UCF's Dawkins Wins Coach of the Year

UCFs Johnny Dawkins Wins Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award: A Remarkable Rebuild and Conference Triumph

UCF mens basketball coach Johnny Dawkins has been named the 2026 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year. This prestigious award recognizes the top Division I head coach each year, as selected by a panel of coaches and college insiders. Dawkins led the Knights to a 21-12 record, their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2019, and back-to-back 20-win seasons.

In their third year in the Big 12, UCF achieved a program-high nine conference wins, going 9-9 in league play. They defeated three AP top 25 teams, including No. 7 Kansas, No. 11 Texas Tech, and No. 19 BYU, along with sweeps over Texas A&M and a road win at Colorado for five total Quad 1 victories.

Fans and analysts are impressed by UCFs tournament appearance without any returning scoring from last season, joining Miami as one of only two teams to accomplish this feat since 2007. This remarkable rebuild showcases Dawkins exceptional recruiting and coaching abilities.

The award honors Jim Phelan, the Mount Saint Marys legend who coached for 49 seasons, amassed 830 wins against 524 losses, and captured a Division II national title in 1962. He had 19 teams reach 20-plus wins.

Dawkins achievement solidifies UCFs presence in a challenging conference and sets high expectations for next season, as they continue to build on this momentum.

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