The University of Mississippi Athletics
CollegeInsider.com Names Rod Barnes SEC Coach Of The Year
3/1/2001 | Men's Basketball
March 1, 2001
NORWOOD, Mass. - Ole Miss' Rod Barnes has been named CollegeInsider.com's Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year. CollegeInsider.com, an internet magazine dedicated to college basketball, made the announcement Thursday.
Barnes is also one of 15 finalists for CollegeInsider.com National Coach of the Year Award.
The honor is Barnes' first as a head coach. This season, Barnes has guided the Rebels to a 22-6 overall record and a 10-5 SEC mark. Ole Miss, which is ranked No. 14 in the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 poll and No. 14 in ESPN/USA Today Top 25 poll, has won at least a share of the SEC Western Division championship and will be the SEC West No. 1 seed in the conference tournament Mar. 8-11 in Nashville, Tenn. The Rebels can wrap up the SEC West crown out-right with a win over Alabama or an Arkansas loss to Georgia Saturday.
Barnes is also one of 20 finalists for the Naismith National Coach of the Year Award. The Satartia, Miss., native is one of three SEC coaches on the Naismith list, as Alabama's Mark Gottfried and Florida's Billy Donovan are also up for the honor.
On Feb. 17, Barnes won his 60th game as the Rebel mentor and reached the 60-win milestone the fastest of any head coach in Ole Miss history. Barnes' 60th victory was a 67-61 win over South Carolina.
Barnes played four seasons for the Rebel program from 1984-88. During his playing career, Barnes earned All-SEC honors and All-America honorable mention accolades from The Sporting News in 1988. He finished third in the coaches' balloting for SEC Player of the Year in 1988.
Ole Miss closes regular-season play against No. 20-ranked Alabama (20-8, 8-7 SEC) Saturday, Mar. 3. The game, which will be televised by Jefferson Pilot, is slated for a 3:07 p.m. (CT) tip. "Senior Day" ceremonies will start approximately at 2:37 p.m. (CT).
