THE JIM PHELAN AWARD

MIKE BREY WINS THE 2012 JIM PHELAN AWARD


March 30, 2012

NEW ORLEANS, LA -- Notre Dame's Mike Brey is the recipient of the 2012 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year award.

Picked to finish ninth in the Big East, Brey guided the Irish to a third straight 20-win campaign and third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance as Notre Dame finished with a 22-12 record and third-place finish in the final Big East regular-season standings with a 13-5 mark, which is the second-most conference wins since joining the league in 1995-96.

"Mike did an unbelievable job this season," said Angela Lento, co-founder of CollegeInsider.com. "Many experts predicted it would be challenging for Notre Dame to reach the NIT and that was before the Irish lost Tim Abromaitis. It's one of the best coaching jobs Mike has ever turned in."

Notre Dame became one of the surprise stories of the 2011-12 campaign considering the youth of this year's team and circumstances of the season. Following the departure of three starters from last year's record-setting 27-7 year, the Irish's chances of an NCAA tournament return were dealt a severe blow when preseason First-Team All-Big East pick Tim Abromaitis tore his ACL in late November and was sidelined for the remainder of the season.

The award is named after Jim Phelan who coached his entire career at Mount Saint Mary's University. He led the Mountaineers to the 1962 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship. When he retired in 2003, after coaching for 49 years, he amassed 830 wins (overall record of 830-524) in over 1,300 games in all divisions. In those 49 years, 19 of his teams amassed 20 or more wins in a season.

The award was presented at the CollegeInsider.com awards banquet in New Orleans, site of the men's NCAA Basketball Championship.

2012 JIM PHELAN AWARD FINALISTS

Tony Bennett Virginia
Mike Brey Notre Dame
Horace Broadnax Savannah State
John Calipari Kentucky
John Cooper Tennessee State
Tom Crean Indiana
Steve Fisher San Diego State
Frank Haith Missouri
Leonard Hamilton Florida State
Stan Heath South Florida
Fred Hoiberg Iowa State
Tom Izzo Michigan State
Eddie Payne USC Upstate
Steve Prohm Murray State
Bill Self Kansas
John Thompson III Georgetown

The Jim Phelan Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top Division I coach, is named in honor of a legendary bow-tied coach who spent his entire career at Mount Saint Mary’s University.
 
He led the Mountaineers to the 1962 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship. When he retired in 2003, after coaching for 49 years, he had amassed 830 wins (overall record of 830-524) in all divisions. In those 49 years, 19 of his teams amassed 20 or more wins in a season.
 
The Jim Phelan award voting panel is made up of current division I coaches, athletic administrators, and senior College Insider staff members.  The recipient of the 2024-25 award will be announced in April, in San Antonio, TX site of the men's Division I NCAA Basketball Championship.

2023: Chris Collins, Northwestern
2022: Mark Adams, Texas Tech
2021: Todd Simon, Southern Utah
2020: Steve Pikiell, Rutgers
2019: Ritchie McKay, Liberty

2018: Chris Holtmann, Ohio State

2017: Frank Martin, South Carolina

2016: Greg Gard, Wisconsin

2015: Bob Huggins, West Virginia

2014: Tim Miles, Nebraska

2013: Dana Altman, Oregon

2012: Mike Brey, Notre Dame

2011
: Stew Morrill, Utah State
2010: Jamie Dixon, Pittsburgh
2009: John Calipari, Memphis
2008: Bo Ryan, Wisconsin
2007: Tony Bennett, Washington State
2006: Ben Howland, UCLA
2005: Tubby Smith, Kentucky
2004: Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph's
2003: Mark Slonaker, Mercer

The Jim Phelan award is presented annually to the top division I head coach as voted on by the award committee. All division I head coaches are eligible for the award. 
 
The 10-member voting committee consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
 
The award is presented annually at the site of the men's Division I NCAA basketball championship. 

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