Boston, MA – The Austin Peay State University (APSU) head men’s basketball coach Corey Gipson has been named a finalist for the Ben Jobe Award, presented annually to the top minority head coach in Division I, CollegeInsiders.com announced Tuesday.
Gipson has orchestrated the best turnaround in the Atlantic Sun Conference and one of the greatest in the Governors’ Division I Era, dating back to 1963, with 19 wins entering this week’s CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.
The APSU Govs’ 10-win improvement from last season trails only an 11-win improvement during the 1972-73 season for the most in program history. Gipson’s 19 wins also are tied with Matt Figger’s 2018 mark for the most by a head coach in their first season at the helm of Governors basketball.
On March 12th, 2023, Gipson was named the 14th head coach in Austin Peay basketball history and quickly turned around his alma mater, bringing in an NCAA-best 13 newcomers which helped lead the Governors to the ASUN Conference Men’s Basketball Championship game during the program’s first postseason appearance as a member of the league. He also has led the team to its 19th post-conference tournament appearance in Wednesday’s CIT opener.
Gipson’s 13 newcomers are comprised of six student-athletes who followed him from Northwestern State – where he served as head coach during the 2022-23 season – including Third Team All-ASUN and ASUN Championship All-Tournament Team recipient, DeMarcus Sharp.
Gipson also brought with him from Northwestern State the top-returning three-point scorer in the nation in Ja’Monta Black, whose 111 three-pointers this season are the most in program history, after he topped Todd Babington’s mark of 102 in the regular-season finale against Bellarmine, March 1st.
Other notable newcomers that highlight Gipson’s inaugural roster are the ASUN Sixth Man of the Year, Sai Witt, ASUN Championship All-Tournament Team selection Dezi Jones, and ASUN All-Freshman Team honoree and the top three-point scoring freshman in program history, Dez White, among others.
Austin Peay State University was picked 11th in the ASUN Preseason Media Poll and eighth in the Preseason Coaches Poll, but finished as a top-four seed and hosted both of its postseason victory against North Florida and North Alabama in the ASUN Championship Quarterfinals and Semifinals, respectively. The trip to the title game marked the 18th championship appearance in program history and the first since the 2016 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament.
The Ben Jobe Award Is named in honor of one of the most iconic coaches in the history of basketball at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He is best known as the head coach of Southern University, a position he held for 12 seasons. He was also the head coach at Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Talladega, Tuskegee, and South Carolina State.
His record at Southern was 209-141 and included four NCAA Tournament appearances. He also coaches the Jaguars to one NIT appearance, five SIAC Championships, 11 SWAC titles, and two NAIA Tournament Championships. Perhaps one of his most memorable moments as a coach was leading N. 15 seed Southern to a 93-78 win against No. 2 Georgia Tech in the first round of the 1993 NCAA Tournament. It stands as one of the greatest upsets in the history of the event.
The award recipient of the 2024 Ben Jobe Award will be announced in Phoenix, Arizona at the site of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.
2024 Ben Jobe Award Finalists
Corey Gipson, Austin Peay
Amir Abdur-Rahim, South Florida
Tony Barbee, Central Michigan
Kenny Blakeney, Howard
Alvin Brooks, Lamar
Craig Claxton, Hofstra
Donald Copeland, Wagner
Hubert Davis, North Carolina
Justin Gray, Western Carolina
Talvin Hester, Louisiana Tech
Donte’ Jackson, Grambling
Kevin Johnson, Southern
James Jones, Yale
Mike Jones, UNCG
Robert Jones, Norfolk State
Erik Martin, South Carolina State
Bashir Mason, Saint Peter’s
Lamont Paris, South Carolina
Tevon Saddler, Nicholls
Kelvin Sampson, Houston
Patrick Sellers, Central Connecticut
Shaka Smart, Marquette
K.T. Turner, UT Arlington
Drew Valentine, Loyola Chicago
Darrell Walker, Little Rock
