Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing)
Congratulations to the following coaches who have been selected as the Week 14 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 14 winners are:
D1: Lisa Fortier – Gonzaga University
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (24-2)
Past week’s results: 83-46 W vs Pepperdine, 71-47 W vs Loyola Marymount
Highlights: Two more dominant WCC wins last week for Fortier’s squad, as they remain a perfect 11-0 in the league. The Bulldogs have won 18 straight games, the third-longest streak in the country. Their win vs Pepperdine was their 13th straight vs the Waves, and their victory over Loyola Marymount was their 33 straight vs the Lions. The Zags won their 32nd straight game at home (12-0 this season) on Saturday, which is the second longest streak in the nation, behind top-ranked South Carolina.
NCAA D2: Tyreece Brown – Fayetteville State
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (20-2)
Past week’s results: 59-44 W at Shaw, 64-56 W vs Johnson C. Smith
Highlights: Brown, who is coaching FSU with the “interim” title this season, has the Broncos rolling as they won two more CIAA games last week to improve their league leading record to 13-1. In their two games last week, they caused 53 total turnovers, and avenged their only CIAA loss of the season to Johnson C. Smith on Saturday. The Broncos are now 11-0 at home for the year, and are riding a six game winning streak.
NCAA D3: Jordan Olufson – Webster University
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (23-0)
Past week’s results: 100-43 W vs Blackburn, 88-56 W at Fontbonne
Highlights: The perfect season for NCAA D3 #25 Webster continues, as they are now 23-0 and 16-0 in the SLIAC. Two more 30+ point wins last week for WU have increased their average margin of victory on the season to 29.7 ppg. They have also created an amazing 736 turnovers on the season, which averages out to 32 per game. Over the last three seasons, Olufson has led Webster to a 72-5 record.
NAIA: Kyle Blankenship – LSU Shreveport
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (21-2)
Past week’s results: 100-58 W at Jarvis Christian, 123-69 W at Texas College
Highlights: LSUS hit the century mark in both of their wins last week, making it four straight games that they have scored 100 or more points. Their 123 points on Saturday vs Texas College broke the program record (which they had set back in January). The Pilots are now on a 19-game winning streak, and undefeated (17-0) in Red River Athletic Conference play. In addition to coaching the women’s team this season at LSUS, Blankenship is also leading the men’s team – they are currently 17-6 (12-5 RRAC).
JUCO: Kim Muhl – Kirkwood Community College
Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (23-2)
Past week’s results: 94-58 W at Iowa Lakes, 72-48 W vs #2 Iowa Western
Highlights: Muhl’s then #4 Eagles opened the week on Wednesday by easily handling Iowa Lakes on the road 94-58. They then faced a vs #2 Iowa Western on Saturday, in a NJCAA D2 top-five match-up. Kirkwood jumped out to a 21-8 first quarter lead, and would not look back on their way to a 72-48 win. The victory was KCC’s 50th straight home victory – their last home loss came back on March 13th, 2021. They are now on a nine game win streak, 14-1 in the ICCAC, and have moved up the the #2 spot in this week’s national rankings.
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
NCAA DI: Jason Burton – University of North Texas
NCAA DII: Will Brown – College of St. Rose
NCAA DIII: Kate Vlahakis – Manhattanville College
NAIA: Ethan Whaley – Indiana Wesleyan University
JUCO: Bob McKinley – Weatherford College
NCAA DI: Anthony Bozzella – Seton Hall
NCAA DII: Kurt Westendorp – Ferris State University
NCAA DIII: Hannah Iverson – UW-Stout
NAIA: Kevin Herod – Langston University
JUCO: Darryl Watkins – Rock Valley 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: Cori Close – UCLA
NCAA DII: Mike Williams – Grand Valley State University
NCAA DIII: Randi Henderson – Washington University in St. Louis
NAIA: Dennis Hutter – Mayville State
JUCO: Jamarra Robinson – Indian River State College
NCAA DI: Kenny Brooks – Virginia Tech
NCAA DII: Cleve Wright – Gannon University
NCAA DIII: KJ Krasco – Middlebury College
NAIA: Jeff Soderquist – John Brown University
JUCO: Marbely Montas – Union College
NCAA DI: Jesyka Burks-Wiley – Florida International University
NCAA DII: Ann Hancock – Wingate University
NCAA DIII: Brian Morehouse – Hope College
NAIA: Tony Campbell – Reinhardt University
JUCO: Brock Kimball – Cisco College
NCAA DI: Tara VanDerveer – Stanford University
NCAA DII: Molly Martin – Regis University
NCAA DIII: Aby Diop – Dickinson College
NAIA: Chad Folsom – Benedictine College
JUCO: Mike Seney – CCBC Essex
NCAA DI: Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
NCAA DII: Trent May – Southern Nazarene University
NCAA DIII: Peg Swadener – Willamette University
NAIA: Alico Dunk – Stillman College
JUCO: Rory Kuhn – Gulf Coast State
NCAA DI: Carla Berube – Princeton University
NCAA DII: Kiera Wooden – West Chester University
NCAA DIII: Ben O’Brien – University of Scranton
NAIA: Hannah Moeller – Mid-America Christian University
JUCO: Riley Maye – Harcum 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
