AURIEMMA AND CALIPARI NAMED 2008 NAISMITH COLLEGE COACHES OF THE YEAR

ATLANTA (April 9, 2008) – Geno Auriemma of Connecticut and John Calipari of Memphis have been named the 2008 Naismith Women’s and Men’s College Coaches of the Year, respectively, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today.

The two were selected by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s board of selectors, a collection of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country, based on their coaching performances this season. The Naismith Award, presented annually to the top men’s and women’s college coaches, is the most prestigious national award in college basketball.

Auriemma edged out Van Chancellor (LSU), C. Vivian Stringer (Rutgers) and Pat Summitt (Tennessee), while Calipari was selected ahead of Keno Davis (Drake), Matt Painter (Purdue) and Bruce Pearl (Tennessee).

Auriemma overcame season-ending injuries to starters Kalana Greene and Mel Thomas to lead the Huskies (36-2) to its first Final Four appearance since 2004. An 82-73 loss to Stanford in the national semifinals prevented him from a potential sixth national championship with the school. The Huskies won a second consecutive regular season BIG EAST conference championship and claimed a number-one seed heading into the NCAA tournament. With this honor, Auriemma’s ties Summitt for the most Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year awards with five. He also won the award in 1995, 1997, 2000 and 2002.

Calipari’s Tigers achieved an NCAA record 38 wins, against just two defeats, including a third straight Conference USA regular season championship amidst a 42-game conference win streak. Ranked number one for most of the season, Memphis advanced to the national championship game before bowing to Kansas 75-68 in overtime. Calipari also won the award in 1996 while at the University of Massachusetts, but this is the first such honor for the Memphis Men’s Basketball program.

“John battled season-long high expectations while Geno overcame tremendous adversity, yet they combined for 74 wins and Final Four berths and that’s a testament to their tremendous coaching ability,” said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Tipoff Club president.

In 1987, Indiana’s Bob Knight and Summitt became the first men’s and women’s college coaches, respectively, to win the award. Summitt went on to win four more awards (1989, 1994, 1998 and 2004). Last year, Gail Goestenkors (Duke) and Tony Bennett (Washington State) were selected.

ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
The Atlanta Tipoff Club, an Atlanta Sports Council property, is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club has presented the Naismith Trophy since UCLA’s Lew Alcindor first won the award in 1969.

The Naismith Awards program has become an emblem of excellence for the game, recognizing the men’s and women’s college players, coaches and officials of the year, and the male and female high school players of the year.