The Coach of the Year’s Team: The Cooley Family
It was announced today (March 9) at Madison Square Garden in New York that Providence’s Ed Cooley was named BIG EAST Coach Of The Year. Cooley, who is the first Friar coach in the 43-year history of the league to earn the honor, has guided the Friars to a 24-4 mark. In BIG EAST league play, the Friars set a team record for wins after registering a 14-3 mark and capturing the program’s first BIG EAST Regular Season title. The Friars, who finished in first place, were picked to finish seventh in the annual BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll which was released in October.
Cooley’s Friars are ranked No. 11/10 in this week’s polls and have been ranked for 12 consecutive weeks. The Friars have a NET Ranking of 26 and have posted a 14-4 mark against Quad 1 and Quad 2 teams combined. The Friars won a team-record eight consecutive BIG EAST games this season. They also have posted 20 or more wins for the sixth time under Cooley. With 24 victories, the team is tied for the highest win total during Cooley’s 11 seasons at Providence. He also led the team to a 16-1 record at home, which is the squad’s best mark since 1973-74 (16-0).
Providence did not have a player selected to the All-BIG EAST First Team on Sunday. Cooley became just the seventh coach, and first since 2012, to earn BIG EAST Coach of the Year honors without having a player earn All-BIG EAST First Team accolades.
Cooley, who is in his 11th season at Providence, has posted a 218-139 mark during his time with the Friars. He ranks second all-time in wins at Providence. Cooley also coached for five seasons at Fairfield (2006-2011) and registered a 92-69 mark. In 16 seasons as a head coach, he has posted a 310-208 record, which includes five NCAA Tournament appearances and two NIT selections at Providence. His 2014 Friar squad captured the BIG EAST Tournament title.
Prior to becoming the head coach at Fairfield, Cooley spent nine seasons at Boston College as an assistant coach under Al Skinner. Skinner was twice named BIG EAST Coach of the Year (2001 and 2005) while Cooley was on his staff.
It also was announced last month that Cooley was named to the 2022 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s Coach of the Year Watch List. Cooley is one of 15 candidates on the Watch List. Cooley also has been named National Coach of the Year by The Sporting News and The Field of 68.
The Friars will return to action on Thursday, March 10 when they face the winner of the 8/9 game (Xavier/Butler) in the Quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Tournament. The game will tip off at 12 p.m. at Madison Square Garden and will be televised on FS1.
