Auburn’s Pearl Named AP Coach of the Year
In first-ever tie, Bruce Pearl will share award with Rick Pitino of St. John’s
Auburn’s Bruce Pearl and Rick Pitino of St. John's University have been named co-recipients of the Associated Press Men's College Basketball Coach of the Year award. This marks the first tie in the accolade's 58-year history, with each coach receiving 20 votes from the national media panel.
Bruce Pearl has transformed Auburn into a basketball powerhouse since his arrival in 2015. The Tigers achieved a school-record 32 wins this season, securing the SEC regular-season title and earning the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. Auburn's journey culminated in a Final Four appearance, marking their second under Pearl's guidance.
Emphasizing the team's unity and commitment, Pearl remarked, "You want to be on a great team, you've got to make sacrifices. You've got to share and you've got to hold each other accountable. I think that's a big part of what this locker room is all about. This is a team of faith."
Pearl joins Cliff Ellis in 1999 as the only Auburn men’s basketball coaches to win AP Coach of the Year honors. He is the first SEC coach to win the award since Kentucky’s John Calipari 10 years ago.
Led by two-time All-American Johni Broome, Auburn spent eight-straight weeks at No. 1 this season, earned the Southeastern Conference regular-season title and has won a school-record 32 games. The Tigers were the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Final Four for the second time in program history next to the team’s 2019 run.
Auburn will face Florida Saturday, April 5 in the Alamodome in San Antonio. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:09 PM, and the game will be televised on CBS.
