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Browder is HBCU Division II National Coach of the Year Ed Cassiere 04/06/10 NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Robert "Bo" Browder won the Heritage Sports Radio Network National Coach of the Year fan poll for HBCU Division II women's basketball. Browder collected 78 percent of nearly 1,400 online votes cast March 30-April 5. He finished with 1,065 votes to easily outdistance Virginia State's James Hill (179) and Fort Valley State's Lonnie Bartley (117). Browder led Xavier to a 28-6 record this season, including a 21-game winning streak which is the second longest in the program's history. The Gold Nuggets became the second Gulf Coast Athletic Conference women's team to finish 18-0 in conference. Xavier was one of a handful of nearly 1,400 four-year women's teams to not suffer a double-digit loss this season. The Nuggets were Louisiana's winningest college basketball team this season, and they led NAIA Division I in scoring defense (52.1). It was the ninth consecutive season, a school record, that Browder led Xavier to 20 victories. The Nuggets have reached 20 victories 10 times and qualified for the NAIA D-I National Championship nine times during Browder's 11 seasons. His record at Xavier is 271-95. Among Louisiana collegiate women's basketball head coaches, only hall-of-famers Leon Barmore and Sue Gunter have more 20-win seasons in Louisiana. Browder graduated from South Terrebonne High School (Bourg, La.) in 1987, Lassen (Calif.) Community College in 1990 and Grambling State University in 1994. Browder is the second from Xavier to win an HSRN season-ending national award. Senior Brittany Powell received the most votes in the HBCU Division II Player of the Year poll which concluded a week ago. |