Houston's Sampson wins 2024 Henry Iba Award as National Coach of the Year

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POSTED: March 18, 2024 -- 5:15 p.m. CT

Houston Men's Basketball Head Coach Kelvin Sampson was named the 2023-24 recipient of the Henry Iba Award, presented to the National Coach of the Year by the United States Basketball Writers Association, on Monday.

Sampson received the award for the second time during his career after first earning it after the 1994-95 season in his first year at Oklahoma. The 29-year span between Sampson’s honors is the longest in the history of the award, topping the 16 seasons between Roy Williams' honors at North Carolina (2006) and Kansas (1990).

He became the 10th repeat winner in the 66-year history of the award joining John Wooden (UCLA, 1973, 1972, 1971, 1970, 1967, 1964); Tony Bennett (Virginia, 2018, 2015; Washington State, 2007); Fred Taylor (Ohio State, 1962, 1961); Bob Knight (Indiana, 1989, 1975); Ray Meyer (DePaul, 1980, 1978); Lou Carnesecca (St. John's, 1985, 1983). Gene Keady (Purdue, 1996, 1984); John Chaney (Temple, 1988, 1987) and Roy Williams (North Carolina, 2006; Kansas, 1990).

"This award has special meaning for me because of the impact of Coach Iba in the state of Oklahoma. Playing Oklahoma State in the gym with his name on it, I know the impact he had on the history of basketball in this country," Sampson said. "This is a great honor, and I accept it on behalf of our staff, our players, who poured their hearts and souls into this season, and our entire program.

Sampson also became the second Houston coach to collect the honor after Hall of Fame Coach Guy V. Lewis following the 1967-68 season.

Sampson is the Big 12's first Henry Iba Award honoree in 13 seasons since Missouri's Frank Haith won it in 2011-12 and the league's fourth overall since the Big 12 formed in the 1996-97 season. Sampson (1995) and Williams (1990 at Kansas) won their first awards when their schools were in the Big 8.

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