ATLANTA (March 16, 2016) – Chris Minner, head coach at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas, is the recipient of the Pat Summitt Trophy presented to the 2016 United States Marine Corps/WBCA NAIA National Coach of the Year, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced today. This marks the 34th year since 1983 that the WBCA has presented this honor to a NAIA head coach.
"The WBCA is proud to name Chris as the 2016 United States Marine Corps/WBCA NAIA National Coach of the Year," said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. "Chris was selected as the winner by his peers after leading his team to an exceptional season. The WBCA recognizes and applauds his leadership example that can be seen in his/her student-athletes, institution, and community.”
"The Marine Corps continues to enjoy our long and successful partnership with the WBCA. For us, one of the major highlights of the relationship is to annually recognize the organization's outstanding coaches," said Lieutenant Colonel Brian Proctor, Assistant Chief of Staff Diversity, Marine Corps Recruiting Command. "Each of these fine individuals, chosen by their peers to receive this well-deserved honor, exemplifies the Marine Corps leadership values of honor, courage and commitment."
Minner, in his fourth year as head coach of Our Lady of the Lake, has coached the Saints to a 29-2 record. The Saints won the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) regular season and tournament title for the first time in the same year. The Saints earned their fourth straight regular season conference title, while winning the conference tournament for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
Our Lady of the Lake closed out the regular-season ranked number one in the 2015-16 NAIA Division I Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
Minner earned his second consecutive RRAC Coach of the Year honor this season.
Prior to becoming head coach of the Saints, Minner served as the assistant coach of the inaugural women’ basketball team at OLLU. Before joining Our Lady of the Lake, he was the women’s assistant basketball coach for one year at Texas A&M International University. Minner was the head coach of Napa Valley Community College from 2002-05. At Napa Valley, he was the all-time winningest coach in percentage and number of wins.
Minner will guide the Saints through the NAIA Division I tournament where they face William Woods University in the first round on Wednesday, March 16.
The United States Marine Corps and the WBCA present the Pat Summitt Trophy, named for the legendary University of Tennessee coach, to the United States Marine Corps/WBCA National Coach of the Year annually in each of the six WBCA membership divisions (NCAA Divisions I, II and III; NAIA; junior/community college and high school).
The national coach of the year was selected from a list of finalists composed of six regional coaches of the year, who are chosen by vote of their peers in their respective WBCA membership regions, and were announced earlier this week via social media. They are:
• Region 1 – Kirsten Moore, Westmont College
• Region 2 – Jason Christensen, Dakota Wesleyan University
• Region 3 – Chris Minner, Our Lady of the Lake University
• Region 4 – Lauren Stamatis, Olivet Nazarene University
• Region 5 – Joanna Bernabei-McNamee, University of Pikeville
• Region 6 – Chris Nelson, Bethel University (Tenn.)
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About the WBCA:
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game in all of its aspects as a sport for women and girls. For more information about the WBCA, please visit wbca.org.
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