UConn’s Dan Hurley was one of 15 Division I head coaches named to the late-season watch list for the Naismith Men’s Coach of the Year award, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Friday.
After leading the program to its fifth national title last spring, Hurley lost three starters to the professional ranks, yet still has the Huskies playing like one of the clear best teams in the nation again this year. UConn (24-3, 14-2 Big East) is in the midst of its best regular season since the 2008-09 campaign under Jim Calhoun, when the team started 24-1 before eventually reaching the Final Four.
In his sixth year at UConn, Hurley has led the Huskies to a 128-58 record and is on the brink of a fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. With previous stints at Wagner and Rhode Island, Hurley is 279-163 in 14 seasons coaching in Division I.
This year’s team features all five starters in double figure scoring, all of whom average at least four rebounds per game. The team leads the Big East in several statistical categories, including scoring offense (81.41 points), scoring defense (64.48 points allowed), assists (17.89), field goal percentage (49.7%) and rebounding margin (plus-8.41), among others.
UConn was unanimously voted the AP No. 1 team in the country for the first time in the program’s history on Monday. The Huskies look to bounce back from a tough loss to Creighton on the road Tuesday when they host Villanova in Gampel Pavilion at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year Late Season Watch List
- Dan Hurley, UConn
- Hubert Davis, North Carolina
- Bryce Drew, Grand Canyon
- Anthony Grant, Dayton
- Nate Oats, Alabama
- T.J. Oltzelberger, Iowa State
- Matt Painter, Purdue
- Lamont Paris, South Carolina
- Bruce Pearl, Auburn
- Richard Pitino, New Mexico
- Mark Pope, BYU
- Kelvin Sampson, Houston
- Josh Schertz, Indiana State
- Kyle Smith, Washington State
- Danny Sprinkle, Utah State
