BOSTON, Ma. – Fresh off a Sun Belt Conference Championship, Louisiana’s head men’s basketball coach Bob Marlin was named a finalist for the Hugh Durham Coach of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the top NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Mid-Major Head Coach.
Marlin has led the Ragin’ Cajuns to 26 wins this season, the second most of his NCAA career, and Monday night won the Sun Belt Conference. Marlin’s squad overcame a four-point halftime deficit to knock off South Alabama, 71-66, to return the Ragin’ Cajuns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013-14. Louisiana also defended their home court, going 14-0 in the Cajundome and completing their first perfect season at home since 1972-73.
The Hugh Durham Award, which is presented annually to the top Division I mid-major coach in college basketball, is named after a coach who built winning programs at three different universities.
In eight seasons as the head coach at Jacksonville University, Durham became the Dolphins' all-time winningest Division I coach (106 wins), making him the only coach in NCAA history to be the winningest coach (pct. or wins) at three different Division I schools.
The recipient of the 2023 award will be announced in March, in Houston, the site of the men's NCAA Basketball Championship.
2022-23 HUGH DURHAM AWARD FINALISTS
Amir Abdur-Rahim, Kennesaw State
Kenneth Blakeney, Howard
Jerrod Calhoun, Youngstown State
Speedy Claxton, Hofstra
Darian DeVries, Drake
Pat Duquette, UMass Lowell
Corey Gipson, Northwestern State
Jason Hooten, Sam Houston
Donte' Jackson, Grambling
James Jones, Yale
Tod Kowalczyk, Toledo
Pat Kelsey, Charleston
Jay Ladner, Southern Miss
Mark Madsen, Utah Valley
Mike Magpayo, UC Riverside
Bob Marlin, Louisiana
Paul Mills, Oral Roberts
Mike Morrell, UNC Asheville
Rick Pitino, Iona
Bob Richey, Furman
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