WEEK 5: 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 5 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 5 winners are:

D1: Bryce Drew – Grand Canyon University

Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (8-1)

Past week’s results: 79-73 W vs #25 San Diego State, 69-64 W at Liberty

Highlights: Drew led GCU to their first win ever against a Top 25 opponent as they knocked of #25 San Diego State in front of a packed house on Tuesday. The Lopes traveled to Liberty on Saturday, where they rallied from a 17-point first half deficit and snapped the Flames 20-game home win streak. Drew now has 72 wins in his first 100 games at Grand Canyon, and the Lopes are off to their best start to a season in their 11-year D1 history.

NCAA D2: Bob Pietrack – Fort Lewis College

Weekly record (overall): 3-0 (8-1)

Past week’s results: 100-80 W vs Adams State, 91-77 W vs NM Highlands, 97-64 W vs CSU Pueblo

Highlights: With three more league wins last week, the defending Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference champions are now 4-0 in conference play after losing every starter from last year’s team. Last week’s three RMAC victories were by an average of 23.3 ppg. Pietrack’s team is also on a eight game winning streak and are a perfect 6-0 at home.

NCAA D3: Michael McSloy – Drew University

Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (9-0)

Past week’s results: 78-61 W at Scranton, 85-74 W vs Lycoming

Highlights: McSloy has Drew off to their best start in program history at 9-0 overall and 4-0 in the Landmark Conference. With their two wins last week, McSloy’s squad has tied the school record for the longest winning streak, equaling the mark set by the 2010-11 squad. On the season, Drew is out scoring their opponents 89.8 to 73.3 (+16.5).

NAIA: Tigh Compton – University of Pikeville

Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (8-3)

Past week’s results: 87-63 W vs St. Andrews, 93-79 W at Montreat

Highlights: UPike went 2-0 this past week with league wins over St. Andrews and Montreat. Those wins have pushed their conference record to 7-2 on the season and put them in a tie for first place in the Appalachian Athletic Conference standings. In last week’s two wins, the Bears averaged 90 points per game, won by an average margin of 19 points, shot a combined 54% from the field, and 43% from the three-point line.

JUCO: Terrell Harris – Prince George’s CC

Weekly record (overall): 3-0 (8-1)

Past week’s results: 77-72 W vs Harford CC, 86-84 W vs Garrett College, 101-86 W vs Butler County

Highlights: The #4 ranked NJCAA D3 team in the country had three more wins last week to move their record to 8-1 and increase their win streak to five games. PGCC opened the week on Wednesday by beating NJCAA D1 Harford 77-72. On Saturday, they trailed Garrett by 5 with just over a minute to go before going on a 7-0 run, including the game winning basket with 4.9 seconds left to end the game. Finally, on Sunday, the Owls avenged their Region 20 Championship game loss from last season, and beat Butler County 100-86.

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

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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