Collins wins Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year award
BOSTON - Chris Collins was selected as the 2023 recipient of the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award. The Jim Phelan Award is presented annually to the nation's top Division I coach.
In 2023, Collins led Northwestern to its second NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, collecting the school's second ever NCAA Tournament win with a 75-67 win over Boise State in the First Round in Sacramento. Northwestern's No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament is its highest NCAA Tournament seed. The Wildcats matched a program record for regular season wins (21), tying the mark previously set in 2016-17 by the only other team in school history to earn an NCAA Tournament berth.
Earlier this month, Collins became the second Northwestern coach to receive Big Ten Coach of the Year honors. He led the Wildcats to a second-place Big Ten finish, NU's best Big Ten finish since 1958-59, securing a school-record 12 conference wins along the way. The 'Cats earned the No. 2 seed in this season's Big Ten Tournament, the program's highest seed in the event.
In addition to the Big Ten Coach of the Year award, numerous Wildcats received Big Ten honors. Assistant Coach Chris Lowery was named the inaugural recipient of the Howard Moore Assistant Coach of the Year award, Chase Audige was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Second Team All-Big Ten, and Boo Buie received First Team All-Big Ten recognition.
Collins guided Northwestern to its first defeat of an AP No. 1 team when the 'Cats took down then-No. 1 Purdue 64-58 on February 12. Northwestern earned a 4-2 record this season against AP ranked foes, the most such wins in a single-season in school history. Northwestern compiled a three-game win streak against ranked opponents, its first since 1954-55. Under Collins, Northwestern grabbed its latest AP poll ranking during Week 15 of the season as the nation's No. 21 team.
Over the course of 10 seasons, Collins has won 156 games at Northwestern, third-most in program history, and collected his 150th win this past February with a victory at Ohio State. Collins is the fastest coach in program history to reach 150 wins.
The award is presented annually to the top Division I head coach as voted on by the award committee. All Division I head coaches are eligible for the award. The 10-member voting committee consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
The Jim Phelan Award is named in honor of a legendary bow-tied coach who spent his entire career at Mount Saint Mary's University. Phelan led the Mountaineers to the 1962 NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship. When he retired in 2003, after coaching for 49 years, he had amassed 830 wins (overall record of 830-524) in all divisions. In those 49 years, 19 of his teams amassed 20 or more wins in a season.