THE JOE B. HALL AWARD

2017 Joe B. Hall Award

April 3, 2017

2017 JOE B. HALL AWARD

PHOENIX, AZ -- UMBC’s Ryan Odom is the recipient of the 2016 Joe B. Hall, which is presented annually to the top first-year coach in division I.
 
After finishing 7-25 last season, Odom led UMBC (21-13) to its first winning season since 2007-08, when the Retrievers went to the NCAA Tournament.  The 21 wins are the second most in school history.  
 
Prior to this season UMBC had never a won a postseason game. Odom’s team posted three wins in the CIT and became the first America East team to win three games in a postseason tournament. 
 
“Ryan Odom brought a new attitude and a new style to UMBC,” said CollegeInsider.com’s Angela Lento. “He changed the culture and won more games this season than the program had won in the previous three seasons combined.”
 
UMBC also set single-season marks for points and three-point field goals.

The award is named in the honor of Joe B. Hall who was given the task of following the legendary Adolph Rupp. In his first season at the University of Kentucky, Hall finished 20-8, won the SEC and advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals.
 
From 1972 to 1985 Hall would win two-thirds of his games (297-100), receive four SEC Coach of the Year honors and win a National Championship (1978). Along with the 1978 title, Hall also guided Kentucky to a runner-up finish to UCLA in the 1975 NCAA tournament, a Final Four appearance in the 1984 NCAA Tournament and an NIT championship in 1976. He won 8 Southeastern Conference regular season championships and one Southeastern Conference tournament championship (1984).
 
Hall is one of only three men to win an NCAA championship as a player (1949- Kentucky) and coach (1978- Kentucky). The only others to achieve this feat are Bob Knight and Dean Smith.


2017 JOE B. HALL AWARD FINALISTS

Rodney Billups Denver
Jeff Boals Stony Brook
Maurice Joseph George Washington
Kyle Keller Stephen F. Austin
Matt Lottich Valparaiso
Grant McCasland Arkansas State
Ryan Odom UMBC
T.J. Otzelberger South Dakota State
Antony Stewart UT Martin
Paul Weir New Mexico State

 

The Joe B. Hall award is presented annually to the top first-time head coach in Division I college basketball. 
 
A longtime Kentucky assistant, Joe B. Hall was given the task of following the legendary Adolph Rupp at the school. In his first season, Hall finished 20-8, won the SEC and advanced to the NCAA Regional Finals.
 
Hall coached the Wildcats from 1972 to 1985. He won two-thirds of his games (297-100), received four SEC Coach of the Year honors and won a National Championship in 1978. He also steered the program to two other Final Fours, won eight Southeastern Conference regular season championships and one Southeastern Conference tournament championship (1984). 
 
The Joe B. Hall award voting panel is made up of current division I coaches, athletic administrators, and senior College Insider staff members.  The recipient of the 2024-25 award will be announced in April, in San Antonio, TX site of the men's Division I NCAA Basketball Championship.

The Joe B. Hall award is presented annually to first-year head coach in division I college basketball, as voted on by the award committee. Eligible coaches must be in the first season as a head at the division I level.

The 10-member voting committee consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.

The award is presented annually at the site of the men's Division I NCAA basketball championship. 

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