Williams Among 25 Finalists For Naismith Coach Of The Year Award
2/22/2002 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 22, 2002
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - University of Maryland's Gary Williams, enjoying his 13th season as head coach of his alma mater, has been named as one of 25 finalists for the Naismith College Basketball Coach of the Year Award, presented annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
Williams, whose club is currently 22-3 overall and in first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference with a 12-1 record, has guided the Terrapins to a No. 2 national ranking and arguably the finest regular season in Maryland history. Never has a Maryland team been 12-1 in the ACC before, and with a win on Sunday against Wake Forest, the Terps would achieve the first 23-3 record in school history.
One year removed from attending the first Final Four in school history, Williams has led a team void of so-called McDonald's All-Americans to a possible No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament - also a first in Maryland history.
Williams is one of five ACC coaches who made the Tipoff Club's list of 25 finalists, which was announced this week by Tipoff Club president Jackie Bradford. The Naismith College Basketball Coach of the Year Award will be presented on April 5, 2002 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, Ga.
