The honors continue to roll in for first-year Robert Morris University men's basketball coach Mike Rice.

Last week, Rice was named the Northeast Conference coach of the year for guiding the Colonials to the NEC regular-season championship.

Yesterday, he was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches District 3 coach of the year. District 3 is comprised of the 28 Division I schools in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.

When asked if the award meant a little more because it came from his peers Rice said, "No question, and this is as much an award for our coaching staff and our program as it is for me.

"We've got a young staff, guys who are willing to still be in the office at 11 at night. Plus, it's a program award. The program was on a solid foundation when Mark Schmidt left and we're just trying to take it to another level."

The NABC selects coaches of the year for each of its 15 districts. Xavier University's Sean Miller, a Blackhawk High School and Pitt graduate, received the honor in District 10.

Rice is pleased to have his name mentioned with other district winners such as Miller, Connecticut's Jim Calhoun (District 1), Georgetown's John Thompson III (District 4) and Wisconsin's Bo Ryan (District 11).

"I'm just blown away to be in the company of guys like that," he said.

He added the NABC award means something because other coaches look at the Colonials with knowledgeable eyes.

"These guys see our films because we play teams from the Big East, the ACC, the A-10, the Colonial conference," Rice said. "They see how we're playing, so this [award] also goes to our players."

Robert Morris is 26-7 and will compete in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), which starts Tuesday. The Colonials won't know their first-round opponent until Sunday.

Yesterday, Rice also was listed as one of 10 finalists for the Hugh Durham Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award, which is given by collegeinsider.com.