THE JOE B. HALL AWARD

March 4, 2025

FINALISTS FOR 2025-26 JOE B. HALL AWARD
The top first-year head coaches in college basketball

BOSTON, MA -- CollegeInsider.com has announced the finalists for the 2025-26 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 2026 award will be announced in Indianapolis, IN, site of the men’s Division I Basketball Championship.

JOE B. HALL AWARD FINALISTS

Clint Allard

UC San Diego

Bill Armstrong

McNeese State

Tim Bergstraser

Denver

Matt Braeuer

Stephen F. Austin

Kevin Carroll

Lipscomb

Zach Chu

Radford

Flynn Clayman

High Point

Ali Farokhmanesh

Colorado State

Kevin Giltner

Wofford

Kevin Hovde

Columbia

Jai Lucas

Miami

Ryan Miller

Murray State

Ryan Pannone

Arkansas State

Jon Perry

Navy

Nolan Smith

Tennessee State

Charlie Ward

Florida A&M


PREVIOUS AWARD WINNERS
Ben MCollum, Drake (2025); Sundance Wicks, Green Bay (2024); Keith Urgo, Fordham (2023); Jordan Mincy, Jacksonville (2022); Mike Magpayo, UC Riverside (2021); Greg Paulus, Niagara (2020); Justin Hutson, Fresno State (2019); Ryan Ridder, Bethune-Cookman (2018); Ryan Odom, UMBC (2017); Eran Ganot, Hawaii (2016); Chris Jans, Bowling Green (2015); Brad Underwood, Stephen F. Austin (2014); Jack Perri, LIU Brooklyn (2013); Steve Prohm, Murray State (2012).

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The Joe B. Hall award is presented annually to the top first-time head coach in Division I college basketball. 
 
A longtime Kentucky assistant, Joe B. Hall 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). 
 
The Joe B. Hall award voting panel is made up of current division I coaches, athletic administrators, and senior College Insider staff members.  The recipient of the 2025-26 award will be announced in April, Indianapolis, IN site of the men's Division I NCAA Basketball Championship.

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. 

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