Naismith Coach of the Year Release | Princeton Release

Courtesy of the Atlanta Tipoff Club
Photo courtesy of Princeton Athletic Communications

ATLANTA -- After leading her team to a conference-best 30-0 start amidst a record-setting season, Princeton University's Courtney Banghart was named the winner of the 2015 Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year Award, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today. She becomes the first Ivy League coach, men's or women's, to claim the honor.

Banghart was chosen from a group of finalists that included Geno Auriemma (University of Connecticut), Sue Semrau (Florida State University) and Dawn Staley (University of South Carolina).

Banghart was selected by the Atlanta Tipoff Club's National Voting Academy, which based its criteria on the coaches' performances throughout the 2014-15 women's college basketball season. The vote was tabulated by the certified public accounting firm Habif, Arogeti &Wynne, LLP, the largest tax, audit and business advisory firm headquartered in Georgia. Habif, Arogeti &Wynne is the 51st largest CPA firm in the nation and has been recognized as a 2014 "Best of the Best" firm by INSIDE Public Accounting.

"I am beyond humbled and grateful to receive this Naismith National Coach of the Year award," Banghart said. "I stand as a representative of all women's basketball coaches who have the opportunity and responsibility to lead their teams with class and competitiveness. It's been an incredible honor leading this team because of their trust in me and in the process of becoming great. I'm so grateful for all involved in this special year, for our administration for believing in our vision, our fans for their incredible support, my staff for their authentic leadership, and my front line – the players who came together to make history, while wearing Princeton proudly across their chests. I accept this honor for all Tigers and especially on behalf of the fifteen players I was so fortunate to call my team."

"The accomplishments of the Princeton Women's Basketball team resonated nationally throughout the sporting world, and our voters took note by selecting Courtney with the highest coaching honor – the Naismith Award," said Eric Oberman, Executive Director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. "We congratulate Courtney, as well as all of the finalists, for their amazing seasons."

ABOUT THE WINNER:
Banghart guided Princeton to an unprecedented 30-0 regular season, the best record in Ivy basketball history – men's or women's, and the program's first NCAA Tournament win. It marked the second NCAA Tournament victory for the Ivy League and first since Harvard defeated Stanford in 1998, which remains the only time in men's or women's tournament history a 16-seed has upset a 1-seed.

Princeton's eventual 31-1 overall record is the best in program history. Banghary led the Tigers to their fifth Ivy title in six seasons (12th overall) en route to being named the Ivy League Coach of the Year, ECAC Coach of the Year and USBWA Coach of the Year. The former Dartmouth standout, the winningest coach in Princeton's history, has amassed a 169-67 (0.716) overall record in her eight seasons, going 92-17 (0.844) against the Ivy League during that span.

Created in 1987, Tennessee's Pat Summitt claimed the inaugural Naismith Women's Coach of the Year award and won it four more times before she retired.

ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, which have become the most prestigious national honors in all of college basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T recognizes the top Men's and Women's College Basketball Players of the Year. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the Men's and Women's College Basketball Coaches of the Year, Boy's and Girl's high school basketball players and coaches of the year, basketball officials and overall contributors to the game. The Naismith Trophy was first presented to UCLA's Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) in 1969. Old Dominion's Anne Donovan won the inaugural Women's Naismith Trophy in 1983.