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HAMPDEN SYDNEY – After a season that saw the Hampden-Sydney Tigers earn an NCAA Tournament spot and win their first tournament game in a decade, head coach Caleb Kimbrough is being honored. The fourth-year coach was informed on Monday that he’s been voted as the 2022-23 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division III District 6 Coach of the Year. 

Kimbrough led Hampden-Sydney to its finest season in 10 years with an overall record of 22-7. In addition to its first tournament appearance since 2013, the team finished 14-2 in regular season conference play, to claim the No. 2 seed for the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournament. They made it to the semi-finals of the ODAC before falling on a last-second three -pointer. 

The Tigers, ranked No. 20 nationally in the final regular season Division III Top 25, enjoyed both an 11-game winning streak, as well as a seven-game winning streak during the season, finishing with 19 wins in their last 23 games. The 22 overall wins, as well as the 14 conference wins, are the program’s highest win totals since 2012-13 (23-5, 14-2), while only the fourth 20-win season in the last 20 years. Coach Kimbrough is 52-35 (.598) at Hampden-Sydney College, already ranking eighth among the 19 head coaches in the program’s tradition-rich history.

Speaking with The Herald earlier this month, Kimbrough said he had a specific focus now that the season’s over. 

“Right now, we want to give our guys a break, but we’ll talk to them individually and get their thoughts,” Kimbrough said. “Then as coaches, we’ll take a look at how we can be better. We’ll just try to figure out how we can improve and see where it takes us.”

Hubbard earns All-District honor

In addition, junior Davidson Hubbard was chosen for the Second Team All-District 6. The All-District honors are voted on by NABC-member coaches across NCAA Division III. In addition, Hubbard was named Second Team All-Region 6. 

Hubbard started 28 of 29 games and averaged 14.6 points, 9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 28.2 minutes. He shot 53% (166-314) from the field, 44% (30-68) on three-point field goals and 72% (60-83) at the free throw line, adding 28 blocks and 20 steals, while the team leader in points (422), scoring average, field goals, field goal attempts, total rebounds (261, 35th nationally), offensive rebounds (79), defensive rebounds (182) and blocks. 

Hubbard scored a career-high 30 points (13-16 FGs, 3-3 3FGs) at Salisbury (MD) (1/21), adding a 26-point game at then No. 1 Christopher Newport (12/13), along with career-highs of 16 rebounds, four assists, four blocks, four steals, three three-pointers and 36 minutes. He had 24 double-figure scoring games, including the 30-point game among six 20-point games, with 14 double-doubles. Hubbard led the ODAC in rebounding and double-doubles (20th nationally), was tied for third in three-point percentage, and fourth in field goal percentage and blocks, while earning one ODAC Player of the Week award this season.