University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Head Coach Tina Martin Named to USBWA Women's National Coach of the Year Watch List
3/6/2012 8:37:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ST LOUIS – University of Delaware women's basketball head coach Tina Martin has been named to the 2011-12 U.S. Basketball Writers Association Women's National Coach of the Year award watch list by members of the USBWA.
Martin (at right) has led the Blue Hens to a record breaking season that includes Delaware's first-ever national ranking, an unbeaten 18-0 Colonial Athletic Association record, and just one overall loss (27-1).
The now seventh-ranked Blue Hens also completed a perfect home season record of 12-0 for the first time since 2006-07.
With an 18-0 unbeaten conference record, UD became the first conference team to go undefeated in league play since Old Dominion went 18-0 in 2001-02. Delaware has now won a school record 19 straight regular season conference games since last season.
The Hens also posted their 27th win of the season, breaking the program record for victories in a season.
The winningest basketball coach in school history, Martin has amassed a 304-176 record during her 16 seasons at Delaware. She earned her record-setting 300th career victory as the Blue Hens cruised past Georgia State, 94-56, on Feb. 12.
Delaware's 94 points were the most ever under Martin, and marked the Hens' highest total since a 94-90 overtime win over Bucknell on Feb. 21, 1989 and the most points in a regulation game since a 95-47 Delaware victory over Loyola (Md.) on Dec. 28, 1986.
Martin currently ranks second on the all-time wins list for CAA women's basketball coaches with 150 career CAA victories.
Delaware, which secured the top seed in the CAA Tournament after defeating Drexel on Feb. 19, heads to the CAA Tournament to face the winner of the Towson vs. Old Dominion game on Friday, March 9 at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md. for a noon tipoff.
Joining Martin on the USBWA watch list are nine additional NCAA Division I head coaches, including head coach Jim Crowley of St. Bonaventure, Courtney Banghart of Princeton, and Coquese Washington of Penn State, all teams that Delaware defeated earlier this season.
The other coaches mentioned were Joanne P. McCallie of Duke, Kim Mulkey of Baylor, Muffet McGraw of Notre Dame, Kim Barnes Arico of St. John's, Matthew Mitchell of Kentucky, and Tara VanDerveer of Stanford.
Although these 10 coaches have been selected to the watch list, all Division I coach remain eligible to earn the coach of the year award when balloting by the entire USBWA membership begins next Monday.
The announcement of the winner will come at the annual USBWA breakfast at the NCAA Women's Final Four on Tues., April 3, in Denver. The event is open to all credentialed Final Four media with limited availability to others interested in attending the event.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected a women's All-America team since the 1996-97 season.
For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-444-4300.
