University of Richmond Athletics
Mooney Named Finalist For Phelan National Coach Of The Year Award
03/08/2010 | Men's Basketball
March 8, 2010
BOSTON, Mass. - Richmond head coach Chris Mooney is one of 15 finalists for the 2010 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award, announced Monday.
Mooney has led the Spiders to a 24-7 overall record and 13-3 mark in Atlantic 10 play, a 78-76 double-overtime loss at Xavier from winning the league's regular-season crown. Richmond was ranked for the first time in 24 years and the second time in 52 years and is currently 24th in the latest RPI.
Mooney joins last year's winner, John Calipari (Kentucky), and this year's mid-season honoree, Frank Martin (Kansas State) as finalists.
The official release states that "among the fifteen finalists are three from mid-major conferences: Cornell's Steven Donahue (Ivy), Northern Iowa's Ben Jacobson (Missouri Valley) and Butler's Brad Stevens (Horizon).
The remaining finalists are Steve Alford (New Mexico), Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh), Fran Dunphy (Temple), Chris Mooney (Richmond), Matt Painter (Purdue), Bill Self (Kansas), Mark Turgeon (Texas A&M) and Jay Wright (Villanova)"
The Jim Phelan Award is given annually to the nation's top coach, as voted on by the 20-member panel. The winner will be presented with the award at the Final Four in Indianapolis.
Prior to 2003 the award was known simply as the CollegeInsider.com National Coach of the Year. It was renamed to honor longtime Mount St. Mary's head coach Jim Phelan, who retired with 830 career wins following the 2002-03 season.
Previous winners were Calipari (Memphis, 2009), Bo Ryan (Wisconsin, 2008), Tony Bennett (Washington State, 2007), Ben Howland (UCLA, 2006), Tubby Smith (Kentucky, 2005), Phil Martelli (Saint Joseph's, 2004) and Mark Slonaker (Mercer, 2003).
The Spiders have a first round bye in the Atlantic 10 Tournament for the second time in the last three season and joining Xavier and Temple as the only A-10 schools to finish in the top-5 in each of the last three seasons. Richmond plays the winner of Charlotte/UMass on Friday at 9 p.m. in the quarterfinals.
2010 JIM PHELAN AWARD FINALISTS
Steve Alford, New Mexico
Jim Boeheim, Syracuse
John Calipari, Kentucky
Jamie Dixon, Pittsburgh
Steve Donahue, Cornell
Fran Dunphy, Temple
Ben Jacobson, Northern Iowa
Frank Martin, Kansas State
Chris Mooney, Richmond
Matt Painter, Purdue
Bo Ryan, Wisconsin
Bill Self, Kansas
Brad Stevens, Butler
Mark Turgeon, Texas A&M
Jay Wright, Villanova
