Northeast Conference Men's Basketball Coach of the Year explained

The Northeast Conference Men's Basketball Coach of the Year is a basketball award given to head coaches in the Northeast Conference (NEC). The award is presented to the head coach voted to be the most successful that season by the league's coaches. The award was first given following the 1982–83 season, the second year of the conference's existence, to Matt Furjanic of Robert Morris.^[1]

Howie Dickenman of Central Connecticut has won the most awards with four. Bashir Mason of Wagner has won three, and seven other coaches have won the award twice. One former NEC Coach of the Year has been inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach: Jim Phelan (inducted 2001). Due to Phelan's success, in 2003 the NEC men's basketball coach of the year award was named in his honor.^[2] Also of note, the only year when the award was shared was in 1993 with Jim Phelan and Kevin Bannon as winners. The program with the most winners, both by total awards and distinct recipients, is former member Robert Morris, with six awards won by four coaches. Among current members, Wagner has the most by both criteria, with three coaches combining to win five awards. The only current NEC members without a winner are Sacred Heart, members since 1999, and Le Moyne, which plays its first NEC season in 2023–24.

Winners

Season	Coach	School	Conference Record	Conference Standing	Overall Record	Postseason	Source(s)
1982–83	Matt Furjanic	Robert Morris	12–2	1st (South Division)	23–8
style=background:silver	1983–84	style=background:silver	Mark Amatucci	style=background:silver	Loyola	style=background:silver	10–6	style=background:silver	T-3rd	style=background:silver	16–12	style=background:silver		style=background:silver
1984–85	Tom Green	Fairleigh Dickinson	10–4	2nd	21–10
style=background:silver	1985–86	style=background:silver	Tom Green (2)	style=background:silver	Fairleigh Dickinson	style=background:silver	13–3	style=background:silver	1st	style=background:silver	22–8	style=background:silver		style=background:silver
1986–87	Dave Magarity	Marist	15–1	1st	20–10	NEC Champions NCAA first round
style=background:silver	1987–88	style=background:silver	Wayne Szoke	style=background:silver	Monmouth	style=background:silver	11–5	style=background:silver	T-3rd	style=background:silver	16–13	style=background:silver		style=background:silver
1988–89	Jarrett Durham	Robert Morris	12–4	1st	21–9
style=background:silver	1989–90	style=background:silver	Jarrett Durham (2)	style=background:silver	Robert Morris	style=background:silver	12–4	style=background:silver	1st	style=background:silver	22–8	style=background:silver		style=background:silver
1990–91	Rich Zvosec	St. Francis (NY)	8–8	T-5th	15–14
style=background:silver	1991–92	style=background:silver	Tim Capstraw	style=background:silver	Wagner	style=background:silver	9–7	style=background:silver	4th	style=background:silver	16–12	style=background:silver		style=background:silver
1992–93	Kevin Bannon	Rider	14–4	1st	19–11
	Jim Phelan	Mount St. Mary's	10–8	T-3rd	14–16
style=background:silver	1993–94	style=background:silver	Kevin Bannon (2)	style=background:silver	Rider	style=background:silver	14–4	style=background:silver	1st	style=background:silver	21–9	style=background:silver		style=background:silver
1994–95	Dave Magarity (2)	Marist	12–6	T-2nd	17–11
style=background:silver	1995–96	style=background:silver	Jim Phelan (2)	style=background:silver	Mount St. Mary's	style=background:silver	16–2	style=background:silver	1st	style=background:silver	21–8	style=background:silver		style=background:silver
1996–97	Ray Haskins	Long Island	15–3	1st	21–9	NEC Champions NCAA first round
style=background:silver	1997–98	style=background:silver	Ron Ganulin	style=background:silver	St. Francis (NY)	style=background:silver	10–6	style=background:silver	T-3rd	style=background:silver	15–12	style=background:silver		style=background:silver
1998–99	Tom Sullivan	UMBC	17–3	1st	19–9
style=background:silver	1999–2000	style=background:silver	Howie Dickenman	style=background:silver	Central Connecticut	style=background:silver	15–3	style=background:silver	1st	style=background:silver	25–6	style=background:silver	NEC Champions NCAA first round	style=background:silver
2000–01		Monmouth	15–5	2nd	21–10	NEC Champions NCAA first round
style=background:silver	2001–02	style=background:silver	Howie Dickenman (2)	style=background:silver	Central Connecticut	style=background:silver	19–1	style=background:silver	1st	style=background:silver	26–5	style=background:silver	NEC Champions NCAA first round	style=background:silver
2002–03	Dereck Whittenburg	Wagner	14–4	1st	21–11	NEC Champions NCAA first round
style=background:silver	2003–04	style=background:silver	Ron Ganulin (2)	style=background:silver	St. Francis (NY)	style=background:silver	12–6	style=background:silver	1st	style=background:silver	15–3	style=background:silver		style=background:silver
2004–05	Jim Ferry	Long Island	10–8	4th	14–15
style=background:silver	2005–06	style=background:silver	Howie Dickenman (3)	style=background:silver	Central Connecticut	style=background:silver	13–5	style=background:silver	2nd	style=background:silver	18–11	style=background:silver		style=background:silver
2006–07	Howie Dickenman (4)	Central Connecticut	16–2	1st	22–12	NEC Champions NCAA first round
style=background:silver	2007–08	style=background:silver	Mike Rice Jr.	style=background:silver	Robert Morris	style=background:silver	15–3	style=background:silver	1st	style=background:silver	24–11	style=background:silver	NEC Champions NCAA first round	style=background:silver
2008–09	Mike Rice Jr. (2)	Robert Morris	15–3	1st	23–12	NEC Champions NCAA first round
style=background:silver	2009–10	style=background:silver	Tom Moore	style=background:silver	Quinnipiac	style=background:silver	15–3	style=background:silver	1st	style=background:silver	23–10	style=background:silver	NIT first round	style=background:silver
2010–11	Jim Ferry (2)	Long Island	16–2	1st	27–6	NEC Champions NCAA second round
style=background:silver	2011–12	style=background:silver	Glenn Braica	style=background:silver	St. Francis Brooklyn	style=background:silver	12–6	style=background:silver	4th	style=background:silver	15–15	style=background:silver		style=background:silver
2012–13	Tim O'Shea	Bryant	12–6	T-2nd	19–11
style=background:silver	2013–14	style=background:silver	Andrew Toole	style=background:silver	Robert Morris	style=background:silver	14–2	style=background:silver	1st	style=background:silver	22–14	style=background:silver		style=background:silver
2014–15	Glenn Braica (2)	St. Francis Brooklyn	15–3	1st	23–12	NIT first round	[3]
style=background:silver	2015–16	style=background:silver		style=background:silver	Wagner	style=background:silver	13–5	style=background:silver	1st	style=background:silver	23–11	style=background:silver	NIT second round	style=background:silver	[4]
2016–17	Jamion Christian	Mount St. Mary's	14–4	1st	20–16		[5]
style=background:silver	2017–18	style=background:silver	Bashir Mason (2)	style=background:silver	Wagner	style=background:silver	14–4	style=background:silver	1st	style=background:silver	23–10	style=background:silver		style=background:silver	[6]
2018–19	Rob Krimmel	Saint Francis (PA)	12–6	T-1st	18–15		[7]
style=background:silver	2019–20	style=background:silver	Joe Gallo	style=background:silver	Merrimack	style=background:silver	14–4	style=background:silver	1st	style=background:silver	20–11	style=background:silver	NEC Regular-Season Champions	style=background:silver	[8]
2020–21	Bashir Mason (3)	Wagner	13–5	1st	13–7		[9]
style=background:silver	2021–22	style=background:silver	Jared Grasso	style=background:silver	Bryant	style=background:silver	16–2	style=background:silver	1st	style=background:silver	22–10	style=background:silver	NEC Champions NCAA First Four	style=background:silver	[10]
2022–23	Chris Kraus	Stonehill	10–6	T-2nd	14–17		[11]
style=background:silver	2023–24	style=background:silver	Patrick Sellers	style=background:silver	Central Connecticut	style=background:silver	13–3	style=background:silver	T-1st	style=background:silver	TBD	style=background:silver	TBD	style=background:silver	[12]

