Story: AJ Nelson, Senior Staff Writer, HoopDirt.com
BOSTON, MA – The following college basketball coaches have been named recipients of the Week 14 HoopDirt.com Coach of the Week Award, presented by Just Play Solutions. These coaches are now eligible for the HoopDirt.com National Coach of the Year Award, also presented by Just Play Solutions, which will be announced at the end of the 2025-26 college basketball season.
This season marks the eleventh year of the HoopDirt.com Coach of the Week and Coach of the Year programs. This week’s winners are listed below, followed by all previous weekly honorees from earlier in the season.
To nominate coaches for future weeks, please email [email protected] with your selection(s).
The week 14 winners are:
NCAA D1: Jon Perry – Navy
With another pair of wins this past week, first-year head coach Coach Jon Perry has guided Navy to its first outright Patriot League regular season title in 29 seasons. On Tuesday, his Midshipmen secured the title with a 72-49 win over Lehigh, marking the first time since 1997 that Navy won a regular season league title and the fourth time overall (1986 & 1987). Navy then carried the momentum from its title-clinching win into its annual Star Game against Army, defeating the Black Knights on the road by a score of 81-63 on Saturday afternoon. The victory was Navy’s 11th straight as they improved to 23-6 (15-1 Patriot) on the season. The Midshipmen next visit Loyola Maryland in their final road contest of the regular season on Wednesday night.
NCAA D2: Mark Bunker – Western New Mexico University
Coach Bunker’s historic year-to-year turnaround continued this past week, as his Mustangs picked up wins No. 20 and 21 on the campaign to set a D2-era program record after finishing just 5-23 last season. Western New Mexico secured the record-setting win on Thursday with an impressive 88-77 home victory over No. 14 St. Edward’s. The Mustangs then extended the record by defeating St. Mary’s 85-76 for their fifth consecutive win on Saturday afternoon. Now 21-5 (14-4 LSC) on the season, Western New Mexico has more than doubled its win total from the last two seasons combined (9) and is headed to its first Lone Star Conference Tournament ever. The Mustangs will close out the regular season with a pair of road games this week, beginning with a showdown against No. 9 Lubbock Christian on Thursday.
NCAA D3: Raul Placeres – Maryville College (TN)
Coach Placeres’ Scots capped off their historic regular season with two more wins this past week, finishing unbeaten in conference play for the first time since the 2008-09 campaign. Maryville kicked off the final week of regular season play by securing its third consecutive 20-win season with a 71-54 victory over Asbury on Senior Night. The Scots then held off a late rally from Piedmont to pick up an 86-84 win, finishing out the regular season with a record of 21-4 and going a perfect 12-0 in CCS play. Now riding a 12-game winning streak, Maryville will host the winner of LaGrange and Asbury’s quarterfinal matchup in the CCS semifinals on Friday night.
NAIA: Jeff Rutter – Arizona Christian University
With a 2-0 week to close out the regular season, Coach Rutter’s Arizona Christian squad locked up its sixth consecutive regular GSAC title. On Thursday, the 14th-ranked Firestorm out-rebounded La Sierra 49-23 in a dominant 76-46 victory that secured Arizona Christian at least a top-two finish in the conference standings. They then needed to defeat Life Pacific on Saturday to claim the top seed in the GSAC Tournament and did so handily, leading wire-to-wire in a 77-64 triumph. With the wins, Arizona Christian finished the regular season with a record of 22-6 (13-3 GSAC) and riding a six-game winning streak. The Firestorm will look to stay hot when they host No. 23 Benedictine Mesa in the GSAC semifinals on Friday night.
