WEEK 13: HoopDirt.com Coach of the Week presented by Just Play Solutions

Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing)

Congratulations to the following coaches who have been selected as the Week 13 HoopDirt.com Coach of the Week presented by Just Play Solutions. These 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 2023-24 college basketball season.

This is the ninth season that HoopDirt.com has run the Coach of the Week and Coach of the Year programs. The list of 2023-24 Coach of the Week winners, as well as the list of all-time COY winners can be found following this week’s honorees.

To nominate coaches for future weeks, please email [email protected] with your selection(s).

The week 13 winners are:

D1: Alan Huss – High Point

Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (20-4)

Past week’s results: 93-76 W vs Longwood, 78-68 W vs Presbyterian

Highlights: Huss has High Point rolling in his first year at the helm, as the Panthers are now on a 12-game winning streak, and have pushed their overall record to 20-4. The 12-game streak is the longest in program history, and the longest current D1 streak in the nation. With two more Big South wins last week, Huss’s squad sits atop the conference with a 9-0 record, and have a two game lead over second place. On the season, HPU is 9-0 at home, and their 20 wins are the most since the 2015-16 season.

NCAA D2: Justin Wieck – Minnesota Duluth

Weekly record (overall): 3-0 (18-5)

Past week’s results: 85-70 W vs #2 Minnesota State, 78-72 W at Augustana, 79-78 W at Wayne State

Highlights: Coach Wieck and the Bulldogs opened the week on Tuesday by upsetting NCAA D2 #2 Minnesota State Mankato 85-70. The game was tied at the half, but UMD blew it open in the second by shooting 58% and outscoring the visitors by 15. The Bulldogs followed that win up with a weekend conference road sweep capped off by an overtime win at Wayne State (NE). UMD is now 18-5 (13-4 NSIC) and are riding a six-game winning streak.

NCAA D3: Josh Merkel – Randolph-Macon College

Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (18-3)

Past week’s results: 70-64 W at Bridgewater, 48-46 W at #1 Hampden-Sydney

Highlights: NCAA D3 #8 Randolph-Macon started the week on Wednesday by cruising past Bridgewater 70-64 on the road as they prepared for a big-time match-up with the top ranked team in the nation, Hampden-Sydney. In that game on Saturday, R-MC would hold off a strong second half push by the hosts, in front of a sell out crowd, as they came away with the 48-46 upset win. The Yellowjackets last road win vs a #1 team came back in 1981, and they are now 16-5 since 2019 against ranked opponents. Merkel’s squad is riding a 13-game winning streak and sit alone atop the ODAC standings at 11-1.

NAIA: Delton Deal – Southwestern Assemblies of God University

Weekly record (overall): 3-0 (16-6)

Past week’s results: 93-68 W vs UNT Dallas, 72-58 W vs #2 Langston, 92-68 W vs Central Christian

Highlights: A three win week for Deal and SAGU has improved their record to 16-6 and 10-2 at home. Deal’s team exploded for 53 second half points as the pounded UNT Dallas 93-68 in their first game of the week. On Thursday, they had one of the biggest wins in program history as they knocked off NAIA #2 Langston 72-58. LU entered the game undefeated on the season (19-0) and had been beating their opponents by 24 points per game. SAGU stayed hot over the weekend, as they capped off their perfect week by knocking off Central Christian 92-68. The Lions have now moved into second place in the SAC with a 12-4 league mark.

JUCO: Robert Byrd – Kilgore College

Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (17-6)

Past week’s results: 99-83 W vs #7 Trinity Valley, 81-70 W vs Navarro

Highlights: Byrd’s Rangers jumped out to a 9-point halftime lead vs NJCAA D1 #7 Trinity Valley on Wednesday, and then went off for 54 points in the second half, as they pulled off the 99-83 upset. Kilgore out rebounded the visitors 40-25, and shot 60.9% (14-23) from 3 in the win. On Saturday, the Rangers over came a one-point halftime deficit to beat Navarro College on the road 81-70. Kilgore has now won 3 games in a row, are 10-2 at home on the season, and 7-5 in Region 14.

2023-24 HoopDirt.com / Just Play Solutions Coach of the Week Winners

Week 1

NCAA DI: Mark Byington – James Madison University
NCAA DII: Alfred Jordan – Clark Atlanta University
NCAA DIII: Caleb Kimbrough – Hampden-Sydney College
NAIA: Darnell Archey – University of Mobile
JUCO: Kris Baumann – Odessa College

Week 2

NCAA DI: Ritchie McKay – Liberty University
NCAA DII: Mark Kuntz – Post University
NCAA DIII: Eric Bridgeland – University of Redlands
NAIA: Dannton Jackson – Talladega College
JUCO: Dillon Hargrove – National Park College

Week 3

NCAA DI: David Ragland – Evansville University
NCAA DII: Jordan Fee – Gannon University
NCAA DIII: Anthony Medina – University of St. Thomas (TX)
NAIA: Chase Teichmann – Florida College
JUCO: Hayden Sowers – South Plains College

Week 4

NCAA DI: Damon Stoudamire – Georgia Tech
NCAA DII: John Ellenwood – Ashland University
NCAA DIII: Brandon Linton – Tufts University
NAIA: Matt O’Brien – Southwestern College
JUCO: Darren Stratton – Northern Essex CC

Week 5

NCAA DI: Bryce Drew – Grand Canyon University
NCAA DII: Bob Pietrack – Fort Lewis College
NCAA DIII: Michael McSloy – Drew University
NAIA: Tigh Compton – University of Pikeville
JUCO: Terrell Harris – Prince George’s CC

Week 6

NCAA DI: Danny Sprinkle – Utah State University
NCAA DII: Artis Mattox – Benedict College
NCAA DIII: Dave Macedo – Virginia Wesleyan University
NAIA: Chris Wright – Langston University
JUCO: Joey Cantens – Daytona State College

Week 7

NCAA DI: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected
NCAA DII: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected
NCAA DIII: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected
NAIA: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected
JUCO: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected

Week 8

NCAA DI: Shaka Smart – Marquette University
NCAA DII: Bryan Rooney – Cal State East Bay
NCAA DIII: Todd McGuinness – Case Western Reserve University
NAIA: Scott Moore – Grace College
JUCO: Steve DeMeo – Northwest Florida State College

Week 9

NCAA DI: Shaheen Holloway – Seton Hall University
NCAA DII: Matt Majkrzak – Northern Michigan University
NCAA DIII: Jimmy Smith – Trinity College (TX)
NAIA: Josh Pickens – Lawrence Tech
JUCO: Matt Lee – Herkimer College

Week 10

NCAA DI: Darian DeVries – Drake University
NCAA DII: Dave Moore – University of West Georgia
NCAA DIII: D.P. Harris – Saint Vincent College
NAIA: Dee Brown – Roosevelt University
JUCO: Ryan Miley – Hocking College

Week 11

NCAA DI: Amir Abdur-Rahim – University of South Florida
NCAA DII: Mike Nestor – Lock Haven University
NCAA DIII: Dave Klatsky – NYU
NAIA: Robert Ford – Saint Xavier University
JUCO: Donnie Tyndall – Chipola College

Week 12

NCAA DI: Lamont Paris – University of South Carolina
NCAA DII: Vinay Patel – Angelo State University
NCAA DIII: Matt Hunter – York College (PA)
NAIA: Josh Gamblin – Mid-America Christian University
JUCO: Nick Ramos – Rock Valley College

Previous HoopDirt.com Coach of the Year Award Winners:

Division I

Division II

Division III

NAIA

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

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