THE JIM PHELAN AWARD

2023 Jim Phelan Award

March 30, 2023

HOUSTON, TX -- Northwestern’s Chris Collins is the recipient of the 2023 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year award.

Collins led Northwestern to a 22-12 record, including a 12-8 mark in Big Ten play. Northwestern's 12 conference wins are the most in a season in program history, and its 22 overall wins are second-most in program history.

This season Collins led Northwestern to its second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. He has led the program to the only two NCAA tournaments in school history.

“Coach Phelan and his teams were always tough and ‘tough’ is the perfect word to describe Coach Collins and his team, said Angela Lento, Vice President of CollegeInsider.com. “A second-ever trip to the NCAA tournament this season was very unexpected. Do it once and people may say it was luck. Do it again and people should mention you among the best coaches in the country.”

Collins guided Northwestern to its first defeat of an AP No. 1 team when the 'Cats took down then-No. 1 Purdue 64-58 on February 12. Northwestern earned a 4-1 record this season against AP ranked foes, the most such wins in a single season in school history.

Northwestern compiled a three-game win streak against ranked opponents, its first since 1954-55. Under Collins, Northwestern grabbed its latest AP poll ranking during Week 15 of the season at the nation's No. 21 team.

Collins became the second Northwestern coach to be named as Big Ten Coach of the Year, and first since Bill Carmody won the award in 2004.

The Jim Phelan Award is named in honor of a legendary bow-tied coach who spent his entire head coaching career at Mount Saint Mary’s University.

Phelan graduated from La Salle University in 1951 and played one season in the NBA with the Philadelphia Warriors. After a brief professional career, Phelan went to Mount St. Mary’s as an assistant in 1953. One year later he began his historical career as a head coach.

He led the Mountaineers to 16 Division II NCAA tournaments. Five times they advanced to the Final Four and he led them to the DII National Championship in 1962.

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.

In 2008 he was inducted into National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

Phelan passed away on June 15, 2021 at the age of 92 at his home in Emmitsburg, MD.

The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.


2022-23 JIM PHELAN AWARD FINALISTS

Amir Abdur-Rahim

Kennesaw State

Kenny Blakeney

Howard

Brad Brownell

Clemson

Jeff Capel

Pittsburgh

CHRIS COLLINS

NORTHWESTERN

Mick Cronin

UCLA

Darian DeVries

Drake

Pat Kelsey

Charleston

Jim Larranaga

Miami

Dusty May

Florida Atlantic

Tim Miles

San Jose State

Paul Mills

Oral Roberts

Nate Oats

Alabama

Matt Painter

Purdue

Kelvin Sampson

Houston

Shaka Smart

Marquette

Jerry Stackhouse

Vanderbilt

Jerome Tang

Kansas State

Rodney Terry

Texas

Keith Urgo

Fordham


Note: Some of the content from the press release came directly from Northwestern University media releases. 

 

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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