Morgan State head coach Todd Bozeman
The fifteen finalists for the 2010 Hugh Durham Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award were announced on Monday, and Todd Bozeman was on the list.
Fourteen of the finalists were regular season champions or co-champions or finished second in their respective leagues including Todd Bozeman (Morgan State), Randy Bennett (St. Mary's), Tad Boyle (Northern Colorado), Steve Donahue (Cornell), Cliff Ellis (Coastal Carolina), Ben Jacobson (Northern Iowa), Greg Kampe (Oakland), Billy Kennedy (Murray State), Bob Marlin (Sam Houston State), Fran McCaffery (Siena), Randy Rahe (Weber State), Brad Stevens (Butler), Blaine Taylor (Old Dominion) and Mike Young (Wofford).
Morgan State was picked to finish first in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's preseason vote, despite losing three starters from last season's team, the league's coaches and sports information directors were right on target with their vote, as the Bears captured their third consecutive regular season title and finished with a 15-1 conference record. The Bears currently rank No. 18 in the CollegeInsider.com Mid Major Top 25 Poll with a 24-9 overall record, marking the most Division I wins in school history.
The Bears also swept the top individual awards for the season in the MEAC. Reggie Holmes was named Player of the Year, Kevin Thompson earned Defensive Player of the Year and freshman DeWayne Jackson was selected as Rookie of the Year. Bozeman also was named Coach of the Year for the third straight season.
The Hugh Durham Award is given annually to the nation's top mid-major coach, as voted on by the 20-member panel. The winner will be presented with the award at the Final Four in Indianapolis.
In 2005 the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Coach of the Year award was renamed in honor of Hugh Durham, the coaching legend who had retired at the end of the 2004-05 season. Durham is one of just twelve coaches to have led two different programs to the NCAA Final Four (Florida State in 1972 and Georgia in 1983). He is the only coach among that group to have led both schools to their lone Final Four appearance.
The previous winners of the award were Bozeman last season, Keno Davis (Drake) in 2008, Gregg Marshall (Winthrop) in 2007, Pat Flannery (Bucknell) in 2006 and Bob Thomason (Pacific) in 2005.
2010 HUGH DURHAM AWARD FINALISTS
http://www.collegeinsider.com
Todd Bozeman Morgan State
Randy Bennett St. Mary's
Tad Boyle Northern Colorado
Steve Donahue Cornell
Cliff Ellis Coastal Carolina
Ben Jacobson Northern Iowa
Greg Kampe Oakland
Billy Kennedy Murray State
Bob Marlin Sam Houston State
Fran McCaffery Siena
Randy Rahe Weber State
Tony Shaver William & Mary
Brad Stevens Butler
Blaine Taylor Old Dominion
Mike Young Wofford
