Nevada head coach Mark Fox was one of fifteen finalists for the 2007 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year award as announced on Tuesday.
The Jim Phelan Award is given annually to the nation’s top coach, as voted on by the 20-member panel. The winner will be presented with the award at the Final Four in Atlanta.
Prior to 2003 the award was known simply as the CollegeInsider.com national coach of the year. It was renamed to honor longtime Mount St. Mary’s head coach Jim Phelan who retired following the 2002-03 season.
Previous winners are Ben Howland (UCLA, 2006), Tubby Smith (Kentucky, 2005), Phil Martelli (St. Joseph’s, 2004) and Mark Slonaker (Mercer, 2003).
2007 Jim Phelan Award Fianlists
Coach, School
Jim Baron, Rhode Island
Tony Bennett, Washington State
John Calipari, Memphis
Billy Donovan, Florida
Mark Fox, Nevada
Billy Gillispie, Texas A&M
Seth Greenberg, Virginia Tech
Ben Howland, UCLA
Todd Lickliter, Butler
Chris Lowery, Southern Illinois
Gregg Marshall, Winthrop
Thad Matta, Ohio State
Bo Ryan, Wisconsin
Kevin Stallings, Vanderbilt
Cliff Warren, Jacksonville