Kansas' Bill Self One of Four Finalists for 2012 Naismith Coach of the Year

March 15, 2012

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas men’s basketball head coach Bill Self has been named one of four finalists for the prestigious 2012 Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year it was announced Thursday by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.

Self is joined by Kentucky’s John Calipari, Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim and Missouri’s Frank Haith.

The finalists were determined by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s National Voting Academy, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country. The academy based its criteria on coaching performances this season. The vote was tabulated and certified by the accounting firm of Habif, Arogeti & Wynne, LLP. HA&W is the largest independent accounting firm in Georgia and one of the top 50 firms in the United States. The winner will be announced at the Naismith Awards Welcome Brunch on April 1 in New Orleans.

In his ninth season as head coach, Self led the Jayhawks to a 27-6 record and a Big 12 regular season championship, adding to his 264-52 overall record at Kansas and eighth-straight Big 12 regular season title. In addition to being Self’s 14th consecutive 20+ win team, the Jayhawks went undefeated at Allen Fieldhouse and earned the No. 2 seed in the Midwest division for the NCAA tournament.

Earlier this season, Self was named the Co-Big 12 Coach of the Year with Iowa State’s Fred Hoiberg, while earning College Basketball Coach of the Year by Sporting News.

The Jayhawks will take on the No. 15-seeded Detroit from the Horizon League on Friday, March 16, at approximately 8:57 p.m. (Central) at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Neb. The game will be televised on truTV. Kansas will have an open practice in the venue on Thursday, March 15, from 5:10-5:50 p.m.