Congratulations to the following coaches who have been selected as the Week 3 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 2017-18 college basketball season.
Nominations for next week’s award can be emailed to: [email protected] – 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 3 winners are:
NCAA DI: Chris Mack – Xavier University
A monster week for Mack and his #21/20 Musketeers as they knocked off two top-25 teams to push their record to 7-1. Mack’s squad began the week by defeated visiting #16/16 Baylor 76-63, giving Bears their first loss of the season. They continued their winning ways on Saturday by handing #11/9 Cincinnati their first loss of the season 89-76 in standing room only slugfest. The win in the Crosstown Shootout was the Musketeers eighth in their last eleven meetings with the Bearcats. Xavier will look to continue their winning ways when they host Kent State on Wednesday.
NCAA DII: Darrell Walker – Clark Atlanta University
Former NBA guard Darrell Walker led his crew to two more wins this week as Clark Atlanta improved their record to 8-1 on the young season. The Panthers traveled to Tuskegee on Monday night where they used a big second half to turn a three point halftime deficit into a 73-58 win. CAU then pounded visiting Paine College 71-52 on Thursday to improve to 3-0 in the SIAC. Walker, who was the 12th pick in the 1983 NBA draft, spent nearly 20 seasons as an NBA coach following his retirement as a player. He now holds a 29-12 record since taking over as the head coach at Clark Atlanta in 2016.
NCAA DIII: Pat Juckem – University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
A big week for Juckem as his #18 Titans remained perfect on the season and knocked off the #2 team in the nation along the way. After defeating North Park 71-58 on the road in Chicago on Monday night, the Titans returned home to host second-ranked Augustana (IL) on Saturday. Augustana, who lost in last year’s National Championship game, hit a lay-up at the buzzer of regulation sent the game in to OT. After playing to a draw in the first extra period, UW-Oshkosh took the lead for good with just over two minutes remaining in the second OT to seal the upset. This was the first-ever win for the Titans in eleven meetings with Augustana. The Titans are now 5-0 on the season, and will host Finlandia University (MI) on Tuesday.
NAIA: R-Jay Barsh – Southeastern University (FL)
A 2-0 week for Coach Barsh and the Fire as they improve to 8-1 overall and 4-0 in the Sun Conference. Ranked #11 in the most recent NAIA DII poll, Southeastern had an electrifying second half comeback as they defeated conference foe Johnson and Wales (FL) 70-67 on Thursday. The Fire trailed by 19 points with 17 minutes left to play, but staged a furious rally for the come from behind win. Barsh’s squad then handed Keiser University their first league loss of the season 88-78 on Saturday to claim the top spot in the Sun Conference standings. Southeastern will back back in action on Monday as they battle NCAA Division II Rollins in an exhibition match.
JUCO: Steve DeMeo – Northwest Florida State College
Queens native DeMeo returned home to New York this past week for three games in three days in the Monroe College Invitational. Ranked second in the nation entering the week, the Raiders did not disappoint as they were able to remain unbeaten and run their record to 12-0 on the season. NWF gave Harcum College their first loss of the year on Thursday in a 108-100 shootout. It took them until overtime on Friday to finally dispatch Harford CC 99-93, and they then capped off their undefeated trip downing Monroe College 90-72 on Saturday. The Raiders return to Florida next week where they will face Daytona State and Indian River State at the JUCO Shootout at the College of Central Florida.
[Coach of the Week written and compiled by HoopDirt.com contributor AJ Nelson]
2017-18 HoopDirt.com / Just Play Solutions Coach of the Week Winners
NCAA DI: Fran Dunphy – Temple University
NCAA DII: Pryor Orser – Colorado School of Mines
NCAA DIII: Kevin Bettencourt – Endicott College (MA)
NAIA (co-winner): Wayne Wagner – Viterbo University (WI)
NAIA (co-winner): Matt O’Brien – Southwestern College (KS)
JUCO: Mark White – Tallahassee Community College
NCAA DI: Porter Moser – Loyola University Chicago
NCAA DII: Andy Bronkema – Ferris State University (MI)
NCAA DIII: Justin Lunt – University of Puget Sound (WA)
NAIA: Keith Adkins – Life University (GA)
JUCO: Don Tuley – Seminole State College (OK)
Previous HoopDirt.com Coach of the Year Award Winners:
Division I
2016-17: Chris Collins – Northwestern University
2015-16: Roy Williams – University of North Carolina
Division II
2016-17: Ben McCollum – Northwest Missouri State
2015-16: Josh Schertz – Lincoln Memorial University (TN)
Division III
2016-17: Stephen Brennan – Babson College
2015-16: John Tauer – University of St. Thomas (MN)
NAIA
2016-17: Kevin Burton – Union College (KY)
2015-16: Larry Cordaro – LSU-Alexandria
JUCO
2016-17: Todd Lorensen – Southwestern Community College (IA)
2015-16: Craig Doty – Rock Valley College (IA)
About HoopDirt.com
HoopDirt.com is the largest website in the country dedicated specifically to college basketball coaching news, jobs, and rumors at all levels. HoopDirt.com brings a unique insider perspective to the world of college basketball coaching – it was founded by college coaches as a way to help the college basketball community stay informed of what is going on in the coaching profession. HoopDirt.com currently has a Twitter following of over 30,000, and receives nearly three-million page views per month.
About Just Play Solutions
Just Play Solutions is quickly becoming a market leader in helping coaches to prepare faster and teach athletes more effectively. From our digital coaching tools to interactive mobile app coaches can build playbooks, scouting reports, integrate video and even quiz players. Working with over 325 programs from high school to the professional levels, Just Play has a solution for any budget or need. Just Play currently has products available for Basketball, Football, Soccer, Hockey and Lacrosse.
