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Goestenkors Named 2007 Naismith Coach Of The Year
ATLANTA ? Duke’s Gail Goestenkors and Washington State’s Tony Bennett have been named the 2007 Naismith Women’s and Men’s College Coaches of the Year award, respectively, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today. They were selected by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s board of selectors, a collection of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country, based on their coaching performances this season.
The Naismith Award, presented annually to the men’s and women’s top college coaches, is the most prestigious national award in college basketball. Goestenkors and Bennett will be recognized at the Naismith Awards banquet presented by Delta Air Lines on April 5 in Atlanta.
In 1987, Indiana’s Bob Knight and Tennessee’s Pat Summitt became the first men’s and women’s college coaches, respectively, to win the award. Summitt has won more awards than any other coach with a total of five (1987, 1989, 1994, 1998 and 2004). Last year, Jay Wright (Villanova) and Sylvia Hatchell (North Carolina) were selected.
Goestenkors edged out Auriemma, Gary Blair (Texas A&M) and Summitt. Completing her 15th season in Durham, she led the Blue Devils to a 32-2 overall and 14-0 ACC mark, while claiming ACC Coach of the Year honors for the seventh time. Goestenkors guided Duke to a school-best start for wins (30-0), as the Devils became 14th team in NCAA history to go undefeated in the regular season. The mark set a new NCAA record for consecutive 30-win seasons with seven, all while replacing the top three players from a year ago. Goestenkors owns a career 76.4 ACC win percentage, which is the best all-time in ACC history. She is the 2003 winner of the Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year award.
Bennett led the Cougars to 26 wins this season, tied for the most in school history, in his first season as head coach. He became just the third man in Washington State history to be named Pacific-10 Conference Coach of the Year. The Green Bay, Wis., native finished his fourth season with the Cougars having come to the Palouse as an assistant coach for his father Dick prior to the 2003-04 season. In his first year as head coach, he led the Cougars to their first NCAA Tournament in 13 years. Bennett becomes only the third coach from a Pac-10 school to claim the Naismith award (Jim Harrick, UCLA, 1995; Mike Montgomery, Stanford, 2000). The other finalists were Billy Gillispie (Texas A&M), Bo Ryan (Wisconsin) and John Thompson III (Georgetown).
“Both Gail and Tony displayed the type of leadership qualities you would expect from programs that achieved tremendous success,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president. “They are deserving recipients and welcome additions to the Naismith family.”
For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club has presented the Naismith Trophy since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969.
The Naismith Awards program has become an emblem of excellence for the game, recognizing the men’s and women’s college players, coaches and officials of the year, and the male and female high school players of the year.
The Naismith Award, presented annually to the men’s and women’s top college coaches, is the most prestigious national award in college basketball. Goestenkors and Bennett will be recognized at the Naismith Awards banquet presented by Delta Air Lines on April 5 in Atlanta.
In 1987, Indiana’s Bob Knight and Tennessee’s Pat Summitt became the first men’s and women’s college coaches, respectively, to win the award. Summitt has won more awards than any other coach with a total of five (1987, 1989, 1994, 1998 and 2004). Last year, Jay Wright (Villanova) and Sylvia Hatchell (North Carolina) were selected.
Goestenkors edged out Auriemma, Gary Blair (Texas A&M) and Summitt. Completing her 15th season in Durham, she led the Blue Devils to a 32-2 overall and 14-0 ACC mark, while claiming ACC Coach of the Year honors for the seventh time. Goestenkors guided Duke to a school-best start for wins (30-0), as the Devils became 14th team in NCAA history to go undefeated in the regular season. The mark set a new NCAA record for consecutive 30-win seasons with seven, all while replacing the top three players from a year ago. Goestenkors owns a career 76.4 ACC win percentage, which is the best all-time in ACC history. She is the 2003 winner of the Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year award.
Bennett led the Cougars to 26 wins this season, tied for the most in school history, in his first season as head coach. He became just the third man in Washington State history to be named Pacific-10 Conference Coach of the Year. The Green Bay, Wis., native finished his fourth season with the Cougars having come to the Palouse as an assistant coach for his father Dick prior to the 2003-04 season. In his first year as head coach, he led the Cougars to their first NCAA Tournament in 13 years. Bennett becomes only the third coach from a Pac-10 school to claim the Naismith award (Jim Harrick, UCLA, 1995; Mike Montgomery, Stanford, 2000). The other finalists were Billy Gillispie (Texas A&M), Bo Ryan (Wisconsin) and John Thompson III (Georgetown).
“Both Gail and Tony displayed the type of leadership qualities you would expect from programs that achieved tremendous success,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president. “They are deserving recipients and welcome additions to the Naismith family.”
For more information, visit www.naismithawards.com.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club has presented the Naismith Trophy since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969.
The Naismith Awards program has become an emblem of excellence for the game, recognizing the men’s and women’s college players, coaches and officials of the year, and the male and female high school players of the year.
