April 3, 2025

AKRON’S JOHN GROCE RECIPIENT OF 2025 HUGH DURHAM AWARD
The top head coach in mid-major college basketball

SAN ANTONIO, TX -- Akron’s John Groce is the recipient of the 2025 Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year award, which is presented annually to the top head coach in mid-major college basketball.

Groce led Akron to a school-record 28 wins, while tying the best record in the Mid-American Conference in the modern era with a 17-1 conference record. Akron became just the second MAC school to finish the regular season 17-1. It's the first time since 2012-13 that Akron won both the MAC regular season and postseason tournament.

After winning the 2024 MAC Tournament, Groce welcomed nine new players to the program this season. Akron went 16-0 at home this season at home, becoming just the fourth Akron team to go undefeated at James A. Rhodes Arena and Akron was one of just six teams in the nation to not lose a game at home this season.

"John Groce wins with class and dignity, while positively impacting all those around him," said Rick Boyages, Executive Director at CollegeInsider.com and former VP of Men’s Basketball for the Big Ten Conference. "His positive, upbeat approach, infectious enthusiasm, and tireless work ethic instill great confidence in his players and staff. John's a high-energy leader that establishes a family-first approach with his all of his teams, and to no one's surprise, he's once again back on top of the Mid-American Conference."

The Zips tied the program record for most conference victories to begin MAC play (13). Winning 14 consecutive games from Jan. 3 through Feb. 18, the Zips held the longest active winning streak in the nation before falling to Ohio on Feb. 22.

The historic season also produced multiple conference honors, including Nate Johnson becoming the first player in over 25 years to be named the MAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same year.

Akron entered the NCAA Tournament ranked No. 10 in the Mid-Major Top 25®.

During his 28-year coaching career, Groce has helped coach teams to 20 postseason appearances in 25 opportunities, including six regular season conference championships, nine conference tournament championships, a National Runner-up, an Elite 8, an NCAA Sweet 16 and seven Round of 32 appearances. Over 28 years his teams have not only shown consistent success on the court but have demonstrated sustained excellence in the classroom as well.

The Hugh Durham award is named in honor of the former Florida State, Georgia and Jacksonville head coach. In eight seasons, at Jacksonville University, Durham became the Dolphins' all-time winningest Division I coach (106 wins), making him the only coach in NCAA history to be the winningest coach (pct. or wins) at three different Division I schools.

He built national programs at Florida State where he holds the record for best winning percentage with a 230-95 (.708) record in 12 years. And at Georgia where he is also the all-time winningest coach in the 99-year history of the Bulldog program, having won 297 games in 17 seasons.

Durham coached Florida State and Georgia to a combined 8 NCAA Tournament appearances, and 2 Final Fours. He is one of 17 coaches to take multiple teams to the Final Four.

Coaches of teams in the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Coastal Athletic, CUSA, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, MEAC, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, SWAC, Summit, Sun Belt, WAC, West Coast.

The recipient of the award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
The 2025 award will be announced in San Antonio, TX, site of the men’s Division I Basketball Championship.

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