The accolades just keep on coming for Hubert Davis. Following his team’s national runner-up finish in the NCAA Tournament on Monday, Davis was named the Division I winner of the Clarence “Big House” Gaines College Basketball Coach of the Year award Wednesday afternoon.

In his first season as a head coach for any program, Davis led the Tar Heels to a 29-10 overall record, a 15-5 mark in ACC play and an appearance in the program’s 21st Final Four and 12th national title game. He is the first Division I coach ever to lead his team to the title game in his first full season as head coach. Carolina’s run to Monday night included wins over two Final Four teams from a season ago, No. 1 seed Baylor and No. 4 seed UCLA, and a win over No. 2 seed Duke in the national semifinals. Carolina finished the season by winning 17 of its final 21 games after a 12-6 start.

The Gaines Award is given out annually by the National Sports Media Association, and is named after the legendary coach of Winston-Salem State for 47 seasons. Gaines led WSSU to the 1967 NCAA Division II title, and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982. The honor is likely a meaningful one for Davis, who was born in Winston-Salem has spoken fondly of his time there. He is the first UNC head coach to ever win the award.

 

Featured image via Todd Melet

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