Calipari Named NABC National Coach of The Year

For the third time in his career, John Calipari has been named National Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

Calipari moved into second place alone for the most all-time NABC Coach of the Year honors. John Wooden earned the award five times.

Calipari previously won the award in 1996 while at Massachusetts and in 2009 at Memphis. Tuesday’s announcement marked the first time Calipari has garnered the honor while at Kentucky.

Calipari has led UK into a second straight Final Four this season, and the fourth in the last five years on the back of a 38-0 record. Kentucky is the first team to enter the Final Four undefeated since 1991.

Calipari’s 2014-15 Wildcats tied his 2007-08 Memphis team and his 2011-12 national championship Kentucky team’s NCAA Division I record for single-season wins (38) with Saturday’s Elite Eight win over Notre Dame on Saturday.

Kentucky also set the school record for home wins with 19 this season.

Kentucky has spent 19 straight weeks at No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 this season, tied for the fourth-longest streak in NCAA history. UK now owns the NCAA Division I record for most appearances at No. 1 in the AP poll in a single season at 19.

Calipari was named Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year for the second time in his career earlier this season. He was also Sporting News National Coach of the Year, and is one of four finalists for the Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year.

He is also one of 12 finalists eligible to go in to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September. The Class of 2015 will be announced on Monday at a press conference in Indianapolis, prior to the national championship game.