Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Pat Flannery Wins Hugh Durham Award as Top Mid-Major Coach of First Half of Season
1/5/2006 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 5, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell's Pat Flannery was an overwhelming choice for the Hugh Durham Award as the top "mid-major" coach of the first half of the season, it was announced today by CollegeInsider.com.
Despite a loss at No. 1 Duke on Monday, Flannery has led Bucknell to a 9-3 start as Patriot League play begins this weekend. Among the team's victories thus far are road triumphs at Syracuse and DePaul and a home win over Saint Joseph's.
Now in his 12th season as head coach at his alma mater, Flannery owns a 181-149 record at Bucknell and ranks second only to his former coach, Charlie Woollum, on the school's career wins list. Including a five-year stint at Lebanon Valley that culminated in a Division III national championship in 1994, Flannery's overall record as a head coach is 276-192.
Flannery began his coaching career at Bucknell in 1994-95 by guiding the Bison to an 11-3 conference mark and earning Patriot League Coach of the Year honors. He was the first Patriot League coach to earn such honors in his opening season with a program.
In the Hugh Durham Award voting, Flannery collected 52 points, including six first-place votes, from the 20-member panel. Sam Houston State's Bob Marlin finished second in the voting with 29 votes (three first-place votes).
The Hugh Durham Award panel will select the Mid-Major Coach of the Year, which will be announced at the Final Four in Indianapolis. Last season, Pacific's Bob Thomason became the first-ever recipient of the award after leading the Tigers to a 27-4 campaign.
Previously known simply as the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award, it was renamed in March 2005 to recognize the legendary Hugh Durham, who retired from the profession.
Bucknell opens Patriot League play this Saturday at Navy at 2 p.m.
