Kenny Larabee, NRG Media
Nebraska men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg was named the Associated Press National Coach of the Year Friday by the wire service. Hoiberg will be presented the award later Friday in Indianapolis, the site of the Final Four.
Hoiberg is the first-ever Cornhuskers men’s basketball coach to be named national coach of the year. He’s the 10th Big Ten coach to be so honored since 1967, but just the second Big Ten coach to win the award in the last two decades. The award is determined by voting conducted by a national media panel that picks the AP Top 25 during the season.
The 2025-26 season was a record-breaking season for Nebraska, as the Huskers won their first-ever NCAA men’s tournament game, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. Nebraska finished with a 28-7 record with a 15-5 Big Ten record. His second-place finish was NU men’s basketball’s best in league play in three decades. The Huskers started 20-0 and gained its highest-ever ranking (fifth) in school history.
Hoiberg is only the second-ever AP National Coach of the Year at Nebraska, joining women’s basketball coach Connie Yori in 2009-10.