MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University men’s basketball coach Bob Huggins was honored with the 2015 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year award, it was announced today in Indianapolis. The award is presented annually to the top coach in Division I men's basketball.

 

Huggins led the Mountaineers to 25 victories and an appearance in the NCAA Sweet 16. Huggins, who ranks 12^th all-time in Division I victories, has recorded 765 victories in 33 years as a head coach. It is the sixth time in his coaching career that he has been named national coach of the year.

The other finalists included Dana Altman (Oregon), Tony Bennett (Virginia), Mike Brey (Notre Dame), John Calipari (Kentucky), Jim Engles (NJIT), Mark Few (Gonzaga), Chris Holtmann (Butler), Larry Krystkowiak (Utah), Gregg Marshall (Wichita State), Bob McKillop (Davidson), Archie Miller (Dayton), Sean Miller (Arizona), Bo Ryan (Wisconsin), Mark Turgeon (Maryland) and Jay Wright (Villanova).

The award is named in honor of Jim Phelan who coached his entire career at Mount Saint Mary's University. He led the Mountaineers to the 1962 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship.

When he retired in 2003, after coaching for 49 years, he amassed 830 wins (overall record of 830-524) in over 1,300 games in all divisions. In those 49 years, 19 of his teams amassed 20 or more wins in a season.

 

2015: Bob Huggins, West Virginia

2011: Stew Morrill, Utah State
2010: Jamie Dixon, Pitt
2009: John Calipari, Memphis
2008: Bo Ryan, Wisconsin
2007: Tony Bennett, Washington
2006: Ben Howland, UCLA
2005: Tubby Smith, Kentucky
2004: Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph's
2003: Mark Slonaker, Mercer