Basketball: Jim Larranaga Named ACC Coach Of The Year

Miami Hurricanes men’s head basketball coach Jim Larranaga was named the District IV Coach of the Year following the Hurricanes surprising success.

Mar 9, 2013; Coral Gables, FL, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Jim Larranaga waves net after defeating the Clemson Tigers and win the ACC regular season champions at the BankUnited Center. Miami won 62-49. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports

In his second season, Larranaga has led Miami to a 24-6 ranking and an impressive 15-3 record within the ACC, including the Hurricane’s first ever conference title.  Miami currently holds a No. 9 ranking in the latest AP poll, and were ranked as high as No. 2, the highest ever in program history.

Beating the likes of Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski and North Carolina’s Roy Williams speaks volumes of Larranaga and the direction of the Miami basketball program.

Larranaga received 75-of-the-77 total votes while Kryzewski and Williams each received one.

Prior to joining Miami, Larranaga spent 14 seasons with George Mason leading the Patriots’ to a 2006 Final Four appearance and a total of five NCAA Tournament appearances altogether.

Miami will begin ACC Tournament play on March 14.  Will they continue to ride their success through the tournament?  We shall wait and see.