Bill Self, Dan Hurley, and more are up for the 2026 Naismith Coach of the Year in the men’s basketball category. They have been added to the Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year watch list of 15 coaches.
In the women’s basketball category, Geno Auriemma, Kim Mulkey, Dawn Staley, and more have been added to the 15 coaches watch list for the same honor. With the regular season winding down, this race is getting more exciting.
These are some of the best coaches ever in the history of college basketball, and most of them have been recipients of this honor in the past. UConn Huskies men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley won it in 2024, whereas Bill Self won it in 2012.
In women’s basketball, we have Kim Mulkey, who won in 2012; Dawn Staley, who has won it four times (2020, 2022-2024), and Geno Auriemma, who has won it a record eight times (1995, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017).
This year, Auriemma’s team is unbeaten after 28 games and is number one in the Big East, which makes him a frontrunner for the honor. Let’s take a look at the complete list of coaches in men’s and women’s basketball on the watch list.
2026 Naismith Coach of the Year Watch List Ft. Dan Hurley, Bill Self, and More
| Name | School | Conference |
| Brad Brownell | Clemson | ACC |
| Mark Byington | Vanderbilt | SEC |
| Fred Hoiberg | Nebraska | Big Ten |
| Dan Hurley | UConn | BIG EAST |
| Tom Izzo | Michigan State | Big Ten |
| Tommy Lloyd | Arizona | Big 12 |
| Dusty May | Michigan | Big Ten |
| Ryan Odom | Virginia | ACC |
| T.J. Otzelberger | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| Kelvin Sampson | Houston | Big 12 |
| Josh Schertz | Saint Louis | Atlantic 10 |
| Jon Scheyer | Duke | ACC |
| Bill Self | Kansas | Big 12 |
| Travis Steele | Miami University | MAC |
| Brad Underwood | Illinois | Big Ten |
Hurley’s team holds a 24-3 overall record and is 14-2 in the conference. Self’s Jayhawks, on the other hand, are 20-6 overall and 10-3 in the conference.
2026 Naismith Coach of the Year Watch List Ft. Dawn Staley, Kim Mulkey, and More
| Name | School | Conference |
| Geno Auriemma | UCONN | BIG EAST |
| Jennie Baranczyk | Oklahoma | SEC |
| Kim Barnes Arico | Michigan | Big Ten |
| Carla Berube | Princeton | Ivy |
| Cori Close | UCLA | Big Ten |
| Krista Gerlich | Texas Tech | Big 12 |
| Jan Jensen | Iowa | Big Ten |
| Kara Lawson | Duke | ACC |
| Kevin McGuff | Ohio State | Big Ten |
| Kim Mulkey | LSU | SEC |
| Shea Ralph | Vanderbilt | SEC |
| Tammi Reiss | Rhode Island | Atlantic 10 |
| Vic Schaefer | Texas | SEC |
| Dawn Staley | South Carolina | SEC |
| Jeff Walz | Louisville | ACC |
The next few weeks will be crucial for this race, and the winners will be announced at the Final Four.
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