By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
After leading Miami to the Final Four in 2023, graduate forward Norchad Omier lit up the box score in his lone season with No. 9 Baylor men’s basketball, climbing the all-time career leaderboards in college basketball.
Throughout his career, the Bluefields, Nicaragua, native has been a double-double threat night in and night out. Omier has averaged double-digit points and rebounds in all five seasons of his collegiate career, including 15.9 points and 10.9 rebounds per game this season at Baylor.
The two-time All-ACC forward announced on social media in May 2024 that he would take his talents to Waco for his final year of college basketball. In his post, Omier said he wanted to “this time help lead [his] team to a national championship” after a deep tournament run with the Hurricanes two seasons prior.
He made an immediate impact with title aspirations, posting six double-doubles before Big 12 play. But entering a conference known for its physicality presented another challenge.
“You can’t get comfortable at any moment,” Omier said after the Bears’ 74-71 home loss to TCU on Jan. 19. “They told me about a Big 12 play, now I’m experiencing it firsthand.”
Throughout his first season in the conference, Omier ranked among the nation’s best and most physical rebounders. He finished the regular season averaging the fifth-most rebounds in the country, adding 15 double-doubles to his season total throughout Baylor’s conference schedule.
“I thought [J’Wan Roberts] was the toughest guy on the floor tonight — him and Norchad Omier.” Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson said following a 65-61 win over the Bears on March 8. “That dude’s a machine. We’re a really good rebounding team, and he almost had more offensive rebounds by himself — he’s just special.”
In a road win against Utah on Jan. 25, Omier became the 13th player in NCAA history to record 2,000 points and 1,500 rebounds in a career. The milestone put Omier in the company of college and professional basketball legends, notably Ralph Sampson, Elvin Hayes, Elgin Baylor and Tim Duncan.
“When you rebound, you win games, and you lose games when you don’t rebound,” Omier said. “When we rebound good, it’s hard to beat us. No, that was big.”
Along with being one of the top rebounders in the nation, Omier has been credited as a “great teammate” by his coaches and teammates. He always stood out statistically throughout his career, but the numbers are only a product of Omier’s work ethic and mindset.
“Sometimes people like Norchad come in and it’s about their points and their numbers and that,” head coach Scott Drew said. “When you got guys that just care about winning and playing, it’s fun.”
This mindset can be attributed to Omier’s gratitude for playing basketball and trying not to take it for granted, especially as the first person from Nicaragua to play Division I basketball.
“We don’t have to play basketball, we get to play basketball — and it’s just a blessing,” Omier said. “Grinding and getting the right outcome, it always feels so good.”
Despite being 6-foot-7 and matching up against opposing centers clearing seven feet, Omier’s strength on the glass has been crucial to the Bears. With injuries and lack of depth plaguing Baylor, especially after junior center Josh Ojianwuna suffered a season-ending injury in February, Omier filled in at the five.
The foundation of Omier’s outlook is his faith. Like his head coach and teammates, Omier gives thanks to God every postgame press conference before he answers any of the media’s questions.
“You’ve got to give all honor and glory to the Lord,” Omier said. “We play for one spectator, and that’s God.”
Omier’s openly expressed faith is one of many throughout Baylor Athletics. Following Drew’s Culture of J.O.Y., teams, athletes and coaches have followed suit, including teams like Baylor baseball, with their player-led Bible study and redshirt junior quarterback Sawyer Robertson praying over LSU linebacker Whit Weeks after he got injured in the Texas Bowl.
Omier, in his second NCAA Tournament appearance, looks to continue leading the Bears throughout March, beginning with their Round of 64 game against No. 8 seed Mississippi State at 11:15 a.m. Friday at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C.
