ATLANTA (March 26, 2019) — Kim Mulkey of Baylor University has been named the 2019 United States Marine Corps/WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced today.
Mulkey will be presented with the Pat Summitt Trophy, named for the late legendary University of Tennessee coach and awarded annually to the United States Marine Corps/WBCA National Coach of the Year in each of the WBCA’s six membership divisions, during the 2019 WBCA Convention, which will be held in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa Bay, Florida.
"The WBCA is proud to name Kim Mulkey the 2019 United States Marine Corps/WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year," said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. "Kim is a gifted and passionate teacher of the game as displayed by the excellence of her student-athletes. She was chosen by vote of her peers and is very deserving of the WBCA’s highest honor in the coaching profession.
"Kim has achieved at the highest level at every phase of her basketball career — as a player, Olympian and coach. She is a winner, devoted to her players and her family. Our women’s basketball family also applauds Kim for her role in cultivating a powerful fan base in the Baylor community.”
Mulkey is in her 18th season as head coach of Baylor. Since taking over, she has guided the Lady Bears to nine 30-win seasons, an NCAA record 40-win season, 17 NCAA Tournament appearances and two NCAA Championships, in 2005 and 2012. This season, she led the team to its 10th Big 12 women’s basketball championship. Entering this season, her 84.6 winning percentage ranked second among active head coaches in NCAA Division I women’s basketball. Her team this year is the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA women’s tournament.
“The United States Marine Corps proudly recognizes Kim Mulkey for her leadership with the Lady Bears and her commitment to women’s basketball,” said Lieutenant Colonel Christian Devine, national director, marketing and communications, Marine Corps Recruiting Command. “The hard work and dedication needed to achieve this recognition from her peers embodies the fighting spirit of all Marines.”
The NCAA Division I national coach of the year is selected by a committee of coaches. This year’s finalists were:
|
NAME |
SCHOOL |
|
Lisa Bluder |
University of Iowa |
|
Michael Bradbury |
University of New Mexico |
|
Amanda Butler |
Clemson University |
|
Bill Fennelly |
Iowa State University |
|
Brenda Frese |
University of Maryland |
|
Kelly Graves |
University of Oregon |
|
Muffet McGraw |
University of Notre Dame |
|
Katie Meier |
University of Miami |
|
Matthew Mitchell |
University of Kentucky |
|
Wes Moore |
North Carolina State University |
|
Vic Schaefer |
Mississippi State University |
|
Jeff Walz |
University of Louisville |
Visit www.wbca.org/recognize/ to see a list of past recipients.
About the WBCA
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to the organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit www.WBCA.org for more details about the Association.