BUIES CREEK, N.C. - As Campbell eyes post-season play for the first time in 18 years, the list of accolades continues to grow for head men's basketball coach Robbie Laing. After leading the Fighting Camels to their first-ever conference regular season championship, Laing's accomplishments have been recognized by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and The Sporting News.

Laing was named NABC District 3 Coach of the Year, one of 24 nationwide to receive that honor. He also was tabbed the Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year by The Sporting News. Earlier this month, Laing was also recognized as the A-Sun's top coach in voting by conference coaches and sports information directors.

"When I was selected coach of the year by my conference peers, I was really delighted and flattered because they are so closely associated with me and had us under a microscope all year long," said Laing, who guided the Camels to a 19-11 overall record and 14-6 mark in the A-Sun. "But to be recognized on a more regional scope by basketball sources really takes me back. The other names that I'm included among on the NABC all-district list are some of the best in the profession, and I'm just really humbled to be named along some of those I've respected and been mentored by, in some cases, for years."

The honors come on the heels of an historic season in Fighting Camel basketball, one that could still include post-season play in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT).

Laing guided the Camels to a school Division I era (since 1977-78) records for regular season victories (19) and conference wins (14). In addition, the Camels secured non-conference victories over the likes of Appalachian State (Southern Conference runner-up) and East Carolina (Conference USA), while holding a lead in the second half against ACC member Virginia Tech.

Campbell's success under Coach Laing led to a second-straight season of attendance records at the John W. Pope Jr. Convocation Center / Gilbert Craig Gore Arena.

CU set a school single-game attendance record of 3205 (capacity of 3095) on Nov. 23, 2009 for its 71-60 loss to Virginia Tech. CU trailed the Hokies by just one (52-51) with 6 minutes remaining before falling late.

The program also set the school single-season attendance record with an average of 1983 spectators per game. The three largest crowds in Campbell basketball history - 3205 (Virginia Tech), 3023 (East Tennessee State) and 2778 (East Carolina) - all came during the '09-10 campaign at Gore Arena.

"Any individual recognition is a testimony to our program's success, rather than to me," said Laing, a 1982 Troy State graduate and native of Eufaula, Ala. "Individual honors are the by-product of all the things that have gone well on the floor with the team, and the excellent work put in by our assistant coaches and support staff."

In two years at the Pope Center / Gore Arena, Campbell owns a record of 22-7 (.759), 15-5 (.750) against A-Sun foes. Campbell posted a 12-3 record at home this year, including an 8-2 mark in conference play.

CU opened the season with 5 wins in its first 6 games, the best start ever for a Fighting Camel squad at the Division I level (since '77-78). The Camels then began A-Sun play with a 7-2 record, its best start since joining the league in '94-95.

The victories continued throughout the season. Campbell had a winning record in every month of the regular season, except December, when the Camels finished 3-3. CU's longest losing streak was 3 games (once), while its best win stretch reached 6 games.

For the second-straight year, Campbell finished its regular season strong. The Camels won 7 of their last 8 regular season games, including the 6-game win streak, which was the program's longest since 1995-96.

Over its last 40 regular season games, Campbell has a record of 26-14.

Campbell's senior class helped the program compile its best 4-year record in league play (37-37) since joining the A-Sun in 1994-95. CU's 57 victories over the last four seasons mark the program's most in a similar span in 14 years.

Senior forward Jonathan Rodriguez was just the fifth player in A-Sun history to earn all-conference honors four times in his career. He stands second among A-Sun career rebounders (1066) and third in scoring (2153) and is one of only 101 players in NCAA Division I history to pass both the 2000 point and 1000 rebound barriers in their careers. Rodriguez holds a number of school records, including the scoring and rebounding standards.

"We are certainly proud of the accomplishments of Coach Laing and the entire men's basketball team," said Director of Athletics Stan Williamson. "This has been a very good year for the Camels and a positive step in the direction of building a quality, competitive Division I men's basketball program at Campbell University. We look forward to the future successes of Coach Laing and Fighting Camel Men's Basketball."

In seven seasons at the helm of the Camels, Laing has been able to compete in the A-Sun with different styles of play.

Once known for a high-octane, high-possession attack, Campbell's renewed commitment to defense and taking care of the ball, plus improved shot selection resulted in the school's best regular season since the Camels joined the Division I ranks in 1977-78.

Campbell ranks second in the country in steals per game (10.5) and is 13th in turnover margin (+4.1). Junard Hartley was named 2010 A-Sun defensive player of the year, the first time a Camel has ever been so recognized, after topping the league in steals (2.57) and assists per game (5.93), while ranking 2nd in assist-turnover ratio (1.91). He ranked 10th in the nation in assists and 13th in the country in steals in early March.

Through the first weekend of March, Campbell leads the Atlantic Sun Conference in scoring margin (plus-5.2), scoring defense (63.3), free throw percentage (.708), steals (10.47) and turnover margin (plus-4.1).

While Laing's overall coaching record stands at 72-131 in seven years, over the past four seasons, the Camels own a 57-64 overall mark, 37-37 in the A-Sun. The Fighting Camels have won more games over the last five years (67) than in any similar span at the school since the start of the 1991-92 season.

CU has ranked among the A-Sun's top three schools in free throw percentage in each of the last four years. Through the end of the A-Sun tournament, the Camels led the league in free throw accuracy (.708), while ranking 2nd in free throws made per game (17.0)

Laing took over the Fighting Camel program in 2003 after spending two decades as a Division I assistant coach with stops at Troy, Georgia Southern, Western Kentucky, Clemson, Auburn, Southern Miss and Kansas State, plus three seasons as head coach at Jones County Junior College in Mississippi.

2010 NABC DIVISION I ALL-DISTRICT COACHES

District 1: Fran McCaffery, Siena
District 2: Gary Williams, Maryland
District 3: Robbie Laing, Campbell
District 4: Fran Dunphy, Temple
District 5: Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
Co-District 6: Tad Boyle, Northern Colorado
Co-District 6: Stew Morrill, Utah State
District 7: Matt Painter, Purdue
District 8: Frank Martin, Kansas State
District 9: Mark Few, Gonzaga
District 10: Tony Shaver, William and Mary
District 11: Tony Barbee, UTEP
District 12: Brad Stevens, Butler
District 13: Steve Donahue, Cornell
District 14: Geno Ford, Kent State
District 15: Todd Bozeman, Morgan State
District 16: Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa
District 17: Steve Alford, New Mexico
District 18: Tom Moore, Quinnipiac
District 19: Billy Kennedy, Murray State
District 20: Herb Sendek, Arizona State
District 21: Kevin Stallings, Vanderbilt
District 22: Mike Young, Wofford
District 23: Bob Marlin, Sam Houston State
District 24: Johnny Jones, North Texas

About the National Association of Basketball Coaches

Located in Kansas City, MO, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently claims nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today's student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, may be found on-line at www.nabc.com.