2023 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s Coach of the Year late season watch list revealed

ATLANTA (Feb. 17, 2023) – Today, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced the 15 members of the Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year late season watch list. For seven of this year’s candidates, this isn’t the first time they’ve vied for the award. Chris Collins (Northwestern), Mick Cronin (UCLA), Sean Miller (Xavier), Nate Oats (Alabama), Matt Painter (Purdue), Kelvin Sampson (Houston) and Shaka Smart (Marquette) are all previous candidates, with Sampson and Smart making the late-season list just last year.

Candidates not included can still make their way on to the 10 semifinalists list, which will be announced on Thursday, March 9. The Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year award will be narrowed to four finalists on Monday, March 20. The final round includes an opportunity for consumers to participate through the Naismith Awards Fan Vote presented by Jersey Mike’s, which accounts for 5% of the total vote and runs from March 21-28. The winner will be announced on Sunday, April 2, at the Naismith Awards Brunch presented by Frost Bank at the Final Four in Houston.

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“Each year we are amazed by the remarkable coaching performances that elevate these contenders as candidates for the Werner Ladder Naismith College Men’s Coach of the Year,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “The end of the regular season, with tremendous pressure on each game, usually separates those seeking to advance in the next step in our voting.”

“Werner Ladder is honored to be a part of highlighting and recognizing these coaches for an incredible season and their outstanding leadership on and off the court,” said Stacy Gardella, head of Global Marketing Technology & Operations at WernerCo. “Each of these coaches is deserving in their own right, and we are excited to follow them throughout the rest of the season.”