YUMA, Ariz. - After the University of Michigan's 69-63 win over Connecticut in the NCAA men's basketball championship game in Indianapolis, the Arizona Western men's basketball program also reached immortality. For the very first time, the Matadors have a national champion in Yaxel Lendeborg. 

"The only Matador since 1963 to hoist the trophy and also is one of the biggest cogs in the wheel and a reason why Michigan is a national champion," Arizona Western men's basketball head coach Kyle Isaacs said. "It was great to see. It's great to see guys who get through our program and go on and have success."

Lendeborg spent three seasons at Arizona Western followed by two seasons at the University of Alabama-Birmingham before landing at Michigan. The COVID-19 pandemic and a lawsuit filed by Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia against the NCAA made it possible for Lendeborg and other players to continue their college careers. 

"It just so happened Yaxel was on that same timeline that Pavia was," Isaacs said. "Yaxel played here in the spring semester during the COVID year, that didn't count, then two years here after counted. Junior and senior years at UAB counted. Then got the extra year and went to Michigan due to the Pavia case."

Lendeborg made the most of his opportunity, etching his name deeper and deeper into Arizona Western basketball lore in becoming the first player to play in an NCAA Final Four, followed by the first to play in a National Championship game and culminating with the ultimate fairy tale ending, being the first to win a men's basketball national championship."

"It's just awesome," Isaacs said. "It's awesome for him, it's awesome for our program, it's awesome for his family. I'm really happy for all Matadors today."

"I think it's incredible, super proud," Arizona Western assistant men's basketball coach Carter Roe said. "It's nice to play a very small part in his journey. I'm going on my 19th year and I don't think I've ever coached a guy that's won a national championship." 

Roe says he's been on coaching staffs that have produced players that have played in the Final Four, but no national champions.

"It's an incredible feat," Roe said. "It's fun to sit back and watch players like Yaxel on television, knowing he was just here a few years ago. His face is everywhere. It was also great to hear the broadcast give a shoutout to Arizona Western college with around four minutes left in the game."

With the men's basketball season now at it's end, it's now the beginning of a new journey for Yaxel Lendeborg, being a high draft pick in the upcoming NBA draft. 

"We talk a lot about it doesn't matter where you start, it matters where you finish," Isaacs said. "Coming from AWC, from here it's possible. It's pretty awesome to see. Right time and right place. The next thing for him is getting invited to the draft camp and going on and getting drafted. Hopefully a lottery pick or just outside of it. It'l be another great feat for the Matadors, it's a select club."

"It'll be fun to see where he goes," Roe said. "Then we'll have to buy his jersey, hang it up and watch him during his NBA journey."