Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing)
Congratulations to the following coaches who have been selected as the Week 9 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 9 winners are:
D1: Shaheen Holloway – Seton Hall University
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (10-5)
Past week’s results: 61-57 W at #23 Providence, 78-75 W vs #7 Marquette
Highlights: Holloway’s Pirates opened the week on Wednesday by beating #23 Providence on the road 61-57, handing the Friars their first loss at home on the season. On Saturday, they won their second straight game vs a ranked opponent, as they downed #7 Marquette 78-75. Seton Hall has now beaten top 25 teams in three out of their last four games (beat #5 UConn 75-60 on 12/20). The Pirates are now 8-1 at home, and 3-1 in the Big East, with all 3 of those wins coming vs ranked opponents.
NCAA D2: Matt Majkrzak – Northern Michigan University
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (11-5)
Past week’s results: 81-63 W at Davenport, 63-61 W at Grand Valley
Highlights: Two more wins last week for Northern Michigan have pushed their winning streak to seven games, and upped their record to 4-0 in the GLIAC. The Wildcats led wire-to-wire in a 81-63 win at Davenport on Thursday. Northern then downed Grand Valley 63-61 in a game where they scored seven straight points with under two minutes left to come away with the win. That victory was the 100th of Majkrzak’s career (he went 25-8 in his only season at Bryant and Stratton before coming to NMU). The Wildcats are now the only remaining undefeated team in the GLIAC.
NCAA D3: Jimmy Smith – Trinity College (TX)
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (15-0)
Past week’s results: 82-81 W vs Schreiner, 84-69 W at Colorado College
Highlights: Smith’s NCAA D3 #9 Tigers went 2-0 last week to remain a perfect 15-0 on the season. Trinity handed Schreiner their first conference loss of the season in an 82-81 win on Tuesday. They then travelled to Colorado College on Friday where they blew open a game that was tied at the half to pull away with a 84-69 win. Trinity is the only undefeated team remaining in SCAC play (6-0), and are 8-0 at home on the season.
NAIA: Josh Pickens – Lawrence Tech
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (8-5)
Past week’s results: 71-68 OT W at #14 Lourdes, 92-64 W vs Northwest Ohio
Highlights: A huge win last week for Pickens and his Blue Devils, as they knocked off previously undefeated #14 Lourdes on the road in overtime 71-68 on Wednesday. That win was the first for Lawrence Tech vs a Top 25 program since the 2019-20 season, and is believed to be the first-ever road win over a nationally-ranked opponent in the LTU modern era. Picken’s squad completed their 2-0 week by pounding Northwestern Ohio 92-64 at home on Saturday.
JUCO: Matt Lee – Herkimer College
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (12-1)
Past week’s results: 71-67 W vs Monroe CC, 95-87 W vs Niagara CC
Highlights: NJCAA D3 #6 Herkimer avenged their only loss of the season by beating NJCAA D2 Monroe CC 71-67 on Friday night in the Herkimer Philly Classic. The Generals turned Monroe over 22 times, and held the Tribunes to just 14% shooting from three for the win. In game two of their tournament, Herkimer jumped out to a 50-31 halftime lead and hung on for a 95-87 win vs Niagara CC. Lee’s 12-1 Generals are now on a 7-game winning streak, 6-0 at home, and 5-0 in their conference on the season.
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
NCAA DI: Danny Sprinkle – Utah State University
NCAA DII: Artis Mattox – Benedict College
NCAA DIII: Dave Macedo – Virginia Wesleyan University
NAIA: Chris Wright – Langston University
JUCO: Joey Cantens – Daytona State College
Week 7
NCAA DI: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected
NCAA DII: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected
NCAA DIII: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected
NAIA: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected
JUCO: Christmas Holiday – no winner selected
NCAA DI: Shaka Smart – Marquette University
NCAA DII: Bryan Rooney – Cal State East Bay
NCAA DIII: Todd McGuinness – Case Western Reserve University
NAIA: Scott Moore – Grace College
JUCO: Steve DeMeo – Northwest Florida State Colleg
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
