Duke Head Coach Jon Scheyer Wins John McLendon National Coach of the Year Award
Jon Scheyer, head coach of the Duke men’s basketball team, has been named the 2025 John McLendon National Coach of the Year. This distinguished award recognizes the top head coach across all levels of college basketball, including NCAA Divisions I, II, III, NAIA, and JUCO, celebrating excellence in coaching and leadership.
Honoring a Coaching Pioneer
The award is named in tribute to John McLendon, a trailblazing figure in basketball history. McLendon was the first African American coach to win an integrated national championship, leading his teams to three consecutive NAIA Division I Men’s Tournament titles from 1957 to 1959. His contributions to the sport remain significant, making this award one of the most esteemed in the coaching profession.
Duke’s Remarkable Season
In his third year as head coach, Scheyer guided Duke to an impressive 35-3 record and the program’s 18th Final Four appearance. The Blue Devils dominated the ACC, securing both the regular season and conference tournament championships for the first time since 2006. Entering the NCAA Tournament as the nation’s top-ranked team, Duke earned a No. 1 seed for just the third time in program history.
Duke’s dominance in the ACC was evident, with a 19-1 conference record and an average margin of victory of 21.7 points per game. The rare feat of winning both the ACC regular season and tournament championships has been accomplished only ten times since 1990, with Duke achieving it on five occasions (1992, 1999, 2000, 2006, and 2025).
Scheyer’s Coaching Milestones
Scheyer’s coaching tenure has been marked by significant achievements. Prior to taking over as head coach, he spent nearly a decade on Duke’s coaching staff, gaining experience under Mike Krzyzewski. In just three seasons, Scheyer has set a new ACC record with 89 wins, surpassing the previous record of 80 wins in a coach’s first three years, held by North Carolina’s Bill Guthridge (1997-2000). He is now on the verge of setting a new national record for the most wins by a Division I coach in their first three seasons.
Aiming for a Championship
As Scheyer adds this accolade to his growing list of achievements, Duke remains focused on its national championship aspirations. The Blue Devils are set to face the Houston Cougars in the Final Four on Saturday at 8:49 p.m. ET in San Antonio, Texas. With Scheyer at the helm, Duke continues to pursue excellence, aiming to secure its first national title since 2022.
