Matt Painter Named to Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year Watch List

Purdue men's basketball head coach Matt Painter was among 15 coaches named to the 2023 Wener Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year Late Season Watch List.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue men's basketball head coach Matt Painter was one of 15 coaches named to the 2023 Werner Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year Late Season Watch List, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Friday. 

Painter has led the Boilermakers to a 23-4 overall record so far this season, which includes a 12-4 mark atop the Big Ten Conference standings. The list also includes Northwestern coach Chris Collins. 

2023 Ladder Naismith Coach of the Year Late Season Watch List

• Randy Bennett (Saint Mary's)
• Jeff Capel (Pittsburgh)
• Chris Collins (Northwestern)
• Mick Cronin (UCLA)
• Dennis Gates (Missouri)
• Pat Kelsey (College of Charleston)
• Dusty May (FAU)
• Sean Miller (Xavier)
• Nate Oats (Alabama)
• T.J. Otzelberger (Iowa State)
• Matt Painter (Purdue)
• Kelvin Sampson (Houston)
• Shaka Smart (Marquette)
• Jerome Tang (Kansas State)
• Rodney Terry (Texas)

"Each year we are amazed by the remarkable coaching performances that elevate these contenders as candidates for the Werner Ladder Naismith College Men's Coach of the Year," said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. "The end of the regular season, with tremendous pressure on each game, usually separates those seeking to advance in the next step in our voting."

Candidates that were not included can still make their way onto the list of 10 semifinalists, which will be announced on Thursday, March 9. The Werner Ladder Naismith Men's College Coach of the Year award will be narrowed to four finalists on Monday, March 20. 

The final round includes a Naismith Awards Fan Vote, which accounts for 5% of the total vote and runs from March 21-28. The winner will be announced on Sunday, April 2, at the Naismith Awards Brunch at the Final Four in Houston.

"Werner Ladder is honored to be a part of highlighting and recognizing these coaches for an incredible season and their outstanding leadership on and off the court," said Stacy Gardella, head of Global Marketing Technology & Operations at WernerCo. "Each of these coaches is deserving in their own right, and we are excited to follow them throughout the rest of the season."

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