Mudge finalist for mid-major COY award
3/5/2026 6:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BOSTON — Sam Houston head coach Chris Mudge has been named a finalist for the 2025-26 Hugh Durham award presented by CollegeInsider.com.
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The award is presented annually to the top mid-major head coach in college basketball. Mudge is in his third season as the Bearkats' head coach and has orchestrated one of the biggest turnarounds in college basketball this season.
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Mudge became the first head coach in school history to post two 20-win seasons in his first three years leading the program at the Division I level. He also led Sam Houston to a 70-66 victory over UTEP on Feb. 4, marking the 50th win of his young career which tied him as the fastest coach to reach 50 wins at the Division I level in program history.
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The Hugh Durham award is named in honor of the former Florida State, Georgia and Jacksonville head coach. In eight seasons, at Jacksonville University, Durham became the Dolphins' all-time winningest Division I coach (106 wins), making him the only coach in NCAA history to be the winningest coach (pct. or wins) at three different Division I schools.
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Coaches of teams in the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Coastal Athletic, CUSA, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, MEAC, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, SWAC, Summit, Sun Belt, WAC, West Coast.
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The recipient of the award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
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The 2026 award will be announced in Indianapolis, IN, site of the men's NCAA Championship.
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The award is presented annually to the top mid-major head coach in college basketball. Mudge is in his third season as the Bearkats' head coach and has orchestrated one of the biggest turnarounds in college basketball this season.
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The Bearkats are 13-5 in league play and 21-8 overall after beginning conference 0-3 and are currently in second place after being picked to finish ninth in the preseason poll. Sam Houston is closing in on doubling last season's win total (13-19).
ÂMudge became the first head coach in school history to post two 20-win seasons in his first three years leading the program at the Division I level. He also led Sam Houston to a 70-66 victory over UTEP on Feb. 4, marking the 50th win of his young career which tied him as the fastest coach to reach 50 wins at the Division I level in program history.
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The Hugh Durham award is named in honor of the former Florida State, Georgia and Jacksonville head coach. In eight seasons, at Jacksonville University, Durham became the Dolphins' all-time winningest Division I coach (106 wins), making him the only coach in NCAA history to be the winningest coach (pct. or wins) at three different Division I schools.
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Coaches of teams in the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Coastal Athletic, CUSA, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, MEAC, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, SWAC, Summit, Sun Belt, WAC, West Coast.
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The recipient of the award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
Â
The 2026 award will be announced in Indianapolis, IN, site of the men's NCAA Championship.
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