For Immediate Release
March 29, 2023
Christopher Newport University Head Men’s Basketball Coach John Krikorian has been named as the HoopDirt.com NCAA D3 Coach of the Year presented by Just Play Solutions for the 2022-23 college basketball season. Krikorian qualified for this award by earning the HoopDirt.com / Just Play Solutions Coach of the Week for Week 3 of the season.
Krikorian led the Captains to the 2022-23 NCAA D3 National Championship, beating Mount Union on a buzzer beater to capture the title. Along the way, his team went 30-3, 13-1 at home, and ended the year on a 15-game winning streak.
The veteran head coach has spent the past 12-seasons at Christopher Newport, where he has gone 290-65 (.817). Krikorian’s squads have advanced to the past seven NCAA D3 tournaments, including three Final Four appearances.
Krikorian has also been named National Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
Previous Coach of the Year recipients can be found below, as well as all of this season’s Coach of the Week winners.
Previous HoopDirt.com Coach of the Year Award Winners:
Division I
- 2022-23: TBA
- 2021-22: Ed Cooley – Providence College
- 2020-21: Dennis Gates – Cleveland State University
- 2019-20: Joe Gallo – Merrimack College
- 2018-19: Kelvin Sampson – University of Houston
- 2017-18: Porter Moser – Loyola University Chicago
- 2016-17: Chris Collins – Northwestern University
- 2015-16: Roy Williams – University of North Carolina
Division II
- 2022-23: TBA
- 2021-22: Jim Crutchfield – Nova Southeastern
- 2020-21: Ben McCollum – Northwest Missouri State
- 2019-20: Fred Watson – Miles College
- 2018-19: Ben McCollum – Northwest Missouri State
- 2017-18: Andy Bronkema – Ferris State
- 2016-17: Ben McCollum – Northwest Missouri State
- 2015-16: Josh Schertz – Lincoln Memorial University
Division III
- 2022-23: John Krikorian – Christopher Newport University
- 2021-22: Brian Baptiste – UMass Dartmouth
- 2020-21: Brooks Miller – Trine University
- 2019-20: Elliot Steinmetz – Yeshiva University
- 2018-19: Dale Wellman – Nebraska Wesleyan University
- 2017-18: Eric Bridgeland – Whitman College
- 2016-17: Stephen Brennan – Babson College
- 2015-16: John Tauer – University of St. Thomas
NAIA
- 2022-23: Chris Wright – Langston University
- 2021-22: Stacy Hollowell – Loyola University New Orleans
- 2020-21: Delano Thomas – Shawnee State University
- 2019-20: Colby Blaine – College of Idaho
- 2018-19: Chris Briggs – Georgetown College
- 2017-18: Craig Doty – Graceland University
- 2016-17: Kevin Burton – Union College
- 2015-16: Larry Cordaro – LSU-Alexandria
JUCO
- 2022-23: Rick Cabrera – Tallahassee Community College
- 2021-22: Greg Heiar – Northwest Florida State
- 2020-21: COVID Season – No winner selected
- 2019-20: Randy Casey – Milwaukee Area Technical College
- 2018-19: Billy Gillispie – Ranger College
- 2017-18: Paul Cisek – Brookdale Community College
- 2016-17: Todd Lorensen – Southwestern Community College
- 2015-16: Craig Doty – Rock Valley College
USCAA
- 2018-19: LeShawn Hammett – Penn State Wilkes-Barre
2022-23 HoopDirt.com / Just Play Solutions Coach of the Week Winners
NCAA DI: Pat Skerry – Towson University
NCAA DII: Matt Brock – University of Illinois Springfield
NCAA DIII: D.P. Harris – St. Vincent College
NAIA: Javier Heridia – Indiana University Northwest
JUCO: Kyle Fisher – Butler Community College
NCAA DI: Frank Martin – UMass
NCAA DII: Eric Eaton – Saint Michael’s College
NCAA DIII: Glen Miller – University of Saint Joseph
NAIA: John Henry – William Penn University
JUCO: Hank Plona – Indian Hills College
NCAA DI: Jerome Tang – Kansas State
NCAA DII: Brooks McKowen – Upper Iowa University
NCAA DIII: John Krikorian – Christopher Newport University
NAIA: Chase Teichmann – Florida College
JUCO: Brad Witherspoon – Dodge City Community College
NCAA DI: Craig Smith – University of Utah
NCAA DII: Vinay Patel – Angelo State University
NCAA DIII: Matt McLaughlin – Bridgewater State University
NAIA: Chris Wright – Langston University
JUCO: Darren Stratton – Northern Essex Community College
NCAA DI: Pat Duquette – UMass Lowell
NCAA DII: Brion Dunlap – Claflin University
NCAA DIII: Chris Bartley – WPI
NAIA: Jermael Bingham – Blue Mountain College
JUCO: Joey Cantens – Dayton State College
NCAA DI: Richard Pitino – University of New Mexico
NCAA DII: Jeremy Currier – Young Harris College
NCAA DIII: Jason Harris – UMass Boston
NAIA: Robert Ford – St. Xavier University
JUCO: Bill Beilein – Niagara County CC
Week 7:
Christmas Holiday – no winners announced
Week 8:
New Year’s Holiday – no winners announced
NCAA DI: Bart Lundy – Milwaukee
NCAA DII: Jeremiah Samarrippas – Lincoln Memorial University
NCAA DIII: Waleed Farid – Ithaca College
NAIA: Brandon McGruder – Mayville State
JUCO: Jeff Reinert – College of Southern Idaho
NCAA DI: Chris Victor – Seattle University
NCAA DII: Johnny Estelle – Texas A&M-Kingsville
NCAA DIII: Sean Coffey – Utica College
NAIA: Donald Reyes – Loyola University of New Orleans
JUCO: Harley Fuller – Mohawk Valley CC
NCAA DI: Amir Abdur-Rahim – Kennesaw State
NCAA DII: Paul Corsaro – University of Indianapolis
NCAA DIII: Jason Zimmerman – Emory University
NAIA: Jordan Mast – University of Antelope Valley
JUCO: Rick Cabrera – Tallahassee CC
NCAA DI: Dusty May – Florida Atlantic University
NCAA DII: Bob Pietrack – Fort Lewis College
NCAA DIII: Pat Juckem – Washington University in Saint Louis
NAIA: Kory Alford – Huntington University
JUCO: Nick Wade – Lee College
NCAA DI: David Riley – Eastern Washington University
NCAA DII: John Ellenwood – Ashland University
NCAA DIII: Anthony Medina – University of St. Thomas (TX)
NAIA: Clint Galyean – Wayland Baptist University
JUCO: Brandon Burgette – Kansas City Kansas CC
NCAA DI: Chris Collins – Northwestern University
NCAA DII: Dean Johnson – Caldwell University
NCAA DIII: Todd McGuinness – Case Western Reserve University
NAIA: Eric Strothers – Tougaloo University
JUCO: Josh Mills – Dallas College – North Lake
NCAA DI: Speedy Claxton – Hofstra University
NCAA DII: Jim Crutchfield – Nova Southeastern University
NCAA DIII: Ryan Cain – Keene State College
NAIA: Ted Albert – Indiana Tech
JUCO: Jeff Reinert – College of Southern Idaho
NCAA DI: Shaka Smart – Marquette University
NCAA DII: Shane Paben – Chadron State College
NCAA DIII: Mitch Oliver – Albertus Magnus College
NAIA: Jordan Ashton – Iowa Wesleyan College
JUCO: Dajaun Gouard – Danville Area Community College
