Gard named a finalist for National Coach of the Year trophy

Mar 21, 2022 | 1:37 PM

Congrats to Coach Gard on being named 1 of 4 finalists for @NaismithTrophy National Coach of the Year award #OnWisconsin pic.twitter.com/bQTNqiBJD5

— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) March 21, 2022

Gard is joined by Texas Tech’s Mark Adams, Providence’s Ed Cooley, and Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd. A Wisconsin coach has never won the Naismith Trophy, though Bo Ryan did win the Phelan Award in 2008.

The Badgers’ success came as a surprise to many this season. Picked to finish 10th in the Big Ten, the team put together a strong season to capture a share of the regular-season conference championship. While their tournament run ended earlier than fans would’ve wanted, it was good enough to earn Gard national recognition.

The Wisconsin-Platteville alum faces stiff competition for the award, however. Adams’ Red Raiders are in the Sweet 16 and didn’t lose a game at home all season. He was named Big 12 Coach of the Year in his first season in charge.

Cooley’s Friars are one of the best teams in the country, having lost only five games all year. They’re also in the Sweet 16 and won the Big East regular-season championship.

Tommy Lloyd could be seen as the favorite to win the award. The Pac-12 Coach of the Year, his Wildcats won both the regular-season and conference tournament championships. He is one of only nine head coaches to win 30 games in his first season as a head coach and his team play Houston in the Sweet 16 on Thursday.