Rick Pitino and Bruce Pearl were named co-winners of The Associated Press men’s college basketball Coach of the Year award on Friday.
It was the first tie in voting in the 58 years that the award has been presented.
Both Pitino, of St. John’s, and Auburn’s Pearl received 20 votes from a national media panel.
Also receiving votes were Pat Kelsey of Louisville (eight votes), Jon Scheyer of Duke (five), Dennis Gates of Missouri (three) and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo (three). Ben McCollum of Drake and Eric Olen of UC San Diego — both of whom have moved on to new jobs — each got one vote.
Pitino, 72, just completed his 37th season as a head coach, with Pearl, 65, in his 21st season. It is the first award for both veteran coaches.
Pitino is the first St. John’s coach to earn the AP honors. In his second season there, he led the Red Storm to a 31-5 record and its first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 2019.
Pearl is in his 11th season at Auburn, which is the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and will meet Florida in the Final Four on Saturday.
This is Auburn’s sixth appearance in the tournament under Pearl and its second Final Four.
Cliff Ellis (1999) is the only other Auburn coach to win the AP award.
–Field Level Media
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