Staten Island, NY – Wagner head men's basketball coach
Bashir Mason has been named a finalist for the 2020-21 Hugh Durham Award, which is presented annually to the top Division I mid-major coach in college basketball.
This marks the second time in his nine seasons at the helm of the Seahawks' men's basketball program that Mason has been a finalist for the award after being a finalist following the 2017-18 season.
Mason recently earned Jim Phelan Northeast Conference (NEC) Coach of the Year honors for leading Wagner to another regular season championship after being picked eighth in the preseason poll.
Wagner's head coach is also a finalist for the Ben Jobe award, which is presented annually to the top Division I minority coach.
Mason entered elite territory, becoming just the second coach in the conference's 40-year history to win three Jim Phelan Coach of the Year honors, joining NEC Hall of Fame coach Howie Dickenman, who earned the distinction four times in his storied career at CCSU.
Earlier this season, Mason helped the Seahawks re-write the record books, as the Green and White won 10 straight games, marking the longest winning streak by an NEC team since LIU reeled off 13 straight victories during the 2010-11 campaign and longest by a Wagner team since a 16-game streak under PJ Carlesimo in 1978-79.
In eight seasons as the head coach 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.
He built national programs at Florida State where he holds the record
for best winning percentage with a 230-95 (.708) record in 12 years. And
at Georgia where he is also the all-time winningest coach in the 99-year
history of the Bulldog program, having won 297 games in 17 seasons.
Coaches of teams in the following conferences are eligible for the
award: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West,
Colonial, Horizon, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern,
Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland,
Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt, West Coast.
The recipient of the 2021 award will be announced on April 1.
HUGH DURHAM AWARD FINALISTS
Casey Alexander Belmont
Mike Byington James Madison
Scott Davenport Bellarmine
Ed DeChellis Navy
Darian DeVries Drake
Dennis Gates Cleveland State
Joe Golding Abilene Christian
Jared Grasso Bryant
A.W. Hamilton Easter Kentucky
Terrence Johnson Texas State
Robert Jones Norfolk State
Pat Kelsey Winthrop
Tod Kowalczyk Toledo
Matt Langel Colgate
Carmen Maciariello Siena
Mike Magpayo UC Riverside
Bashir Mason Wagner
Ritchie McKay Liberty
Porter Moser Loyola Chicago
Wes Miller UNCG
Paul Mills Oral Roberts
Joe Pasternack UCSB
Todd Simon Southern Utah
Byron Smith Prairie View A&M
Preston Spradlin Morehead State
