Basketball <\/p>\n
ROSWELL, Ga. (Naismith Awards) \u2013\u00a0<\/strong>University of Louisville men\u2019s basketball head coach Pat Kelsey has been named to the Naismith Men\u2019s College Coach of the Year Watch List, the Naismith Awards announced Friday.<\/p>\n No. 25\/22 Louisville (20-6, 13-2 ACC) is one of the most improved teams in the country from 2023-24 to 2024-25. The Cardinals have improved by 179 spots in the NET from the end of the 2023-24 season to Feb. 20, 2025, the third largest improvement in DI and the largest of any Power Four team.<\/p>\n The Cardinals have also improved by 12 wins already this season, reaching the 20-win mark against Notre Dame on Sunday. The 12-win improvement is tied for the most in DI alongside Michigan, Missouri and New Mexico State, through games played on February 19.<\/p>\n Louisville was picked ninth in the ACC Preseason Poll and is currently tied for second in the league with five regular season games left, having already secured a bye in the ACC Tournament.<\/p>\n Kelsey constructed this season\u2019s roster from scratch, getting 12 of his 13 scholarship players from the transfer portal, and the 13th as a newly recruited freshman. The Cardinals have also suffered unexpected adversity to the roster with two season-ending injuries and two other injuries that impacted previous starters for a significant number of games.<\/p>\n The Cards are 8-2 on the road so far this season with just one road game remaining. UofL is 4-4 in Quad 1 contests.<\/p>\n UofL is on the brink of the largest turnaround in program history. Louisville has improved by 13 wins season to season on two occasions in the program\u2019s 111-year history \u2013 from 1984-85 to 1985-86 and from 2003-04 to 2004-05 the Cardinals improved season to season by 13 wins. In 1986, the 32 wins resulted in a National Championship and in 2005, the team\u2019s 33 wins lead to a trip to the Final Four.<\/p>\n 2025 Werner Ladder Naismith Men\u2019s College Coach of the Year Watch List presented by AXIA Time<\/strong><\/u><\/p>\n Greg Gard, Wisconsin (Photo of Pat Kelsey: Brett Davis – Imagn Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Dennis Gates, Missouri
Todd Golden, Florida
Penny Hardaway, Memphis
Tom Izzo, Michigan State
Pat Kelsey, Louisville<\/strong><\/em>
Dusty May, Michigan\u00a0
Grant McCasland, Texas Tech
Ben McCollum, Drake
Matt Painter, Purdue
Bruce Pearl, Auburn
Rick Pitino, St. John\u2019s
Richard Pitino, New Mexico
Kelvin Sampson, Houston
Jon Scheyer, Duke<\/p>\n