Week 13: HoopDirt.com Coach of the Week Presented by The Hoop Group

Congratulations to the following coaches who have been selected as the Week 13 HoopDirt.com Coach of the Week presented by The Hoop Group. The coaches are now eligible to receive the HoopDirt.com National Coach of the Year Award presented by the Hoop Group which will be announced at the conclusion of the 2015-16 college basketball season. The complete list of past weekly winners can be found below this weeks recipients.

Nominations for next week’s award can be emailed to: Coach of the Week Nominations – please include a brief statement as to why the coach should be recognized as well as any other information that may be helpful.

The Week 13 winners are:

NCAA DI: Steve Pikiell – Stony Brook University.  pikiellThe hottest DI team in the country right now, Pikiell’s Seawolves pushed the nation’s longest active winning streak to 18-games with another 2-0 week. They cruised to a 75-52 win over Maryland-Baltimore County Thursday night, and then held off a feisty University of New Hampshire squad on Sunday where Stony Brook blocked a last second shot to preserve the 59-58 victory.  With the win over UNH, Stony Brook has clinched a share of the America East regular season title and is the first conference school since Vermont in 2004-05 to start 13-0.  The Seawolves are now 22-4 (12-0 at home), and face a huge match-up on Wednesday when they head to second place Albany (21-7, 10-3 AE).


NCAA DII: Jim Shaw – Western Oregon University.  Shaw_Mug_ShotShaw’s Wolves took over the #1 spot in the nation last week, and proved that they belonged by going 2-0 and improving their winning streak to 13-games.  On Thursday night, they overcame a 10 point halftime deficit, and put 56 second half points on the board to defeat Western Washington 90-85.  The Wolves then beat visiting Simon Fraser 76-67 on Saturday to preserve their perfect record at home this season (11-0).  Shaw’s squad faces a huge test next week, as they make their Alaska swing to face Alaska Anchorage (2nd place GNAC), and Alaska Fairbanks (tied for 3rd GNAC).


NCAA DIII: Keith Bunkenburg – Benedictine University (IL). headshot_2_bunks Benedictine picked up two more wins this week to remain one of just two unbeaten teams remaining in the nation.  Currently ranked #2 in the country by D3Hoops.com, Bunkenburg’s Eagles averaged 99.5 points per game this week, while only allowing 56.5 in conference wins over Concordia University Chicago, and Edgewood University. With Saturday’s win over Edgewood, BenU set a single season school record for wins with 24.  They will look to cap off an undefeated regular season when they head to Lakeland College on Saturday.  


NAIA: Ryan Marks – University of St. Francis (IL).  ryan_marks_112_mb2Mark’s team is on a roll…with two more wins this week, they increased their winning streak to 11 games, and pushed their home record to 15-0. Currently 25-2, and ranked #2 in the nation (NAIA DII), the Fighting Saints defeated Purdue University Calumet (76-65) on Wednesday, and closed out the week by downing Calumet College of St. Joseph (88-65) on Saturday.  Also, Saturday’s victory was the 250th for Marks in his career – he has also been the head coach at DI Texas-Pan American, DII St. Edwards, and DIII Southern Vermont.  


JUCO: Billy Gillispie – Ranger College (TX).  billy gAfter a rocky start to the season, Gillispie’s squad has now won 23 straight games, including two more this week, and have climbed to #19 in the country (NJCAA DI).  Ranger beat Collin County CC at home on Wednesday night 85-66, and then hit the road where they defeated Temple College (TX) 82-67 on Saturday.  They are now in first place in the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference with a perfect 10-0 record.  The former head coach at Kentucky, Texas A&M, UTEP, and Texas Tech, has turned his alma mater around – they posted just two wins last season, and are now on the verge of winning their first NTJCAC title since 2012.


