’t the only ASU underclassman to grab conference honors Monday as Red Wolf guard Lauryn Pendleton was named Sun Belt Women’s Basketball Freshman of the Year. The Little Rock Central alum shot 40.0% from the field and 36.0% on three-pointers in her debut campaign while leading the Sun Belt in free-throw percentage at 84.1%.
University of Arkansas-Little Rock forward Sali Kourouma was a second-team member after leading the Trojans in scoring at 17.5 points per game, and UALR teammate Mayra Caicedo joined her as a third-team honoree — the second straight season in which Caicedo has been a third-team member. ASU forward Trinitee Jackson grabbed a third-team spot with Caicedo as well.
MEN
Player of the Year: Norchad Omier, Arkansas State
Defensive Player of the Year: Norchad Omier, Arkansas State
Freshman of the Year: Duke Deen, Troy
Newcomer of the Year: Efe Odigie, Troy
Sixth Man of the Year: Elijah McCadden, Georgia Southern
Coach of the Year: Terrence Johnson, Texas State
First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference
Adrian Delph, Appalachian State
Norchad Omier, Arkansas State
David Azore, Texas-Arlington
Caleb Asberry, Texas State
Efe Odigie, Troy
Second-Team All-Sun Belt Conference
Vince Cole, Coastal Carolina
Jordan Brown, Louisiana-Lafayette
Jay Jay Chandler, South Alabama
Charles Manning Jr., South Alabama
Mason Harrell, Texas State
Third-Team All-Sun Belt Conference
Corey Allen, Georgia State
Kane Williams, Georgia State
Kobe Julien, Louisiana-Lafayette
Andre Jones, Louisiana-Monroe
Javon Franklin, South Alabama
WOMEN
Player of the Year: Starr Jacobs, Texas-Arlington
Defensive Player of the Year: Ty’Reona Doucet, Louisiana-Lafayette
Freshman of the Year: Lauryn Pendleton, Arkansas State
Newcomer of the Year: Alexia Allesch, Appalachian State
Sixth Woman of the Year: Terren Ward, Georgia Southern
Coach of the Year: Shereka Wright, Texas-Arlington
First-Team All-Sun Belt Conference
Aja Blount, Coastal Carolina
Ty’Reona Doucet, Louisiana-Lafayette
Starr Jacobs, Texas-Arlington
Da’Nasia Hood, Texas State
Felmas Koranga, Troy
Second-Team All-Sun Belt Conference
Alexia Allesch, Appalachian State
Sali Kourouma, University of Arkansas-Little Rock
Terren Ward, Georgia Southern
Terryn Milton, Texas-Arlington
Kennedy Taylor, Texas State
Third-Team All-Sun Belt Conference
Janay Sanders, Appalachian State
Mayra Caicedo, University of Arkansas-Little Rock
Trinitee Jackson, Arkansas State
Makayia Hallmon, Louisiana-Lafayette
Kyren Whittington, Louisiana-Monroe
Amber Leggett, Troy
