Arizona's Tommy Lloyd Earns Naismith Coach of the Year Nomination

The Wildcats' head coach has re-established the program as a Big 12 powerhouse.

Feb. 24, 2026 at 4:18pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Arizona Wildcats head men's basketball coach Tommy Lloyd has been named to the Naismith Men's College Coach of the Year Award watch list, recognizing his success in rebuilding the program into a national contender. Lloyd holds a 137-35 record through nearly five seasons, winning two conference titles and two conference tournament championships while reaching the NCAA Tournament each year.

Why it matters

Lloyd's nomination for the prestigious Naismith Coach of the Year Award highlights the remarkable turnaround he has engineered at Arizona, transforming the Wildcats into one of the top programs in the Big 12 and a consistent presence in the NCAA Tournament.

The details

Since arriving at Arizona, Lloyd has set numerous coaching records, including the most wins by a coach in his first two seasons and the second-most wins in a coach's first three and four seasons. He is the first Division I coach to win the conference tournament in each of his first two seasons at the helm. This season, Lloyd led the Wildcats to a program-best 23-0 start before suffering their first two losses.

  • Lloyd was named to the Naismith Coach of the Year Award watch list this week.
  • The list of 15 nominees will be cut down to 10 semifinalists on March 20 and four finalists on March 27, with the winner announced on April 5.

The players

Tommy Lloyd

The head men's basketball coach of the Arizona Wildcats, who has re-established the program as a powerhouse in the Big 12 with a 137-35 record through nearly five seasons.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

The list of Naismith Coach of the Year nominees will be narrowed down to 10 semifinalists on March 20 and four finalists on March 27, with the winner announced on April 5, the day before the national championship game.

The takeaway

Tommy Lloyd's nomination for the Naismith Coach of the Year Award is a testament to the remarkable job he has done in rebuilding the Arizona Wildcats into a national powerhouse, establishing the program as a consistent contender in the Big 12 and NCAA Tournament.