March 3, 2025
FINALISTS FOR 2024-25 JOE B. HALL AWARD
The top first-year head coaches in college basketball
BOSTON, MA -- CollegeInsider.com has announced the finalists for the 2024-25 Joe B. Hall award. The award is presented annually to the top first-time head coach in division I college basketball.
The Joe B. Hall award is named in honor of longtime Kentucky head coach Joe B. Hall who was given the task of following the legendary Adolph Rupp at the school. In his first season, Hall finished 20-8, won the SEC and advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals.
Hall coached the Wildcats from 1972 to 1985. He won two-thirds of his games (297-100), received four SEC Coach of the Year honors, and won a National Championship in 1978. He also steered the program to two other Final Fours, won eight Southeastern Conference regular season championships and one Southeastern Conference tournament championship (1984).
Coach Hall passed away on January 15, 2022.
The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
The 2025 award will be announced in San Antonio, TX, site of the men’s Division I Basketball Championship.
JOE B. HALL AWARD FINALISTS
Patrick Crarey II |
Florida A&M |
Mike DeGeorge |
Cal Poly |
Ethan Faulkner |
Youngstown State |
Kahil Fennell |
UT Rio Grande Valley |
Cornelius Jackson |
Marshall |
John Jakus |
FAU |
Jon Jaques |
Cornell |
Mike Jones |
Old Dominion |
Donny Lind |
Mount St. Mary's |
Jonathan Mattox |
Morehead State |
Ben McCollum |
Drake |
Gerry McNamara |
Siena |
Hank Plona |
Western Kentucky |
Clint Sargent |
Wright State |
Ivan Thomas |
Hampton |
Kevin Young |
BYU |
2024: Sundance Wicks, Green Bay
2023: Keith Urgo, Fordham
2022: Jordan Mincy, Jacksonville
2021: Mike Magpayo, UC Riverside
2020: Greg Paulus, Niagara
2019: Justin Hutson, Fresno State
2018: Ryan Ridder, Bethune-Cookman
2017: Ryan Odom, UMBC
2016:: Eran Ganot
2015: Chris Jans, Bowling Green
2014: Brad Underwood, Stephen F. Austin
2013: Jack Perri, LIU Brooklyn
2012: Steve Prohm, Murray State
The Joe B. Hall award is presented annually to first-year head coach in division I college basketball, as voted on by the award committee. Eligible coaches must be in the first season as a head at the division I level.
The 10-member voting committee consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
The award is presented annually at the site of the men's Division I NCAA basketball championship.