During the 1980's, the Naval Academy's men's basketball program reached unprecedented heights; as the program produced three NCAA tournament appearances. A large part of Navy's success during the 80's was due to the coaching of Paul Evans.

On Nov. 10, 2017, Evans returned to Annapolis, as he was honored during an exciting weekend in Navy athletics. Many of Evans' former players gathered together to give tribute to their coach, as he was honored during the second game of a doubleheader, in Navy's 71-62 victory over ACC opponent, Pittsburgh, in the fourth annual Veterans Classic.

Navy's victory over the Panthers, is men's basketballs first win over an ACC opponent since 1971. Following his tenure at the Academy, Evans went on to coach Pittsburgh's men's basketball team for eight season before retiring. Evans was also recognized the following day during the football team's 43-40 victory over SMU on senior day.

In honor of the ex-coach, the basketball team's media room in Halsey Field House is now dedicated to Evans. The room displays a plaque recognizing his achievements and characteristics that made him a successful coach and mentor. Prior to Alumni Hall, the basketball team played their games in Halsey Field House.

During his six-year tenure at the Academy, Evans led the Midshipmen to a 119-60 (.665) overall record, including two trips to the NCAA Division I Tournament, resulting in a second round and `Elite Eight' appearance. The blue and gold upset a talented LSU team in the first round of the 1985 NCAA Tournament, before falling to Len Bias and the Maryland Terrapins in the second round. The following year, the Mids defeated Tulsa, Syracuse and Cleveland Sate, before falling to No. 1 Duke in the `Elite Eight'. Navy won back-to-back conference championships during the '84-'85 and '85-'86 seasons, winning the Eastern Conference Athletic Conference (ECAC) South and Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) championships.

Evans helped recruit and grow incredible talent during his time in Annapolis, helping produce NBA Hall of Famer and All-American David Robinson, as well as Vernon Butler, Kylor Whitaker and Doug Wojcik, amongst other Naval Academy talent. He helped the men's basketball program transform into a nationally recognized program while helping young men grow and be successful for their future endeavors.

The dedication of Coach Evans was made possible by the efforts of Paul Evans' former student-athletes and the Fund for Athletic Excellence. For information about The Fund for Athletic Excellence and information about other events and dedications, contact Matt Goff at matt.goff@USNA.com or Tim Ford at tim.ford@USNA.com.