EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Silver Waves Media released its Top 50 Most Impactful NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Head Coaches on Wednesday afternoon. Lander head coach Omar Wattad was named to the list.

Last season marked Wattad's third appearance in the NCAA Tournament as a head coach, and Lander's first appearance in the National Championship game. Wattad earned Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year honors while guiding Lander to its first 30-win season in program history and first sweep of the PBC regular-season and tournament titles. The Bearcats also captured the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship on their journey to Indianapolis.

Wattad previously led Lander to the Sweet Sixteen in 2023-24 – only the second appearance for the program at the time – and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2022-23.

Last weekend at the season-opening Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic, Lander topped No. 6 Black Hills State on Saturday, 76-66, and lost a close battle to No. 12 Oklahoma Baptist on Sunday. Next for LU is the home-opener this Friday, Nov. 13 against UNC Pembroke at 7 p.m. Then on Sunday, the Bearcats will travel to Salisbury, N.C., to play Catawba at 4.