ATLANTA (March 22, 2018) — Vic Schaefer of Mississippi State University has been named the 2018 United States Marine Corps/WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced today.
Schaefer will be presented with the Pat Summitt Trophy, named for the legendary University of Tennessee coach, during the 2018 WBCA Convention, which will be held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women’s Final Four® in Columbus, Ohio.
"The WBCA is proud to name Vic Schaefer as the 2018 United States Marine Corps/WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year," said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. "Vic is a dedicated and passionate teacher of the game, as displayed by the excellence of his student-athletes. He was chosen by vote of his peers and is very deserving of the WBCA’s highest praise for the coaching profession.
"Beyond his wins on the court, Vic has served his peers and the coaching profession as a member of the WBCA Board of Directors and as a clinician during many WBCA Conventions. Our women’s basketball family also applauds Vic for his role in cultivating a powerful fan base within the Mississippi State community.”
Schaefer has coached the Bulldogs to a perfect 30-0 regular-season record and the program’s first-ever SEC regular-season title. The squad entered the 2018 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship with a national fourth-place ranking and the first No. 1 seed in program history. The Bulldogs led the SEC in scoring and ranked 10th nationally at 82.1 points per game.
The sixth-year Mississippi State head coach was name 2018 SEC Coach of the Year and has the Bulldogs in their third-straight Sweet Sixteen.
"The United States Marine Corps proudly recognizes Mississippi State University’s Vic Schaefer for his contributions and leadership to the Bulldogs and women’s basketball," said Lieutenant Colonel John Caldwell, National Director, Marketing and Communication, Marine Corps Recruiting Command. "Coach Schaefer exemplifies the willingness to engage and determination to win of all Marines."
The United States Marine Corps/WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year is selected by a committee of coaches from among the regional coaches of the year who are nominated and selected by their peers. This year’s United States Marine Corps/WBCA NCAA Division I Regional Coaches of the Year are:
- Muffet McGraw, University of Notre Dame
- Jeff Walz, University of Louisville
- Robin Pingeton, University of Missouri
- Vic Schaefer, Mississippi State University
- Kim Mulkey, Baylor University
- Charlotte Smith, Elon University
- Lisa Bluder, University of Iowa
- Brenda Frese, University of Maryland
- Cori Close, University of California-Los Angeles
- Jennifer Gross, University of California-Davis
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.
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