Kevin Keatts named Clarence 'Big House' Gaines College Basketball Coach of the Year
Posted April 12, 2024 4:51 p.m. EDT
NC State men's basketball head coach Kevin Keatts has been named the Division I Clarence "Big House" Gaines College Basketball Coach of the Year, the National Sports Media Association (NSMA) announced Friday.
The Gaines Awards will be presented during the NSMA's 64th awards banquet on July 1, 2024, in Greensboro.
Keatts led NC State to its first ACC Tournament championship since 1987 and the program's first Final Four since 1983
The Wolfpack won nine consecutive games in March before losing to Purdue in the Final Four.
After finishing the regular season with a 17-14 record (9-11 ACC), the Wolfpack swept five games in five days to win the ACC Tournament in Washington, D.C.
Keatts, who had been under contract through 2028, earned a two-year extension with the ACC Tournament title. He also earned a $100,000 bonus for winning it. Keatts also earned several six-figure bonuses for reaching the Final Four.
As the ACC's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament, NC State then rang up another four wins to reach the national semifinals in Glendale, Arizona.
The Clarence “Big House” Gaines College Basketball Coach of the Year Awards are presented to the head coach in NCAA Division I and Division II, who may not earn recognition from mainstream outlets.
At the Division II level, the NSMA named Clark Atlanta Unviersity coach Alfred Jordan the Clarence “Big House” Gaines College Basketball Coach of the Year.
Gaines was the legendary head basketball coach at Winston-Salem (NC) State University. In 47 seasons as head coach, his teams won 828 games, including the 1967 NCAA Division II National Championship.
