University of Richmond Athletics
Roussell Named to Midseason Watch List for Kathy Delaney-Smith Coach of the Year Award
01/28/2026 | Women's Basketball
RICHMOND, Va. – University of Richmond women's basketball head coach Aaron Roussell has been named to the midseason watch list for the 2026 Kathy Delaney-Smith Coach of the Year Award, as announced Wednesday by Her Hoop Stats.
The honor recognizes the top head coaches in Division I women's basketball competing in mid-major conferences. Roussell is one of 10 coaches nationally selected to the midseason list and one of two representatives from the Atlantic 10 Conference. He was the award's inaugural winner during the 2024-25 season.
The Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award honors excellence beyond wins and losses, with candidates evaluated on full-season performance, postseason results, preseason expectations, player development, roster management, injuries and tactical coaching.
The preseason watch list featured 20 coaches and was released in October. Five finalists will be announced in March, with the winner revealed around the Final Four.
Named for legendary former Harvard head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith, the award celebrates sustained excellence and impact within the women's game. Delaney-Smith compiled 630 career wins over 40 seasons at Harvard, leading the Crimson to six NCAA Tournament appearances, nine WNIT berths and three Ivy League championships. She was inducted into both the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
Roussell continues to guide the program to unprecedented success. Richmond is 16-4 overall and 6-1 in Atlantic 10 Conference play this season, averaging 74.4 points per game with an 11.8 scoring margin. The Spiders are shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from three-point range while averaging 16.9 assists per game and holding a plus-3.2 rebounding margin. The Spiders are coming off back-to-back A-10 regular season titles, and the program's first NCAA Tournament win last March.
The complete midseason watch list, listed alphabetically by school, includes:
The honor recognizes the top head coaches in Division I women's basketball competing in mid-major conferences. Roussell is one of 10 coaches nationally selected to the midseason list and one of two representatives from the Atlantic 10 Conference. He was the award's inaugural winner during the 2024-25 season.
The Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award honors excellence beyond wins and losses, with candidates evaluated on full-season performance, postseason results, preseason expectations, player development, roster management, injuries and tactical coaching.
The preseason watch list featured 20 coaches and was released in October. Five finalists will be announced in March, with the winner revealed around the Final Four.
Named for legendary former Harvard head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith, the award celebrates sustained excellence and impact within the women's game. Delaney-Smith compiled 630 career wins over 40 seasons at Harvard, leading the Crimson to six NCAA Tournament appearances, nine WNIT berths and three Ivy League championships. She was inducted into both the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and the New England Basketball Hall of Fame.
Roussell continues to guide the program to unprecedented success. Richmond is 16-4 overall and 6-1 in Atlantic 10 Conference play this season, averaging 74.4 points per game with an 11.8 scoring margin. The Spiders are shooting 46.3 percent from the field and 36.9 percent from three-point range while averaging 16.9 assists per game and holding a plus-3.2 rebounding margin. The Spiders are coming off back-to-back A-10 regular season titles, and the program's first NCAA Tournament win last March.
The complete midseason watch list, listed alphabetically by school, includes:
- Megan Griffith, Columbia
- Gayle Fulks, Davidson
- Carly Thibault-DuDonis, Fairfield
- Lisa Fortier, Gonzaga
- Sean O'Regan, James Madison
- Jory Collins, North Dakota State
- Carla Berube, Princeton
- Tammi Reiss, Rhode Island
- Aaron Roussell, Richmond
- Aaron Johnston, South Dakota State
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