Hargraves and Richardson earn NABC All-District 7 honors

OLIVET, Mich. – The University of Olivet head coach Sam Hargraves and junior Nathan Richardson have earned 2025-26 All-District 7 honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Hargraves was voted the Co-Coach of the Year, while Richardson is a second team selection.

Under Hargraves' leadership, the Comets posted a 15-10 overall record, including a 12-2 mark in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play to capture the outright regular season conference title. It is Olivet's first outright title since 1972 and only the sixth in program history. During the league schedule, the Comets posted a 10-game winning streak which included a pair of wins against preseason MIAA favorite Calvin University.

Four of Olivet's non-conference opponents advanced to the NCAA Division III National Championships – Heidelberg (Ohio) University – Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament champion; John Carroll (Ohio) University – North Coast Athletic Association Tournament champion, Washington University-St. Louis (Mo.) – University Athletic Association at-large team and University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point – Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Association at-large team. Hargraves is sharing the Co-Coach of the Year honors with Andy Winters from Otterbein (Ohio) University.

The MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, Richardson ranked first in nearly every statistical category, including scoring (14.6 points per game), total points (380), field goals made (148), free throws made (60), total assists (92) and total steals (52). Earlier in the season, he reached the 1,000 career points plateau and enters his senior season ranked No. 9 all-time with 1,086 points. Richardson is tied for third with 146 career steals and needed only 39 to become the all-time leader.

All players on the All-District teams are eligible to earn NABC All-America teams, which will be announced tomorrow, March 18. The NABC National Coach of the Year be released Thursday, March 19.