Kevin Cook Named Winner of Carol Eckman Award

Yet another reason for me to be in San Antonio in four weeks...

The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) has announced Kevin Cook of Gallaudet University as the 2010 winner of the Carol Eckman Award.

The Carol Eckman Award is presented annually to an active WBCA coach who exemplifies Eckman’s spirit, integrity and character through sportsmanship, commitment to the student-athlete, honesty, ethical behavior, courage and dedication to purpose. The award is named in honor of the late Carol Eckman, the former West Chester State College coach who is considered the “Mother of the Women’s Collegiate Basketball Championship.” Eckman organized the first women’s basketball championship at West Chester in 1969 and continued to garner recognition and support for the women’s game until her death from cancer in 1985.

Cook has spent the past three seasons as the head women's basketball coach at Gallaudet, a NCAA Division III university for the deaf and hard of hearing. Cook doubled the amount of wins from his first season (2007-08) to his second season (2008-09) as the Bison went 6-19 overall last year. This year Cook’s team finished with a 14-12 record, their best season in a decade and the team also made the Capital Athletic Conference Tournament.

Cook served as an assistant coach with the Houston Comets for 11 years and was a part of four WNBA championships. He also served as a coach on four different WNBA All-Star Teams. Prior to coaching in the WNBA, Cook served as an assistant coach with the University of Kansas from 1984-93. Cook was part of four Big 8 championship teams that made four trips to the NCAA Tournament.

Cook will be formally recognized at the WBCA Awards Luncheon presented by State Farm and Jostens at Noon CT on Tuesday, April 6, at the Marriott River Center Grand Ballroom. This event is part of the WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women’s Final Four® in San Antonio, Texas.