March 30, 2023

HOUSTON, TX -- Nova Southeastern’s Jim Crutchfield is the recipient of the 2023 Clarence Gaines Award, presented annually to the top Division II college basketball coach.

Crutchfield led Nova Southeastern to a perfect 36-0 record, culminating with a win over his former school West Liberty in the Division II National Championship game.

The national championship is the first in school history.

Nova Southeastern became just the sixth undefeated team to win the title, joining Northwest Missouri State (38-0 in 2018-19), Findlay (36-0 in 2008-09), Fort Hays State (34-0 in 1995-96), Cal State Bakersfield (33-0 in 1992-93) and Evansville (29-0 in 1964-65).
“The name Jim Crutchfield has become synonymous with winning and that is all his team did this season,” said Joe Dwyer, President of CollegeInsider.com. “To go wire to wire in today’s landscape, without losing a single game, is remarkable. He has turned Nova Southeastern into a powerhouse and there is a lot more winning to come.”

Nova Southeastern opened the season ranked No. 4 in the nation and climbed to No. 1 on Feb. 14. The Sharks earned six All-Sunshine State Conference awards, including Player, Newcomer, and Coach of the Year. RJ Sunahara and Will Yoakum also earned All-America honors.

The Sharks finished the regular season averaging 104.4 points-per-game and recording a turnover margin of +27.3, both leading NCAA Division II.

The 2022-23 Sharks are the second undefeated team in conference play since the 1981-1982 expansion, matching the accomplishment of Crutchfield's 2021-22 NSU team.

Crutchfield, who has posted a record of 69-1 over the past two season, was the recipient of the 2019 Jack Bennett award, which is also presented by CollegeInsider.com.

The Clarence Gaines Award is named in honor of the legendary Winston Salem State head coach.

One of the true legends of all-time, Clarence “Big House” Gaines retired from Winston-Salem State University in 1993 with a record of 828-446. At the time he was the winningest active basketball coach in NCAA history. Gaines was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982.

During his 47-year tenure as coach and athletic director at WSSU he coached professional basketball greats Cleo Hill, the first African-American from an historically Black college and university to be drafted No. 1 by the National Basketball Association, St. Louis Hawks, 1961, and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe.

Coach Gaines passed away on April 18, 2005.

Note: Some of the content from the press release came directly from Nova Southeastern University media releases.