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Will Naismith Coach of the Year go to a first-timer?

By Carly Grenfell

GREENSBORO, NC - MARCH 08: Louisville Cardinals head coach Jeff Walz talks to his team during a timeout during the ACC Women's basketball tournament between the Louisville Cardinals and the Clemson Tigers on March 8, 2019, at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, NC. (Photo by William Howard/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
GREENSBORO, NC - MARCH 08: Louisville Cardinals head coach Jeff Walz talks to his team during a timeout during the ACC Women's basketball tournament between the Louisville Cardinals and the Clemson Tigers on March 8, 2019, at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, NC. (Photo by William Howard/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The 2019 Coach of the Year nominees narrowed to ten

The list of semifinalists for the 2019 Werner Ladder Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year Award is a stacked one.

The 10 coaches still in the running are Geno Auriemma (Connecticut), Lisa Bluder (Iowa), Amanda Butler (Clemson), Kelly Graves (Oregon), Carolyn Kieger (Marquette), Muffet McGraw (Notre Dame), Wes Moore (North Carolina State), Kim Mulkey (Baylor), Vic Schaefer (Mississippi State) and Jeff Walz (Louisville).

While Auriemma is going for his 10th Coach of the Year honor, McGraw her fourth, Schaefer his second and Mulkey her second, the other six would be first-time winners. It’s an extremely exciting time in women’s hoops, without a true Top 10 and a No. 1 seed up for grabs, and the mix of coaches in this list speaks to that excitement just as loudly.

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If there was ever a year for a new coach to win this award, over coaching icons like Auriemma and McGraw, 2019 would be it. These coaches are ultimately the ones pulling all the right levers to create more parity in the game and a more competitive and exciting landscape in women’s basketball.

Here’s a deeper look at the six coaches seeking their first Coach of the Year honor.

Lisa Bluder (Iowa)

  • Overall record: 26-6
  • Conference record: 14-4
  • Standout statistic: Lost to Indiana in the regular season, but beat them in the first round of the B1G Tournament to go on and win the title.
  • One big reason she deserves this honor: She recruited, landed and developed Megan Gustafson into one of the most unstoppable and confident players in the NCAA.

Amanda Butler (Clemson)

  • Overall record: 19-12
  • Conference record: 9-7
  • Standout statistic: Clemson won one game in the ACC the year before Butler took the job. The jump to nine wins is the biggest turnaround by a first-year head coach in conference history.
  • One big reason she deserves this honor: She’s a first-year head coach making major moves. The Tigers were picked to finish last in the ACC, but ended seventh in the regular standings.

Kelly Graves (Oregon)

  • Overall record:  29-4
  • Conference record: 16-2
  • Standout statistic: In four losses, the Ducks haven’t lost by more than seven points.
  • One big reason he deserves this honor: Although Oregon lost to Stanford in the Pac-12 Tournament, Graves’ teams thrive on the big stage appearing in back-to-back Elite 8s. He has the talent to do go even further in 2019.

Carolyn Kieger (Marquette)

  • Overall record: 26-6
  • Conference record: 15-3
  • Standout statistic: After losing an exhibition game to Grand Valley State, her team went on to win eight of the next 10 games.
  • One big reason she deserves this honor: she is only 35 years old and Marquette has been ranked every week this season for the first time in program history (okay, maybe that’s two reasons).

Wes Moore (NC State)

  • Overall record: 26-5
  • Conference record: 12-4
  • Standout statistic: His squad started out 21-0 this year, a program-best start and the longest winning-streak in program history.
  • One big reason he deserves this honor: The Wolfpack have been plagued with injuries this year, but that still hasn’t changed much from a results standpoint.

Jeff Walz (Louisville)

  • Overall record: 29-3
  • Conference record: 14-2
  • Standout statistic: Despite losing in the ACC Tournament championship, Louisville is still a serious contender for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
  • One big reason he deserves this honor: This is the second year in a row he’s been named a semifinalist for this award. If he doesn’t win it in 2019, he will before his coaching career is finished.

The list will be narrowed to four on March 21. Fans can vote by visiting naismithtrophy.com/vote between March 22-April 3, which accounts for five percent of the overall vote. On April 6, The 2019 Werner Ladder Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year will be named.

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