Houston's Kelvin Sampson named AP Coach of the Year, edging out UConn's Dan Hurley

Houston’s Kelvin Sampson has been named the AP Coach of the Year, it was announced on Friday afternoon.

It’s Sampson’s second time being honored with the award. He narrowly defeated UConn’s Dan Hurley for the honor, as he captured 23 votes to Hurley’s 21, as the latter prepares for a showdown in the Final Four with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

“The superlative season, which ended with a Sweet 16 loss to Duke during which All-American guard Jamal Shead hurt his ankle, allowed Sampson to narrowly edge UConn’s Dan Hurley for his second Associated Press Coach of the Year award, which was announced Friday,” Dave Skretta of the Associated Press wrote. “Sampson received 23 of 62 votes from the national panel that votes for the weekly AP Top 25; balloting closed before the start of the NCAA Tournament.

“Hurley, whose top-seeded Huskies will play Alabama in the Final Four on Saturday night as they chase a second consecutive national title, finished second with 21 votes.”

Continuing, Skretta noted which coaches rounded out the rest of the field, with South Carolina’s Lamont Paris and Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger being highlighted, as well.

“Lamont Paris of South Carolina received eight votes to finish third. T.J. Otzelberger of Iowa State and Danny Sprinkle, who was recently hired away from Utah State by Washington, had four apiece,” Skretta added. “McNeese State’s Will Wade and Kyle Smith, who coached Washington State to the second round of the NCAA tourney before leaving for Stanford, each received a vote.”

It wasn’t a straight shot to success for Sampson. His first team with the Cougars only won 13 games, but thinking on that group keeps him humble, as he told the Associated Press.

“I’m so blessed to have coached that first team that went 13-19,” Sampson said, via Skretta. “That was the only team that my wife’s ever asked, ‘Could you get them to sign a basketball for me?’ We have a lake house in North Carolina, and I see it every summer. She has that ball displayed in a prominent position there, and that’s the only one. 

“We’ve been to Final Fours, won a ton of conference championships,” Sampson added, “but she’s only got one ball. That’s from that 13-19 team. She appreciate that team because they never quit.”

Kelvin Sampson has truly figured out how to get the best out of his Houston team. They were special in 2023-2024, even if they didn’t make it as far as they would’ve liked in the NCAA Tournament.