Winners by school

Years in this table reflect calendar years in which basketball seasons end. Since the basketball season spans two calendar years, each school's first year of membership in this table is the calendar year after its actual arrival in the conference.

School (NEC participation)	Winners	class=unsortable	Years
Robert Morris (1982–2020)	6	1983, 1989, 1990, 2008, 2009, 2014
St. Francis Brooklyn (1982–2023)	5	1991, 1998, 2004, 2012, 2015
align=left	Wagner (1982–present)	align=center	5	1992, 2003, 2016, 2018, 2021
Central Connecticut (1997–present)	5	2000, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2024
LIU (1982–present)	3	1997, 2005, 2011
Mount St. Mary's (1989–2022)	3	1993, 1996, 2017
Fairleigh Dickinson (1982–present)	2	1985, 1986
Marist (1981–1997)	2	1987, 1995
Monmouth (1985–2013)	2	1988, 2001
Rider (1992–1997)	2	1993, 1994
Bryant (2008–2022)	2	2013, 2022
Loyola (1981–1989)	1	1984
Merrimack (2020–present)	1	2020
Quinnipiac (1998–2013)	1	2010
Saint Francis (1982–present)	1	2019
Stonehill (2022–present)	1	2023
Le Moyne (2024–present)	0	—
Sacred Heart (1999–present)	0	—

Notes

Notes and References

1. Web site: NEC men's basketball record book 1982-2014. northeastconference.org. 29 October 2015.
2. Web site: NEC Hall of Fame- Jim Phelan. northeastconference.org. 29 October 2015.
3. Web site: St. Francis Brooklyn's Glenn Braica Named District 18 NABC Coach of the Year. NortheastConference.org. 31 March 2016.
4. Web site: Bashir Mason Named 2015-16 Jim Phelan Northeast Conference Coach Of The Year; Carey & Henson Named To Second Team. wagnerathletics.com. 31 March 2016.
5. Web site: Jamion Christian Named NEC Coach of the Year; Elijah Long Named First Team All-NEC; Junior Robinson Second Team All-NEC. mountathletics.com. 21 June 2017.
6. Web site: Mount St. Mary’s Junior Robinson Named NEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. northeastconference.org. 26 December 2018.
7. SFU'S Keith Braxton named NEC men's basketball player of the year . . March 5, 2019 . March 5, 2019.
8. Saint Francis U's Isaiah Blackmon Tabbed NEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year . Northeast Conference . March 3, 2020 . March 3, 2020.
9. NEC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year Alex Morales Highlights Wagner Awards Haul. . March 5, 2021 . March 5, 2021.
10. Web site: Two-For-2: Wagner's Alex Morales Repeats As #NECMBB Player of the Year. . March 1, 2022 . April 14, 2022.
11. Web site: Two of a Kind: SFU’s Josh Cohen & Merrimack’s Jordan Minor Share #NECMBB Player of the Year Honors. Northeast Conference. February 28, 2023. March 2, 2023.
12. Web site: 2023–24 Northeast Conference Men's Basketball Award Winners. Northeast Conference. March 5, 2024. March 6, 2024.