Davidson head coach Bob McKillop and Appalachian State head coach Houston Fancher have been named finalists for the 2007 Hugh Durham Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award.
The Hugh Durham Award is presented annually to the nation’s top mid-major coach, as voted on by a 20-member panel. The winner will be presented with the award at the Final Four in Atlanta, Ga. McKillop and Fancher are two of 15 coaches to be named a finalist for the honor.
The winningest coach in Southern Conference history, McKillop won his 300th career game earlier this season. A veteran of 18 seasons at Davidson, McKillop’s career record is 306-217 including a 24-4 mark in 2006-07. Davidson has locked up first place in the SoCon’s South Division.
The Wildcats have won 20 or more of the last three seasons and won the SoCon Tournament last season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Davidson has posted a 169-67 mark in conference play during McKillop’s tenure.
In his seventh season, Fancher has led Appalachian State to a 22-6 overall record and a 13-3 mark in Southern Conference play. The Mountaineers have already set a school record for non-conference wins in a season and need just one more win to equal the school record for victories in a season.
Fancher’s team has locked up a bye in the opening round of the upcoming SoCon Tournament and can claim the North Division title and No. 2 seed with a victory over UNC Greensboro on Thursday in the final home game of the season. His squad also boasts impressive non-conference wins against Virginia, Vanderbilt, Central Florida, Virginia Commonwealth and Wichita State.
2007 Hugh Durham Award Finalists
Coach (School)
Brad Brownell (Wright State)
Dick Davey (Santa Clara)
Howie Dickenman (Central Connecticut State)
Houston Fancher (Appalachian State)
Anthony Grant (Virginia Commonwealth)
Orlando Early (Louisiana-Monroe)
Todd Lickliter (Butler)
Mike Lonergan (Vermont)
Chris Lowery (Southern Illinois)
Gregg Marshall (Winthrop)
Bob McKillop (Davidson)
Jimmy Patsos (Loyola-Md.)
Randy Rahe (Weber State)
Blaine Taylor (Old Dominion)
Cliff Warren (Jacksonville)