JUCO: Luke Mackay – New Mexico Junior College
Coach Mackay led New Mexico Junior College to another pair of wins this past week, including one over a top-10 opponent, as the Thunderbirds extended their winning streak to seven games. No. 18 NMJC began its week by fighting back from a 13-point second half deficit at Clarendon to eventually come away with a 75-68 triumph. Following the comeback win, the Thunderbirds returned home to take on No. 8 South Plains, a team that NMJC hadn’t recorded a win against since February of 2020. The T-Birds trailed by four with under two minutes to play, but together some scores and stops to lock up a thrilling 82-80 win. Following a loss at No. 13 Midland on Monday, NMJC now holds an impressive 22-5 record that includes a 16-1 mark at home. The Thunderbirds will next host Frank Phillips on Thursday night.
2025-26 HoopDirt.com / Just Play Solutions Coach of the Week Winners
NCAA DI: Tommy Lloyd – University of Arizona
NCAA DII: Andre Cook – St. Edward’s University
NCAA DIII: Ron Rose – Illinois Wesleyan University
NAIA: Taylor Jarvis – Missouri Baptist University
JUCO: Tae Norwood – Palm Beach State College
NCAA DI: Dusty May – University of Michigan
NCAA DII: Keffrey Fazio – Seattle Pacific University
NCAA DIII: Waleed Farid – New York University
NAIA: Tigh Compton – University of Pikeville
JUCO: Jerry Nichols – Walters State Community College
NCAA DI: Jon Scheyer – Duke University
NCAA DII: Brent Owen – Lenoir-Rhyne University
NCAA DIII: Dean Burrows – Mississippi University for Women
NAIA: Frank Woodford – Benedictine University – Mesa
JUCO: Bryan Bender – Ellsworth Community College
NCAA DI: Frank Martin – University of Massachusetts – Amherst
NCAA DII: Mike MacDonald – Daemen University
NCAA DIII: Anthony Medina – University of St. Thomas (TX)
NAIA: Kevin Williamson – Dakota State University
JUCO: Joey Cantens – Daytona State College
NCAA DI: Chris Victor – Seattle University
NCAA DII: Easton Bazzoli – Gannon University
NCAA DIII: Eric Bridgeland – University of Redlands
NAIA: Scott Moore – Grace College
JUCO: Andrew May – Snow College
Week 6
Winter Break – No Winners Selected
Week 7
Winter Break – No Winners Selected
NCAA DI: Travis Steele – Miami University (OH)
NCAA DII: Bryan Rooney – California State University, East Bay
NCAA DIII: Jeff Gard – University of Wisconsin – Platteville
NAIA: Leonard Epps – Brewton-Parker Christian University
JUCO: Andrew May – Blake Sandquist – Des Moines Area Community College
NCAA DI: Grant McCasland – Texas Tech University
NCAA DII: Blake Mellinger – UVA Wise
NCAA DIII: James Cosgrove – Trinity College
NAIA: Greg Tonagel – Indiana Wesleyan University
JUCO: Kyle Pugh – Cloud County Community College
NCAA DI: Fred Hoiberg – University of Nebraska
NCAA DII: Justin Mann – University of West Florida
NCAA DIII: Joe Reilly – Wesleyan University
NAIA: Fred Lymas – Shawnee State University
JUCO: Steve DeMeo – Northwest Florida State College
NCAA DI: Josh Schertz – Saint Louis University
NCAA DII: Brett Ballard – Washburn University
NCAA DIII: Justin Lunt – Pacific University (OR)
NAIA: David Osborn – Trinity Christian University
JUCO: Jai Steadman – Independence Community College
NCAA DI: Shantay Legans – University of Portland
NCAA DII: Mike Helfer – Valdosta State University
NCAA DIII: Jason Zimmerman – Emory University
NAIA: Marcus “Chief” Bryant – Keiser University
JUCO: Robert Byrd – Kilgore College
NCAA DI: Jai Lucas – University of Miami
NCAA DII: Michael Lamberti – West Liberty University
NCAA DIII: Kevin Curley – McDaniel College
NAIA: Drew Stutts – Freed-Hardeman University
JUCO: Matt Lynch – University of South Carolina Salkehatchie
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About Just Play Solutions
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