Men's Basketball | 3/5/2026 1:30:00 PM
(Boston - March 5) - CollegeInsider.com has announced the 25 finalists for the 2025-26 Hugh Durham award with Utah Tech head coach
Jon Judkins among those in the running for the award presented annually to the top mid-major head coach in college basketball.
The winningest collegiate coach in Utah, Judkins has helped the Trailblazers to an 11-win improvement over last season and a top three finish in the WAC regular season.
Overall in his career, Judkins has recorded 640 wins in 34 seasons while tallying 356 victories in 21 seasons at Utah Tech.
The Hugh Durham award is named in honor of the former Florida State, Georgia and Jacksonville head coach. In eight seasons, 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.
Durham coached Florida State and Georgia to a combined 8 NCAA Tournament appearances, and 2 Final Fours. He is one of 17 coaches to take multiple teams to the Final Four.
Coaches of teams in the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Coastal Athletic, CUSA, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, MEAC, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, SWAC, Summit, Sun Belt, WAC, West Coast.
The recipient of the award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
The 2026 award will be announced in Indianapolis, the site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.
2025-26 HUGH DURHAM AWARD FINALISTS
Casey Alexander - Belmont (Missouri Valley)
Randy Bennett - Saint Mary's (WCC)
Kenny Blakeney - Howard (MEAC)
Matt Braeuer - Stephen F. Austin (Southland)
Flynn Clayman - High Point (Big South)
Jim Ferry - UMBC (America East)
Joe Gallo - Merrimack (MAAC)
Kevin Giltner - Wofford (Southern)
Corey Gipson - Austin Peay (ASUN)
Doug Gottlieb - Green Bay (Horizon)
Justin Gray - Coastal Carolina (Sun Belt)
John Groce - Akron (MAC)
James Jones - Yale (Ivy)
Jon Judkins - Utah Tech (WAC)
Ritchie McKay - Liberty (Conference USA)
Chris Mudge - Sam Houston (Conference USA)
Jon Perry - Navy (Patriot)
Todd Phillips - Utah Valley (WAC)
David Richman - North Dakota State (Summit)
Herb Sendek - Santa Clara (WCC)
John Shulman - Central Arkansas (ASUN)
Takayo Siddle - UNCW (CAA)
Dave Smart - Pacific (WCC)
Nolan Smith - Tennessee State (Ohio Valley)
Travis Steele - Miami (MAC)
