May 08, 2006
Texas A&M coach Gary Blair was named the Division I Coach of the Year ?- Women by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches at a ceremony during the organization?â„¢s annual clinic on Saturday in San Antonio.
The organization also named A&M men?â„¢s coach Billy Gillispie as its Division I Coach of the Year ?- Men.
Blair, in his third season at A&M, led the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996 after the team posted a 23-9 record and a third place finish in the Big 12 Conference. It was the third most wins in school history and the best league finish for the Aggies since the inception of the Big 12.
A&M posted its best ever league record at 11-5. The Aggies made a +7 improvement in Big 12 wins from last year which is the second best two-year improvement by a team with a losing conference record the previous year in Big 12 history.
Blair guided the Aggies back to the top 25 rankings for the first time since 1996 as he became one of four active coaches to take three different schools to the Associated Press Top 25.
He also became the fourth coach in NCAA history to take three different teams to the NCAA Tournament.
Last month, Blair was named the National Coach of the Year by Women?â„¢s Basketball News Service.