Past Weekly Winners (click on week for full write-up):

Week 1

NCAA DI: Craig Neal – University New Mexico

NCAA DII: Stephen Joyner, Sr. – Johnson C. Smith University (NC)

NCAA DIII: John Tauer – University of St. Thomas (MN)

NAIA: Larry Cordaro – LSU-Alexandria

JUCO: Craig Doty – Rock Valley College (IL)

Week 2:

NCAA DI: Jim Boeheim – Syracuse University

NCAA DII: Johnny Estelle – Texas A&M-Kingsville

NCAA DIII: Andrew Sachs – Salisbury University (MD)

NAIA: Dave Holmquist– Biola University (CA)

JUCO: Charles Harral – Arizona Western College

Week 3

NCAA DI: Frank Martin – University of South Carolina

NCAA DII: Jim Crutchfield – West Liberty University (WVa)

NCAA DIII: Frank Marcinek – Susquehanna University (PA)

NAIA: Carson Cunningham – Carroll College (MT)

JUCO: Steve Eck – Hutchinson CC (KS)

Week 4

NCAA DI: Mike Lonergan – George Washington University

NCAA DII: R.C. Kehoe – Holy Family University (PA)

NCAA DIII: David Hixon – Amherst College (MA)

NAIA: Donnie Butcher – University of the Cumberlands (KY)

JUCO: Jim Morris – Iowa Western Community College

Week 5

NCAA DI: King Rice – Monmouth University

NCAA DII: Cinco Boone – Angelo State University (TX)

NCAA DIII: Grey Giovanine – Augustana College (IL)

NAIA: Carson Harris – Marian University (IN)

JUCO: Corey Symons – North Idaho College

Week 6

NCAA DI: Dan Majerle – Grand Canyon University

NCAA DII: Christmas holiday – not enough NCAA DII games played to justify the selection of a winner.

NCAA DIII: Greg Mitchell – Hope College (MI)

NAIA: Bill Czech – Hope International University (CA)

JUCO: Christmas holiday – not enough JUCO games played to justify the selection of a winner.

Week 7

NCAA DI: Fran McCaffery – University of Iowa

NCAA DII: Lonn Reisman – Tarleton State University (TX)

NCAA DIII: Joe Nesci – New York University

NAIA: Bob Burchard – Columbia College (MO)

JUCO: Steve Green – South Plains College (TX)

Week 8

NCAA DI: Bill Self – University of Kansas

NCAA DII: Josh Schertz – Lincoln Memorial University (TN)

NCAA DIII: John Baines – Elmhurst College (IL)

NAIA: Kelly Wells – University of Pikeville (KY)

JUCO: Steve DeMeo – Northwest Florida State

Week 9

NCAA DI: Brad Brownell – Clemson

NCAA DII: Nelson Haggerty – Midwestern State (TX)

NCAA DIII: Jeff Brown – Middlebury College (VT)

NAIA: Rollie Massimino – Keiser University (FL)

JUCO: Chris Hackett – Frank Phillips College (TX)

Week 10

NCAA DI: Roy Williams – North Carolina

NCAA DII: Luke Reigel – University of Wisconsin-Parkside

NCAA DIII: Joe Reilly – Wesleyan University (CT)

NAIA: Anthony Owens – University of Great Falls (MT)

JUCO: Philip Stitt – Marion Military Institute (AL)

Week 11

NCAA DI: Mike Davis – Texas Southern University

NCAA DII: Eric Olen – UC San Diego

NCAA DIII: Zach Filzen – Lancaster Bible (PA)

NAIA: Matt Brock – Missouri Baptist University

JUCO: Jared Phay – College of Southern Idaho

Week 12

NCAA DI: James Jones – Yale University

NCAA DII: Danny Sancomb – Wheeling Jesuit University (WVa)

NCAA DIII: Jamie Benton – Johnson & Wales (RI)

NAIA: Rocky Lamar – MidAmerica Nazarene University (KS)

JUCO: Matt Lee – Herkimer College (NY)