University of Houston Athletics
Kelvin Sampson Named Finalist for Henry Iba Award
3/18/2019 1:17:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Honor presented by USBWA annually to national coach of the year
HOUSTON – As his team prepares to compete in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season and the 15th time in his career, University of Houston Men's Basketball Head Coach Kelvin Sampson was named a Finalist for the Henry Iba Award on Monday afternoon.
The award is given annually by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association to the national coach of the year.
For his team's impressive performance in 2018-19, Sampson also has been named a finalist for the Jim Phelan Award and the Ben Jobe Award and is a semifinalist for the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year.
The Henry Iba Award is named in honor of the legendary coaching great at Oklahoma State who won two NCAA Championships and two gold medals and one silver as coach of the U.S. Olympics Teams. The award is voted on by the entire membership of the USBWA.
Rick Barnes (Tennessee), Chris Beard (Texas Tech), Tony Bennett (Virginia Tech), Mark Few (Gonzaga), Matt Painter (Purdue) and Mike Young (Wofford) joined Sampson as finalists for the Iba Award.
ABOUT KELVIN SAMPSON
In 2018-19, Sampson has led the Cougars to a 31-3 record, the program's first outright regular-season conference championship since 1984, Top-10 rankings in both national polls and a No. 3 seed in this week's NCAA Tournament.
His Houston team won its first 15 games to open the season for the program's third-longest winning streak in school history and followed that with a 12-game streak after enduring its first loss at Temple in early January.
After winning 19 straight games in H&PE Arena as their home arena underwent a $60-million renovation, Sampson's Cougars won their first 14 home games in the Fertitta Center and owned the nation's longest home winning streak at 33 games until late February.
With the Cougars' win at SMU in mid-January, Sampson became only the 52nd coach in NCAA history to reach 600 victories in his career. That win also gave him 100 in his Houston career and made him the fastest coach in UH history to reach that total.
In 2019, he was named the American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for the second straight season, becoming only the second coach in program history to win accomplish that feat and the first since Hall of Fame Coach Guy V. Lewis did so in 1983-84 in the Southwest Conference.
UP NEXT
• Sampson and his Cougars return to action as the No. 3 seed at the NCAA Tournament Midwest Region First Round. Houston faces No. 14 seed Georgia State at 6:20 p.m., Friday, inside the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.
• Friday's NCAA Tournament game can be seen on TBS and can be heard on KPRC 950 AM.
JOIN the 50-50-CLUB
Fans are invited to join the 50-50 Club to support Houston Men's Basketball. 50-50 Club members help fund program necessities and enhance the experience for our student-athletes.
Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered team apparel, a signed basketball, invitations to practice, a tour of the $25 million Guy V. Lewis Development Facility, regular updates about the program and much more.
To join the 50-50 Club, fans can call 713-743-9742 or email UHMensBasketball@uh.edu. For more information about the 50-50 Club, levels of giving and benefits, fans can click here.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team' Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
The award is given annually by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association to the national coach of the year.
For his team's impressive performance in 2018-19, Sampson also has been named a finalist for the Jim Phelan Award and the Ben Jobe Award and is a semifinalist for the Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year.
The Henry Iba Award is named in honor of the legendary coaching great at Oklahoma State who won two NCAA Championships and two gold medals and one silver as coach of the U.S. Olympics Teams. The award is voted on by the entire membership of the USBWA.
Rick Barnes (Tennessee), Chris Beard (Texas Tech), Tony Bennett (Virginia Tech), Mark Few (Gonzaga), Matt Painter (Purdue) and Mike Young (Wofford) joined Sampson as finalists for the Iba Award.
ABOUT KELVIN SAMPSON
In 2018-19, Sampson has led the Cougars to a 31-3 record, the program's first outright regular-season conference championship since 1984, Top-10 rankings in both national polls and a No. 3 seed in this week's NCAA Tournament.
His Houston team won its first 15 games to open the season for the program's third-longest winning streak in school history and followed that with a 12-game streak after enduring its first loss at Temple in early January.
After winning 19 straight games in H&PE Arena as their home arena underwent a $60-million renovation, Sampson's Cougars won their first 14 home games in the Fertitta Center and owned the nation's longest home winning streak at 33 games until late February.
With the Cougars' win at SMU in mid-January, Sampson became only the 52nd coach in NCAA history to reach 600 victories in his career. That win also gave him 100 in his Houston career and made him the fastest coach in UH history to reach that total.
In 2019, he was named the American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for the second straight season, becoming only the second coach in program history to win accomplish that feat and the first since Hall of Fame Coach Guy V. Lewis did so in 1983-84 in the Southwest Conference.
UP NEXT
• Sampson and his Cougars return to action as the No. 3 seed at the NCAA Tournament Midwest Region First Round. Houston faces No. 14 seed Georgia State at 6:20 p.m., Friday, inside the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.
• Friday's NCAA Tournament game can be seen on TBS and can be heard on KPRC 950 AM.
JOIN the 50-50-CLUB
Fans are invited to join the 50-50 Club to support Houston Men's Basketball. 50-50 Club members help fund program necessities and enhance the experience for our student-athletes.
Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered team apparel, a signed basketball, invitations to practice, a tour of the $25 million Guy V. Lewis Development Facility, regular updates about the program and much more.
To join the 50-50 Club, fans can call 713-743-9742 or email UHMensBasketball@uh.edu. For more information about the 50-50 Club, levels of giving and benefits, fans can click here.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team' Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
– UHCougars.com –
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