Congratulations to the following coaches who have been selected as the Week 12 HoopDirt.com Coach of the Week presented by Just Play Solutions. The coaches are now eligible to receive the HoopDirt.com National Coach of the Year Award presented by Just Play Solutions which will be announced at the conclusion of the 2018-19 college basketball season.
Nominations for next week’s award can be emailed to: [email protected].
The Week 12 winners are:
NCAA DI: Mark Few – Gonzaga University
Coach Few’s squad continued to roll through the WCC this week, winning two more games in dominating fashion. The 4th ranked Bulldogs picked up their 28th consecutive WCC road win on Thursday, defeating BYU 93-63. They then took their 23rd straight WCC home win in an 85-69 victory over San Diego on Saturday. Gonzaga is 21-2 on the season and 8-0 in conference play. They will ride a 12-game winning streak into a match-up against second-place San Francisco on Thursday.
NCAA DII: Andre Cook – St. Edwards University (TX)
St. Edward’s, led by Coach Cook, won their 14th straight game this week, picking up win #20 on the season in the process. The Hilltoppers defeated St. Mary’s (TX) 89-68 on Wednesday and Texas A&M International 89-69 on Saturday. These dominant victories improved #3 St. Edward’s to 20-1 on the season and 9-0 in conference play. They will look to extend their winning streak to 15 on Thursday in a road battle against Oklahoma Christian.
NCAA DIII: George Barber – Greenville University (IL)
It was a truly historic week for Greenville University, as they rewrote the DIII record books thanks to two jaw-dropping victories. Coach Barber’s squad opened the week with a 167-145 win over MacMurray, setting a program record for threes with 30. The Panthers followed this up by breaking almost every program offensive record imaginable in a 200-146 victory over Fontbonne. The 200 points scored set a program record and became the second highest point total by a team in DIII history. The Panthers shot 73-154 from the field, including 33-91 from three, setting DIII records in field goal attempts and three point attempts and breaking the program record for made threes that had been set two days prior. Greenville will attempt to follow up this unforgettable performance as they travel to Spalding on Wednesday.
NAIA: Eric Echelbarger – Indiana University-Kokomo
First-year Head Coach Eric Echelbarger has completely revitalized the IU-Kokomo basketball program, as his squad has already set multiple program records on the way to a 21-4 start. With three more wins this week, the Cougars are in the midst of a program record seven-game winning streak, and have already broken the program win record. With 21 victories, IU-Kokomo has surpassed the 20-win mark for the first time in program history as well. The Cougars will look to continue their historic season as they take on Asbury on Tuesday.
JUCO: Billy Gillispie – Ranger College (TX)
Back on the sidelines after undergoing a successful kidney transplant last April, former Kentucky and Texas A&M Head Coach Billy Gillespie led Ranger College to another successful week, winning two more games and improving to 21-2 on the season. The 7th ranked Rangers defeated Grayson 81-72 on Wednesday and Collin County CC 75-62 on Saturday to extend their winning streak to eight games. RC is now 8-1 in conference play, and takes on McLennan CC in a home match-up on Wednesday.
