Cleveland State men’s basketball head coach Dennis Gates continues to instill a culture change in Northeast Ohio and the team's latest accolades are further proof.

Gates took home the honor of Coach of the Year in the Horizon League conference for the second straight year in a row, leading his team to a 16-7 overall record and 16-4 in the league. He becomes the first coach in Cleveland State history to be awarded back-to-back COY awards, and the eighth in Horizon League history.  

But there are no individual awards at Cleveland State University, at least not anymore.

“Whatever award an individual has in our program, our motto is ‘it belongs to the team’,” Gates told WKYC’s Nick Camino. “The award of being named Coach of the Year, I’m humbled, without a doubt, but it belongs to our institution. It speaks to the truth and defines, in words, the level of connection that we have for each other.”

The Vikings were wire-to-wire with Wright State atop the league throughout the second half of the season, eventually clinching a share of the regular season title with a 67-55 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne in the final game of the regular season on Saturday. 

It’s the first time since 2010-2011 that Cleveland State finished at the top of the league standings. The Vikings also won the most league games since 1992-1993 when they won 15 games in the Mid-Continent Conference. They are the No. 1 seed going into the Horizon League tournament.  

In addition to Gates's COY, Cleveland State players garnered a slew of awards. 

Tre Gomillion was named Defensive Player of the Year, the first Viking’s player since Cedric Jackson (2008-09) and Norris Cole (2010-11) to win that honor. Gomillion also earned All-Horizon League defensive honors. The junior averaged 9.5 points and 4.7 rebounds with just over 50% shooting.

Torrey Patton earned All-Horizon League First Team honors, the first Viking to do so since Trey Lewis and Anton Grady in 2015. The senior averaged a team-high 14 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Patton eclipsed the double-digit mark for points in all but five games this season. He tallied 10 or more in nine consecutive games, which were all Vikings victories.

Deante Johnson took home All-Horizon League defensive team honors. Johnson, a junior, averaged 5.9 points and 5.7 rebounds to go with 1.2 blocks per game. He recorded three games of 10 or more rebounds this season. Johnson ranked fourth in the Horizon League in blocks, serving as a staunch rim protector throughout the year.

The accolades are the fruition of a dedication to not just be good, but great, as the Vikings continue to live by their eight core values of friendship, love, accountability, trust, discipline, unselfishness, enthusiasm and toughness.

“We talk about a national championship in our program,” Gates told Camino. “We talk about playing on that last game, that last game in April… and being a part of 'one shining moment,' and that’s something we spoke about from day one.”

“I truly believe with the utmost respect that along the journey of a national championship comes certain accolades," Gates added, "and we all have to be able to humbly accept them, but demand and want more.”

The Vikings earned a first-round bye in the Horizon League tournament and will begin their championship quest on Mar. 2, playing at home against the lowest remaining seed at the Wolstein Center at 7 p.m.