LAKE CHARLES – First-year McNeese Cowboys basketball head coach Will Wade, graduate transfer guard Shahada Wells and junior forward Christian Shumate were recognized by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) on Tuesday, Wade as the District 22 Coach of the Year while Wells and Shumate earned a spot on the All-District 22 First Team.
 
Wade, the Southland Conference Coach of the Year, has guided McNeese to its most successful season as a Division I school, rolling up a 30-3 record while capturing the Southland Conference regular season and tournament championships.
 
Wade is the fourth McNeese coach to garner district coach of the year honors – Ron Everhart (2001), Tic Price (2002), and Dave Simmons (2012).
 
The Cowboys, a No. 12 seed in this year's NCAA Tournament, will play 5^th-seeded Gonzaga at 6:25 p.m. on Thursday.
 
Wells, the Player and Newcomer of the Year in the Southland Conference, is the only player in NCAA Division I ball to average at least 17 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.0 steals per game.
 
The first-year player and transfer from TCU, leads the Cowboys with 17.8 points, 4.8 assists and 3.0 steals per game heading into the postseason.
 
A three-time national player of the week this season, Wells is ranked No. 2 in the NCAA in steals per game and third with 95 total steals. His scoring and assist average are second in the conference.
 
The Amarillo native has posted 28 double-digit scoring games on the year, 12 with 20 or more points and three times scoring 30 or more. He's also dished out 5-plus assists a game 20 times on the year.
 
Shumate, in his third season with the Cowboys, was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year as well as earning a spot on the All-SLC first team.
 
One of the most electric dunkers in all of basketball, Shumate's slams have been featured on ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 Plays of the Day a total of nine times.
 
A native of Chicago, he set a new school career record with his 33^rd double-double earlier in the season while his 12 this season tops the conference. He's first in the conference with 9.5 rebounds per game and is first in the league and 15^th nationally with 3.6 offensive boards per game.
 
He's scored double-figures 24 times on the season with two, 20-point games. He's also the league leader with 14 double-digit rebound games.
 
Both Wells and Shumate also earned a spot on the five-member SLC All-Defensive Team.
 
Joining Wells and Shumate on the NABC All-District 22 First Team are Jordan Jefferson of New Orleans, Garry Clark of Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Roger McFarlane of Southeastern.
 
Earning a spot on the second are Diante Smith and Jamal West Jr. of Nicholls, Southeastern's Nick Caldwell, Chris Pryor of Lamar and Jackson State's Ken Evans Jr.