NORFOLK, Va. – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) has named Norfolk State men's basketball alumnus Yoro Sidibe the 2023 Male Student-Athlete of the Year, the conference announced on Thursday morning.
 
"Congratulations to Yoro Sidibe for being named the 2023 Male Student-Athlete of the Year," MEAC Commissioner Sonja Stills said. "He has had a remarkable career for Norfolk State as part of a championship caliber basketball program, and he demonstrated a consistent track record of excellence not just in the realm of competition, but also in the classroom and in the community."
 
Sidibe becomes the first Norfolk State Spartan to receive the prestigious award, which celebrates the achievements of a senior student-athlete who has excelled in academics, athletics, service, and leadership.
 
An inspiring figure with a persevering story, Sidibe has exemplified the NSU standard both on and off the court throughout his collegiate career.
 
"Yoro Sidibe is a special young man and was an incredible part of our program," Norfolk State men's basketball head coach Robert Jones said. "Besides being an outstanding teammate, he did amazing for his country. I believe the way he gave back to Senegal inspired former and current players."
 
Sidibe received honor roll accolades both semesters for the 2022-23 academic year, also earning MEAC All-Academic Team honors. He graduated from NSU this May with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy, recording a 4.0 GPA for the spring semester.
 
After obtaining his diploma, Sidibe was awarded the NCAA Ethnic Minority Graduate Scholarship by the NCAA Minority Opportunities Committee for the 2023-24 academic year. To be eligible for selection, candidates must be enrolled in a sports-related program as a full-time graduate student, as defined by the graduate institution.
 
Sidibe appeared in 12 games for the Spartans last season, scoring three points and grabbing five rebounds in the team's season-opener against Virginia University of Lynchburg. A four-year letterwinner for the men's basketball program, he helped the Spartans win MEAC Tournament titles in 2021 and 2022.
 
Outside of the court and classroom, Sidibe has given back to his home country Senegal by organizing shoe drives and summer basketball camps.
 
While he has gathered shoes to bring home to his community for over a decade, the project has reached new heights in the past few years. He enlisted the help of coaches and teammates to promote the drive, receiving far more donations than he originally expected.
 
Sidibe founded Africa NextGen in 2021, a three-day summer basketball camp in Kolda, Senegal that gathered 50 attendees in its inaugural event. By the next year, he expanded the camp to multiple locations to reach over 150 players between the ages of 13 and 19. He hosted camps in Dakar (his birthplace), Thies (his best friend's hometown), before returning to his hometown of Kolda for the largest of them all.
 
Read more about Sidibe's journey at the link below:
 
Changing Lives Through Basketball: Yoro Sidibe Gives Back to Senegal