Northeast Conference Men's Basketball Coach of the Year

The Northeast Conference Men's Basketball Coach of the Year is a basketball award given to head coaches in the Northeast Conference (NEC). The award is presented to the head coach voted to be the most successful that season by the league's coaches. The award was first given following the 1982–83 season, the second year of the conference's existence, to Matt Furjanic of Robert Morris.

Howie Dickenman of Central Connecticut has won the most awards with four. Bashir Mason of Wagner has won three, and seven other coaches have won the award twice. One former NEC Coach of the Year has been inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach: Jim Phelan (inducted 2001). Due to Phelan's success, in 2003 the NEC men's basketball coach of the year award was named in his honor. Also of note, the only year when the award was shared was in 1993 with Jim Phelan and Kevin Bannon as winners. The program with the most winners, both by total awards and distinct recipients, is former member Robert Morris, with six awards won by four coaches. Among current members, Wagner has the most by both criteria, with three coaches combining to win five awards. Two current members have not had a winner, but one of them is the league's newest member — Le Moyne, which joined in 2024. The other is Sacred Heart, a member since 1999. New Haven will play its first NEC season in 2025–26.

Winners

SeasonCoachSchoolConferenceRecordConferenceStandingOverallRecordPostseasonSource(s)1982–83Matt FurjanicRobert Morris12–21st (South Division)23–8NEC ChampionsNCAA first round 1983–84Mark AmatucciLoyola10–6T-3rd16–121984–85Tom GreenFairleigh Dickinson10–42nd21–10NEC ChampionsNCAA first round 1985–86Tom Green (2)Fairleigh Dickinson13–31st22–81986–87Dave MagarityMarist15–11st20–10NEC ChampionsNCAA first round1987–88Wayne SzokeMonmouth11–5T-3rd16–131988–89Jarrett DurhamRobert Morris12–41st21–9NEC ChampionsNCAA first round 1989–90Jarrett Durham (2)Robert Morris12–41st22–8NEC ChampionsNCAA first round 1990–91Rich ZvosecSt. Francis (NY)8–8T-5th15–141991–92Tim CapstrawWagner9–74th16–12 1992–93Kevin BannonRider14–41st19–11NEC ChampionsNCAA first round Jim PhelanMount St. Mary's10–8T-3rd14–161993–94Kevin Bannon (2)Rider14–41st21–9NEC ChampionsNCAA first round 1994–95Dave Magarity (2)Marist12–6T-2nd17–111995–96Jim Phelan (2)Mount St. Mary's16–21st21–8NIT first round 1996–97Ray HaskinsLong Island15–31st21–9NEC ChampionsNCAA first round1997–98Ron GanulinSt. Francis (NY)10–6T-3rd15–121998–99Tom SullivanUMBC17–31st19–91999–2000Howie DickenmanCentral Connecticut15–31st25–6NEC ChampionsNCAA first round2000–01Dave Calloway Monmouth15–52nd21–10NEC ChampionsNCAA first round2001–02Howie Dickenman (2)Central Connecticut19–11st26–5NEC ChampionsNCAA first round2002–03Dereck WhittenburgWagner14–41st21–11NEC ChampionsNCAA first round2003–04Ron Ganulin (2)St. Francis (NY)12–61st15–32004–05Jim FerryLong Island10–84th14–152005–06Howie Dickenman (3)Central Connecticut13–52nd18–112006–07Howie Dickenman (4)Central Connecticut16–21st22–12NEC ChampionsNCAA first round2007–08Mike Rice Jr.Robert Morris15–31st24–11NEC ChampionsNCAA first round2008–09Mike Rice Jr. (2)Robert Morris15–31st23–12NEC ChampionsNCAA first round2009–10Tom MooreQuinnipiac15–31st23–10NIT first round2010–11Jim Ferry (2)Long Island16–21st27–6NEC ChampionsNCAA second round2011–12Glenn BraicaSt. Francis Brooklyn12–64th15–15 2012–13Tim O'SheaBryant12–6T-2nd19–11CBI first round 2013–14Andrew TooleRobert Morris14–21st22–14NIT second round 2014–15Glenn Braica (2)St. Francis Brooklyn15–31st23–12NIT first round2015–16Bashir Mason Wagner13–51st23–11NIT second round2016–17Jamion ChristianMount St. Mary's14–41st20–16NEC ChampionsNCAA first round 2017–18Bashir Mason (2)Wagner14–41st23–10 NIT first round 2018–19Rob KrimmelSaint Francis (PA)12–6T-1st18–15NIT first round 2019–20 Joe Gallo Merrimack 14–4 1st 20–11 NEC Regular-Season Champions 2020–21 Bashir Mason (3) Wagner 13–5 1st 13–7 2021–22 Jared Grasso Bryant 16–2 1st 22–10 NEC Champions NCAA First Four 2022–23 Chris Kraus Stonehill 10–6 T-2nd 14–17 2023–24 Patrick Sellers Central Connecticut 13–3 T-1st 20–11 NEC semifinals 2024–25 Patrick Sellers (2) Central Connecticut 14–2 1st 25–7 NEC runner-up 2025–26 Rod Strickland LIU 15–3 1st TBD TBD

Winners by school Years in this table reflect calendar years in which basketball seasons end. Since the basketball season spans two calendar years, each school's first year of membership in this table is the calendar year after its actual arrival in the conference. School (NEC participation) Winners YearsRobert Morris (1982–2020) 6 1983, 1989, 1990, 2008, 2009, 2014Central Connecticut (1997–present)6 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2024, 2025St. Francis Brooklyn (1982–2023) 5 1991, 1998, 2004, 2012, 2015 Wagner (1982–present) 5 1992, 2003, 2016, 2018, 2021LIU (1982–present) 4 1997, 2005, 2011, 2026Mount St. Mary's (1989–2022)3 1993, 1996, 2017Fairleigh Dickinson (1982–present)2 1985, 1986Marist (1981–1997)2 1987, 1995Monmouth (1985–2013)2 1988, 2001Rider (1992–1997)2 1993, 1994Bryant (2008–2022)2 2013, 2022Loyola (1981–1989) 1 1984Merrimack (2020–present) 1 2020 Quinnipiac (1998–2013) 1 2010Saint Francis (1982–2026) 1 2019Stonehill (2022–present) 1 2023 Le Moyne (2024–present) 0 — Sacred Heart (1999–present)0 —

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