For Immediate Release
April 5, 2022
Thomas More University Head Women’s Basketball Coach Jeff Hans has been named as the WHoopDirt.com NAIA Coach of the Year presented by Capital Elite Agency for the 2021-22 college basketball season. Hans qualified for the award by being named as the WHoopDirt.com/Capital Elite Agency Coach of the Week in Week 3 of the season.
Coach Hans led Thomas More to the National Championship game for the second consecutive season, this time capturing the program’s first-ever NAIA title. His Saints concluded the season with a record of 32-4 (19-2 Mid-South), taking down Dordt by a score of 77-65 in the National Championship game. During their tournament run, Coach Hans’ squad outscored opponents by 19.4 points per game.
Between November and February, Hans’ Saints ripped off a 20-game winning streak, which included a win over the top-ranked team in the country at the time. His squad was 3-0 against Top 10 opponents and was able to pick up its second consecutive regular season Mid-South Conference title.
After the season, Coach Hans was honored by the NAIA as the National Coach of the Year. In his 11 seasons with Thomas More, he has led the program to an incredible record of 293-27 (.916).
The complete list of previous Coach of the Year winners as well as this year’s Coach of the Week recipients can be found below.
Previous WHoopDirt.com / Pivot Analysis Coach of the Year Award Winners:
Division I
- 2021-22: TBA
- 2020-21: Adia Barnes – University of Arizona
- 2019-20: Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
Division II
- 2021-22: TBA
- 2020-21:Steve Gomez – Lubbock Christian University
- 2019-20: Molly Miller – Drury University
Division III
- 2021-22: TBA
- 2020-21: Brian Morehouse – Hope College
- 2019-20: Jill Pace – Tufts University
NAIA
- 2021-22: Jeff Hans – Thomas More College
- 2020-21: Kirsten Moore – Westmont College
- 2019-20: Chris Nelson – Bethel University
JUCO
- 2021-22: Trenia Tillis Hoard – Tyler Junior College
- 2020-21: No winner named – COVID season
- 2019-20: Cayla Petree – South Plains College
2021-22 HoopDirt.com / Capital Elite Agency Coach of the Week Winners
NCAA DI: Anita Howard – Georgia Southern University
NCAA DII: Caleb and Nicole Neiman – Kentucky Wesleyan University
NCAA DIII: Courtney Burns – Mitchell College (CT)
NAIA: Janis Beal – The College of Idaho
JUCO: Mike Seney – CCBC Essex
NCAA DI: Shereka Wright – Texas Arlington
NCAA DII: Steve Gomez – Lubbock Christian University (TX)
NCAA DIII: Dan Nagle – Nichols College (MA)
NAIA: David Smalley – University of Rio Grande (OH)
JUCO: Stephanie Murphy – Coahoma CC (MS)
NCAA DI: Jose Fernandez – University of South Florida
NCAA DII: Steve Gomez – Carmen Dolfo – Western Washington University
NCAA DIII: Sasha Santimano – Bowdoin College
NAIA: Jeff Hans – Thomas More University
JUCO: Patrick Cunningham – Arizona Western College
NCAA DI: Ty Grace – Howard University
NCAA DII: Carrie Eighmey – University of Nebraska at Kearney
NCAA DIII: Brian Morehouse – Hope College
NAIA: Bryon Lawhorn – Bryan College
JUCO: Jeremy Thompson – Monroe College-Bronx
NCAA DI: Nell Fortner – Georgia Tech
NCAA DII: Emilee Thiesse – Minnesota State University, Mankato
NCAA DIII: Michelle Ferenz – Whitman College
NAIA: Jesse Ford – Indiana University Northwest
JUCO: Marbely Montas – Union County College
NCAA DI: Joni Taylor – University of Georgia
NCAA DII: Jason Burton – Texas A&M Commerce
NCAA DIII: Kole Vivian – Marietta College
NAIA: Courtney Boyd – Clarke University
JUCO: Rich Cooper – Rowan College South Jersey-Gloucester
NCAA DI: Dawn Staley – University of South Carolina
NCAA DII: D2 winter break – no games played
NCAA DIII: Todd Kent – UC Santa Cruz
NAIA: Not enough games played (winter break + COVID cancellations)
JUCO: Not enough games played (winter break + COVID cancellations)
NCAA DI: Robin Pingeton – University of Missouri
NCAA DII: Michael Madrid – Texas A&M Kingsville
NCAA DIII: Deena Applebury – University of Mary Washington
NAIA: Dan Davis – Grace College
JUCO: James Frey – South Georgia Tech
NCAA DI: Wes Moore – North Carolina State University
NCAA DII: Tony Hobson – Fort Hays State University
NCAA DIII: Sarah Lombard – Hartwick College
NAIA: Hannah Moeller – Mid-American Christian University
JUCO: Penny Belford – Pensacola State College
NCAA DI: Jeff Walz – University of Louisville
NCAA DII: Cedric Baker – Savannah State University
NCAA DIII: Alison Montgomery – Bates College
NAIA: K.C. Basset – Sterling College
JUCO: Letitia Hughley – Mott Community College
NCAA DI: Kelly Rae Finley – University of Florida
NCAA DII: Jeri Porter – Francis Marion University
NCAA DIII: Mike Miller – Messiah University
NAIA: Anji Weissenfluh – Eastern Oregon University
JUCO: Stephen Perry – Owens Community College
NCAA DI: Niele Ivey – Notre Dame
NCAA DII: Kim Stephens – Glenville State College
NCAA DIII: Juli Fulks – Transylvania University
NAIA: Chad Folsom – Benedictine College (KS)
JUCO: Randy Rogers – College of Southern Idaho
NCAA DI: Jacie Hoyt – Kansas City
NCAA DII: Justin Payne – Georgia Southwestern State
NCAA DIII: Emily Garner – Trinity College
NAIA: Steve Brooks – Marian University
JUCO: Madonna Thompson – Shelton State CC
NCAA DI: Bandon Schneider – University of Kansas
NCAA DII: Kari Pickens – Ashland University
NCAA DIII: Bill Broderick – Christopher Newport University
NAIA: Danielle Fleming – Columbia International University
JUCO: Trenia Tillis Hoard – Tyler Junior College
NCAA DI: Yolett McPhee-McCuin – Ole Miss
NCAA DII: Jim Connolly – Chestnut Hill College
NCAA DIII: Blake Arbogast – East Texas Baptist University
NAIA: Taylor Possail – Columbia College
JUCO: Darryl Watkins – Rock Valley College
NCAA DI: Kim Mulkey – LSU
NCAA DII: Janice Washington – Lincoln University (PA)
NCAA DIII: Lynn Hersey – Smith College
NAIA: Toby Wagoner – Reinhardt University
JUCO: Tim McMahon – Edison State CC
Capital Elite Agency provides college basketball coaches in the country with counsel, advocacy, interview preparation, and contract negotiation. Our goal is to be a trusted agent and advisor for every step a college basketball coach takes throughout their professional journey. Visit us at www.capitaleliteagency.com to learn more about how we may be able to help you “Prepare to Advance” in your career.
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