For the second straight season, Lenoir-Rhyne’s T.J. Nesmith has been selected as an All-Conference performer. Nesmith was announced as a Second Team All-Conference selection after earning a Third Team nod last year.

Nesmith finished fifth in the league in field goal percentage at 60.2 percent and also was fifth in the league with 36 total blocks while his 16.7 points per game ranked him third in the league. Nesmith would be named both conference and national player of the week after averaging 30 points and nine rebounds per game while shooting 61.5 percent in a pair games the week of February 11.

Nesmith becomes the 49th All-Conference selection during the SAC era for the men’s basketball program and the first back-to-back honoree since Darius Simmons and R.J. Gunn both went back-to-back in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

2022-23 South Atlantic Conference Men’s Basketball All-Conference

First Team
Jarren Cottingham, Wingate
Bradley Dean, UVA Wise
Quay Kennedy, Lincoln Memorial
Inady Legiste, Tusculum
Quandaveon McCollum, Newberry
Chase Rankin, Lincoln Memorial

Second Team
DeAngelo Epps, Catawba
Ben Gahlert, Limestone
Javeon Jones, Catawba
Jordan Jones, Coker
Luke Lawson, UVA Wise
Tj Nesmith, Lenoir-Rhyne

Third Team
Gabe Brown, Emory & Henry
Me’Kell Burries, Lincoln Memorial
Destin Clark, Wingate
Kory Davis, Mars Hill
Myles Jenkins, Anderson
Bryant Thomas, Carson-Newman

All-Freshman
Mahmoud Bangura, Coker
Caleb Byrd, Newberry
Kory Davis, Mars Hill
Calen Lightford, UVA Wise
Patrick Shelley, UVA Wise

Player of the Year
Bradley Dean, Virginia-Wise

Freshman of the Year
Kory Davis, Mars Hill

Defensive Player of the Year
Bryant Thomas, Carson-Newman

Coach of the Year
Rob Perron, Catawba