Sept. 17, 2009

NASHVILLE, TENN. - - Belmont men's basketball head coach Rick Byrd has been named one of the Top 10 `Under the Radar Coaches' in America by Athlon Sports in their 2009-10 College Basketball Preview Edition.

Byrd, who ranks 11th among all active NCAA Division-I head coaches in career victories with 561, is set to embark upon his 24th season roaming the Belmont sidelines. The Knoxville, Tenn. native was named 2008 Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award after directing the Bruins to an unprecedented third consecutive conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance.

Byrd has also garnered national acclaim for leading a program characterized by high academic achievement and sportsmanship. Since 2001, Belmont's eight ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans represent the most for any program in the country. Further, six of the last eight Atlantic Sun Conference Male Student-Athlete of the Year Award recipients have been Belmont Basketball players.

Having led the Bruins to five postseason appearances in the last six years, Byrd stands as the winningest active head coach in the Atlantic Sun Conference and the state of Tennessee.

The other `Under the Radar' head coaches recognized by Athlon include Randy Bennett of Saint Mary's (CA), Brad Brownell of Wright State, Fran McCaffrey of Siena, Stew Morrill of Utah State, Dave Rose of BYU, Scott Sutton of Oral Roberts, Blaine Taylor of Old Dominion, Donnie Tyndall of Morehead State, and Cliff Warren of Jacksonville.

The 2009-10 Athlon Sports College Basketball Preview Edition is on newsstands now.

Belmont Basketball opens its 2009-10 campaign against Portland State Nov. 13 as part of the Athletes in Action Classic hosted by the Univ. of Washington.