Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing)
Congratulations to the following coaches who have been selected as the Week 6 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 6 winners are:
D1: Danny Sprinkle – Utah State University
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (11-1)
Past week’s results: 84-82 W at Santa Clara, 54-53 W vs San Francisco
Highlights: An impressive start to Sprinkle’s tenure at Utah State, as two more wins last week by a combined total of three points have pushed the Aggies record to 11-1. On Wednesday, USU downed Santa Clara on the road 84-82 in a game where they out rebounded the hosts 39-24. After trailing visiting San Fransisco by 4 with just under four to play on Saturday, USU went on a 6-0 run, and eked out a one point victory. Sprinkle’s squad is now 3-0 in one score games this season. USU is also sporting a ten game winning streak, and are a perfect 5-0 at home on the season. It is just the fourth time program history that a team has started 11-1, and it is also the best coaching start in program history for a first-year head coach as Sprinkle has surpassed the previous best mark of 9-1, set by Ladell Andersen in 1961-62.
NCAA D2: Artis Mattox – Benedict College
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (10-0)
Past week’s results: 90-75 W at Mars Hill, 70-67 W vs Miles
Highlights: Mattox has his team rolling this season. With two wins last week, the NCAA D2 #12 Tigers remained unbeaten at 10-0 on the season, and sport an unblemished 5-0 record in the SIAC. Benedict opened the week by beating Mars Hill on the road in a game where they shot 58% from the field. They then returned home where they trailed Miles College by five with 4:29 remaining in the game. The Tigers would then go on a 10-1 run en route to the victory.
NCAA D3: Dave Macedo – Virginia Wesleyan University
Weekly record (overall): 3-0 (12-1)
Past week’s results: 74-68 W at #12 Christopher Newport, 78-45 W vs Johnson and Wales, 67-61 W vs Bellhaven
Highlights: A big-time 3-0 week for Macedo and his Marlins. On Thursday, VWU beat cross bay rival and defending D3 National Champions #12 Christopher Newport on the road 74-68. The Marlins then headed to the North Beach Plastic Surgery X-Mas Classic where they knocked off both Johnson and Wales (RI) and Bellhaven (MS). Virginia Wesleyan now holds a six game winning streak, and are a perfect 9-0 at home so far this season. They are also holding their opponents to just 52.7 ppg and allowing them to shoot a paltry 37% from the field.
NAIA: Chris Wright – Langston University
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (10-0)
Past week’s results: 79-54 W vs UNT Dallas, 75-67 W vs Central Christian College
Highlights: The #2 ranked NAIA team in the nation kept rolling last week with two more wins, to increase their winning streak to start the season to 10. On Monday, the Lions held just a six point lead at the half before coming alive in the second frame and beating North Texas Dallas by 25. On Thursday, they found themselves trailing Central Christian 34-30 at the half, until another strong second period performance secured the 75-67 win. In addition to their 10-0 overall record, the Lions are 7-0 at home, and 5-0 in the SAC.
JUCO: Joey Cantens – Daytona State College
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (13-0)
Past week’s results: 97-81 W vs Albany Tech, 79-56 W at South Georgia State
Highlights: Cantens and his NJCAA D1 #3 ranked Falcons may be the hottest team in the country at any level. With two wins last week at the B-Mac Buffet Christmas Classic in Georgia, DSC is now 13-0 for the second straight season. On Friday vs Albany Tech, Cantens picked up win #50 of his 2+ season tenure at helm. Over the past two years, the Falcons are 40-4, including 20-0 at home during that stretch. Daytona State is currently averaging 101.5 ppg (#4 in the nation), and they have six players averaging double figures in scoring.
2023-24 HoopDirt.com / Just Play Solutions Coach of the Week Winners
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
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
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
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
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
Previous HoopDirt.com Coach of the Year Award Winners:
Division I
- 2022-23: Jerome Tang – Kansas State University
- 2021-22: Ed Cooley – Providence Colleg
- 2020-21: Dennis Gates – Cleveland State University
- 2019-20: Joe Gallo – Merrimack College
- 2018-19: Kelvin Sampson – University of Houston
- 2017-18: Porter Moser – Loyola University Chicago
- 2016-17: Chris Collins – Northwestern University
- 2015-16: Roy Williams – University of North Carolina
Division II
- 2022-23: Jim Crutchfield – Nova Southeastern
- 2021-22: Jim Crutchfield – Nova Southeastern
- 2020-21: Ben McCollum – Northwest Missouri State
- 2019-20: Fred Watson – Miles College
- 2018-19: Ben McCollum – Northwest Missouri State
- 2017-18: Andy Bronkema – Ferris State
- 2016-17: Ben McCollum – Northwest Missouri State
- 2015-16: Josh Schertz – Lincoln Memorial University
Division III
- 2022-23: John Krikorian – Christopher Newport University
- 2021-22: Brian Baptiste – UMass Dartmouth
- 2020-21: Brooks Miller – Trine University
- 2019-20: Elliot Steinmetz – Yeshiva University
- 2018-19: Dale Wellman – Nebraska Wesleyan University
- 2017-18: Eric Bridgeland – Whitman College
- 2016-17: Stephen Brennan – Babson College
- 2015-16: John Tauer – University of St. Thomas
NAIA
- 2022-23: Chris Wright – Langston University
- 2021-22: Stacy Hollowell – Loyola University New Orleans
- 2020-21: Delano Thomas – Shawnee State University
- 2019-20: Colby Blaine – College of Idaho
- 2018-19: Chris Briggs – Georgetown College
- 2017-18: Craig Doty – Graceland University
- 2016-17: Kevin Burton – Union College
- 2015-16: Larry Cordaro – LSU-Alexandria
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
- 2018-19: LeShawn Hammett – Penn State Wilkes-Barre
