Ohio State has surpassed expectations, and the head coach is getting recognition for it.
Chris Holtmann, in his fourth year leading the Buckeyes, was named one of 10 finalists for Naismith Coach of the Year by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Friday.
The others in contention for the award are Darian DeVries (Drake), Scott Drew (Baylor), Mark Few (Gonzaga), Leonard Hamilton (Florida State), Juwan Howard (Michigan), Bob Huggins (West Virginia), Porter Moser (Loyola Chicago), Eric Musselman (Arkansas) and Nate Oats (Alabama).
Holtmann, the John McLendon National Coach of the Year in 2017, was first selected as a late-season Naismith Coach of the Year candidate on February 19. The late-season three-game slide wasn't enough to knock him out of contention, even if he's a massive underdog to Few and Howard, the presumptive favorites.
Ohio State, now 18-7 overall and 12-7 in the Big Ten, comes in at No. 7 in the Associated Press top-25 poll despite entering the season picked to finish seventh in the conference. Only one game – against No. 4 Illinois on Saturday – separates the Buckeyes from the postseason.
Holtmann, 49, was previously the Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2018, Big East Coach of the Year in 2017 and Big South Coach of the Year in 2013. He also earned the Jim Phelan Award in 2018.
