WEEK 9: WHoopDirt.com Coach of the Week presented by Pivot Analysis

Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing)

Congratulations to the following coaches who have been selected as the Week 9 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 9 winners are:

D1: Kenny Brooks – Virginia Tech

Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (12-2)

Past week’s results: 82-73 W at Wake Forest, 63-62 W vs #3 NC State

Highlights: Brooks’ #11 Hokies opened last week at Wake Forest, where they out rebounded the Demon Deacons 38-20 en route to an 82-73 win. On Saturday, they hosted #3 NC State in front of a capacity crowd of 8,925, which was the first regular season sellout in program history. The Hokies came back from an 11-point fourth quarter deficit as they hit a shot with .9 remaining for the 63-62 win. Virginia Tech is now 12-2 overall, 8-0 at home, on a seven game winning streak, and sit atop the ACC standings at 3-0. Here’s the game winner from Saturday:

NCAA D2: Cleve Wright – Gannon University

Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (15-1)

Past week’s results: 79-45 W vs Mansfield, 62-61 W vs California (PA)

Highlights: Wright’s #3 Golden Knights are hot, as they have now won 12 games in a row, and have pushed their overall record to 15-1. On Wednesday, they held Mansfield to just 45 points – the 7th time this season that they held an opponent to under 50, to come away with the 79-45 win. On Saturday Gannon avenged a PSAC Championship game loss from last season by beating California (PA) on the road 62-61. This is the second season in a row that the Golden Knights, who are now 7-0 in PSAC play, have had a 12-game winning streak.

NCAA D3: KJ Krasco – Middlebury College

Weekly record (overall): 3-0 (9-5)

Past week’s results: 57-37 W vs Wellesley, 57-54 W at Hamilton, 76-67 W at #10 Amherst

Highlights: A three win week for Middlebury included winning their opening two NESCAC games of the season. The Panthers took care of business at home on Wednesday by beating Wellesley 57-37. They then headed out on the road for their first two conference games of the season. Middlebury made two big FT’s at Hamilton on Friday with :54 remaining to take a 55-54 lead, and then clamped down on defense to come away with the 57-54 win. They travelled to #10 Amherst on Saturday where they handed the hosts their first loss of the season 76-67. Middlebury has now won 3 in a row, eight of their last ten, and stand a perfect 6-0 on the road this season.

NAIA: Jeff Soderquist – John Brown University

Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (10-3)

Past week’s results: 72-44 W vs North Texas Dallas, 52-51 W vs SAGU

Highlights: The Golden Eagles continued their hot play as they won two more conference games on the road last week. After starting the season 2-3, JBU has now gone on an eight game winning streak – their longest since the 2013-14 campaign, to push their record to 10-3. They are also in the midst of a program-record seven game winning streak to open Sooner Athletic play. On the season, JBU is 5-0 on the road, and 4-0 at home, with all 3 of their losses coming at neutral sites.

JUCO: Marbely Montas – Union College

Weekly record (overall): 2-0 (12-2)

Past week’s results: 72-69 W vs #8 Parkland, 96-46 W vs Kankakee

Highlights: The NJCAA D2 #10 (now #7) Owls had a stellar weekend, securing victories in both match-ups at the Palm Beach State College New Year Classic, improving their season record to 12-2. In the opening game, after trailing at the half, they rode a big third quarter to hand #8 Parkland College just their second loss of the season 72-69. The following day, Union overpowered Kankakee College to claim a decisive 96-46 victory. On the season, the Owls are averaging 90.1 points per game while allowing only 56.1 (+34 ppg margin of victory).

Week 1

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

Week 2

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

Week 3

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

Week 4

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

Week 5

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

Week 6

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

Week 8

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

Previous WHoopDirt.com / Pivot Analysis Coach of the Year Award Winners:

Division I

Division II

Division III

NAIA

JUCO

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