Virginia State University head men’s basketball coach Lonnie Blow Jr. has been selected for the 2025 Achieving Coaching Excellence Honor Roll, recognizing his outstanding leadership this season.

Only two Division II coaches made this year’s list, with Blow joining Fred Watson of Miles College as the small college representatives.

Blow guided the Trojans to one of their most successful seasons in recent history, capturing the CIAA Northern Division Championship and the CIAA Tournament title before winning their opening-round NCAA Tournament game. The team finished with a 22-9 record, marking VSU’s first 20-win season since 2018-19.

Now in its sixth year, the College Basketball Coaching Honor Roll recognizes coaches who demonstrate excellence both on and off the court, including community involvement and leadership in the profession. The honor roll includes coaches from all NCAA divisions.

This year’s headliner was Memphis Coach Penny Hardaway, named to the “Head of the Class” category. Blow appears alongside other notable honorees including Houston’s Kelvin Sampson, Yale’s James Jones, Norfolk State’s Robert Jones and several other distinguished coaches.