LOGAN, Utah – Utah State head men's basketball coach Craig Smith has been named one of 25 finalist for the Jim Phelan Coach of the Year honors, presented annually to the top coach in division I men's basketball.

The recipient of the 2019 Jim Phelan award will be announced on April 5 at the College Insider Awards Event, in Minneapolis, site of the 2019 NCAA division I basketball championship.

Smith led the Aggies to a regular season record of 25-6, the most victories by a first-year head coach in Utah State history, and the most victories in the country by a first-year head coach this year. The total included a 15-3 mark in conference play, as the Aggies shared the Mountain West regular season championship after being picked ninth in the preseason. The 15 league victories are tied for the third-most in school history and the most for a first-year head coach in the Mountain West since the 2013-14 season.

Utah State will meet Fresno State in the semifinals of the Mountain West Tournament on Friday, March 15, at 9:30 p.m. (MT).

Utah State men's basketball news and information is available on Facebook (facebook.com/usumensbasketball), on Twitter (@usubasketball) and on Instagram (@usubasketball). Fans can also get USU men's basketball highlights on YouTube (youtube.com/utahstateathletics).

2019 Jim Phelan Coach of the Year Finalists
Rick Barnes, Tennessee
Chris Beard, Texas Tech
John Beilein, Michigan
Tony Bennett, Virginia
John Calipari, Kentucky
Kermit Davis, Ole Miss
Darian DeVries, Drake
Mark Few, Gonzaga
Jason Hooten, Sam Houston State
Justin Hutson, Fresno State
Tom Izzo, Michigan State
Dustin Kerns, Presbyterian
Chris Mack, Louisville
Ritchie McKay, Liberty
Eric Musselman, Nevada
Nate Oats, Buffalo
Matt Painter, Purdue
Mike Rhoades, VCU
Kelvin Sampson, Houston
Byron Smith, Prairie View A&M
Craig Smith, Utah State
Bruce Weber, Kansas State
Roy Williams, North Carolina
Steve Wojciechowski, Marquette
Mike Young, Wofford