Dynamic Debuts: Haith Becomes Sixth Coach of Year in First Season
March 21st, 2012 - 21:19
Missouri's Frank Haith, honored by the USBWA, became the sixth individual named national coach of the year in his debut season for a school after serving in a similar capacity the previous campaign with another NCAA Division I institution. Although hamstrung by a roster featuring only seven scholarship players, the guard-oriented Tigers won a school-record 14 Big 12 Conference games. Mizzou was in its final season as a member of the league before joining the SEC, where Haith will compete against his predecessor (Arkansas' Mike Anderson).
Haith, the 12th African-American named national coach of the year, joined the following chronological list of veteran coaches who earned one of the major awards in their initial season with a school:
Coach of Year Debut Season With New School Predecessor Previous School Eddie Hickey 23-6 (Marquette in 1958-59) Jack Nagle St. Louis Eddie Sutton 32-4 (Kentucky in 1985-86) Joe B. Hall Arkansas Tom Davis 30-5 (Iowa in 1986-87) George Raveling Stanford Kelvin Sampson 23-9 (Oklahoma in 1994-95) Billy Tubbs Washington State Matt Doherty 26-7 (North Carolina in 2000-01) Bill Guthridge Notre Dame