[Coach of the Week written and compiled by HoopDirt.com contributor AJ Nelson]
2018-19 HoopDirt.com / Just Play Solutions Coach of the Week Winners
NCAA DI: Bob Richey – Furman University
NCAA DII: Ben McCollum – Northwest Missouri State University
NCAA DIII: Dale Wellman – Nebraska Wesleyan University
NAIA: Aaron Coombs – Oklahoma Pan Handle State University
JUCO: Anthony Figueroa – Parkland College (IL)
NCAA DI: Greg McDermott – Creighton University
NCAA DII: Stan Gouard – University of Indianapolis
NCAA DIII: Quintin Grogan – Johnson & Wales University Denver
NAIA: Mike Newell – Dillard University (LA)
JUCO: Craig Fletchall – Barton Community (KS)
NCAA DI: Eric Musselman – University of Nevada
NCAA DII: Jeff Price – Lynn University (FL)
NCAA DIII: Jimmy Smith – Millsaps College (MS)
NAIA: Rocky Lamar – MidAmerica Nazarene University (KS)
JUCO: Nkrumah Jones – Bunker Hill Community College (MA)
NCAA DI: Frank Haith – University of Tulsa
NCAA DII: Billy Taylor – Belmont Abbey College (NC)
NCAA DIII: Andrew Weber – Rockford University (IL)
NAIA: Mike McBride – Holy Cross College (IN)
JUCO: Mark White – Tallahassee Community College (FL)
NCAA DI: Rick Barnes – University of Tennessee
NCAA DII: Scott Burrell – Southern Connecticut State University
NCAA DIII: Larry Anderson – Massachusetts Institute of Technology
NAIA: Stan Holt – Langston University (OK)
JUCO: Hank Plona – Indian Hills Community College (IA)
USCAA: Patrick Crarey, II -Washington Adventist University (MD)
NCAA DI: Kelvin Sampson – University of Houston
NCAA DII: Eric Bovaird – Chaminade University (HI)
NCAA DIII: Carl Danzig – University of Scranton (PA)
NAIA: Jared Ronai – Mount Vernon Nazarene University (OH)
JUCO: William West – Prince George’s Community College (MD)
NCAA DI: Johnny Jones -Texas Southern University
NCAA DII: Jim Crutchfield – Nova Southeastern University (FL)
NCAA DIII: Tom Spanbauer – SUNY Cortland
NAIA: Jayson Artaz – Bethel College (KS)
JUCO: Jeff Brustad – Monroe College (NY)
NCAA DI: Chris Mullin – St. John’s University
NCAA DII: Scott Davenport – Bellarmine University (KY)
NCAA DIII: Matt Siverling – Wisconsin-Eau Claire
NAIA: R-Jay Barsh – Southeastern University (FL)
JUCO: Mark Bunker – Scottsdale CC (AZ)
USCAA: Don Silveri – Villa Maria College (NY)
NCAA DI: Kermit Davis – Ole Miss
NCAA DII: Bart Lundy – Queens University of Charlotte
NCAA DIII: Greg Dunne – SUNY Brockport
NAIA: Ty Harrelson – Wayland Baptist University (TX)
JUCO: Mike Burris – Olney Central College (IL)
USCAA: LeShawn Hammett – Penn State Wilkes-Barre
NCAA DI: Nate Oats – University of Buffalo
NCAA DII: Tobin Anderson – St. Thomas Aquinas College (NY)
NCAA DIII: Jeff Brown – Middlebury College (VT)
NAIA (Co-Winner): Donnie Butcher – University of the Cumberlands (KY)
NAIA (Co-Winner): Kevin Easley – Life University (GA)
JUCO: Chris Oney – Pearl River CC (MS)
NCAA DI: Steve Henson – University of Texas at San Antonio
NCAA DII: Mark Dowey – Northeastern State University (OK)
NCAA DIII: Damien Strahorn – Colby College (ME)
NAIA: Denis Shaefer – Grand View University (IA)
JUCO: Corey McKendry – Schoolcraft College (MI)
USCAA: Jonathan Pena – Berkeley College (NY)
Previous HoopDirt.com Coach of the Year Award Winners:
Division I
2017-18: Porter Moser – Loyola University Chicago
2016-17: Chris Collins – Northwestern University
2015-16: Roy Williams – University of North Carolina
Division II
2017-18: Andy Bronkema – Ferris State (MI)
2016-17: Ben McCollum – Northwest Missouri State
2015-16: Josh Schertz – Lincoln Memorial University (TN)
Division III
2017-18: Eric Bridgeland – Whitman College (WA)
2016-17: Stephen Brennan – Babson College (MA)
2015-16: John Tauer – University of St. Thomas (MN)
NAIA
2017-18: Craig Doty – Graceland University (IA)
2016-17: Kevin Burton – Union College (KY)
2015-16: Larry Cordaro – LSU-AlexandriaN
JUCO
2017-18: Paul Cisek – Brookdale Community College (NJ)
2016-17: Todd Lorensen – Southwestern Community College (IA)
2015-16: Craig Doty – Rock Valley College (IL)
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