Congratulations to the following coaches who have been selected as the Week 5 WHoopDirt.com Coach of the Week presented by Pivot Analysis. These coaches are now eligible to receive the WHoopDirt.com National Coach of the Year Award presented by Pivot Analysis which will be announced at the conclusion of the 2023-24 college basketball season.
This is the fifth season that WHoopDirt.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 previous Coach of the Year winners can be found below this week’s recipients
To nominate coaches for future weeks, please email [email protected] with your selection(s).
The Week 5 winners are:
D1: Jason Burton – University of North Texas
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (9-1)
Past week’s results: 73-66 W vs Arkansas Pine Bluff, 84-50 W vs Alcorn State
Highlights: Jason Burton has gotten things going quickly in his first year at North Texas. With two more wins last week, UNT is off to its best start through ten games in program history. The Mean Green are also on a seven game winning streak – the longest streak since the 2000-01 won eight in a row. On the season, Burton’s squad is outscoring their opponents by 19.9 ppg, while holding them to just 34% shooting.
NCAA D2: Will Brown – College of St. Rose
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (7-1)
Past week’s results: 59-31 W vs St. Mike’s, 84-45 W at Caldwell
Highlights: Brown has done a remarkable job holding his team together during a very challenging time. Back on December 1st, St. Rose announced that the school would be closing its doors at the end of the spring semester. That hasn’t deterred Brown and his group however, as they are now 7-1 overall, 5-0 at home, and on a seven game winning streak. The Golden Knights are out scoring their opponents by 24.3 ppg on the season, and 35.75 ppg over their last four games.
NCAA D3: Kate Vlahakis – Manhattanville College
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (6-0)
Past week’s results: 68-35 W vs Merchant Marine, 56-46 W vs St. Joe’s (LI)
Highlights: With two more wins last week, the Valiants are still perfect on the season at 6-0 and sit atop the Skyline standings at 4-0. Manhattanville opened the week with a 33-point win vs Merchant Marine – their 5th straight win by 30+ points. On Saturday, the Valliants played their closest game of the year, as they beat St. Joe’s (LI) by ten, and handed them their first conference loss of the season. So far this season, MC is holding opponents to just 40.8 ppg, while beating them by an average margin of 27.0 ppg.
NAIA: Ethan Whaley – Indiana Wesleyan University
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (9-1)
Past week’s results: 79-61 W at IU Northwest, 82-74 W at #1 Campbellsville
Highlights: Another big week for NAIA #3 IWU, as they pushed their record to 9-1 and ran their winning streak to 8. After winning by 18 at IU Northwest on Tuesday, the Wildcats traveled to NAIA #1 Campbellsville for a big-time match-up on Saturday. IWU jumped out to a nine point halftime lead and never looked back as they handed the #1 team in the nation their first loss of the season 82-74. On the season, Whaley’s crew is 5-0 at home, and 3-0 in the Crossroads League.
JUCO: Bob McKinley – Weatherford College
Weekly record (overall): 3-0 (5-6)
Past week’s results: 96-63 W vs SAGU, 74-66 W vs Howard, 89-84 W vs Paris
Highlights: A perfect 3-0 week for Weatherford, but no win was bigger than their victory over Paris Junior College on Friday night. The 89-84 win was the 1,000th in Bob Mckinley’s career. McKinley becomes the fourth NJCAA Women’s Basketball coach to surpass 1,000 career wins and ranks third in wins among active head coaches. The NJCAA Women’s Basketball Coaches Hall of Famer has been the at Weatherford for the past 46 years.
NCAA DI: Larry Vickers – Norfolk State University
NCAA DII: Megan Dzikas – Florida Southern College
NCAA DIII: Meg Barber – NYU
NAIA: Bill Harmsen – Dordt University
JUCO: MJ Baker – Northwest Florida State College
NCAA DI: Nicki Collen – Baylor University
NCAA DII: John Nakpodia – University of District Columbia
NCAA DIII: Christin Gowan – McDaniel College
NAIA: Jeff Nickel – Georgetown College (KY)
JUCO: Kori Stephenson – Mesa CC
NCAA DI: Wes Moore – North Carolina State
NCAA DII: Tom Shirley – Thomas Jefferson University
NCAA DIII: Juli Fulks – Transylvania University
NAIA: Ginger High Colvin – Campbellsville University
JUCO: Erika Harris – Moberly Area CC
NCAA DI: Joye Lee-McNelis – Southern Miss
NCAA DII: Anna Kowalska – Wheeling University
NCAA DIII: Kelly Thompson – Roger Williams University
NAIA: DeWitte Mandley – Wiley University
JUCO: Mike Helmer – Butler Community College
Previous WHoopDirt.com / Pivot Analysis Coach of the Year Award Winners:
Division I
- 2022-23: Kenny Brooks – Virginia Tech University
- 2021-22: Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
- 2020-21: Adia Barnes – University of Arizona
- 2019-20: Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
Division II
- 2022-23: Kari Pickens – Ashland University
- 2021-22: Kim Stephens – Glenville State College
- 2020-21: Steve Gomez – Lubbock Christian University
- 2019-20: Molly Miller – Drury University
Division III
- 2022-23: Juli Fulks – Transylvania University
- 2021-22: Brian Morehouse – Hope College
- 2020-21: Brian Morehouse – Hope College
- 2019-20: Jill Pace – Tufts University
NAIA
- 2022-23: Courtney Boyd – Clarke University
- 2021-22: Jeff Hans – Thomas More College
- 2020-21: Kirsten Moore – Westmont College
- 2019-20: Chris Nelson – Bethel University
JUCO
- 2022-23: Mike Seney – CCBC Essex
- 2021-22: Trenia Tillis Hoard – Tyler Junior College
- 2020-21: No winner named – COVID season
- 2019-20: Cayla Petree – South Plains College
