SAN ANTONIO, Texas (EETV) – Auburn Men’s Basketball Coach Bruce Pearl, along with Rick Pitino of the St. John's Red Storm, were recognized as AP Coaches of the Year on Friday at the Final Four, the first time in the award’s 58-year history that multiple coaches shared the honor.
The award was Pearl’s second Coach of the Year honor this season, the first coming from the NABC on April 1. Coach Pearl led Auburn to a 32-5 record this season, an Auburn record for the most wins in a single season.
Auburn spent eight weeks ranked No. 1 in the country in the AP Poll this season en route to the SEC regular season championship, the number one overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, and the second Final Four appearance in program history to their impressive 2024-25 resume.
Prior to the 2024-25 season, Coach Pearl had been awarded the Sporting News Coach of the Year in 2006 while serving as the Head Coach of the Tennnessee Volunteers. He becomes the first Auburn Head Coach to win the award since 1999, when Cliff Ellis led the Tigers to a 29-4 record and a Sweet 16 appearance.
Coach Pearl’s Tigers were led by senior forward Johni Broome, who averaged 18.7 points per game, 10.9 rebounds per game, 2.9 assists per game, and 2.1 blocks per game en route to the SEC Player of the Year award and an All-SEC first team selection.
Auburn and Coach Pearl will take on the Florida Gators on Saturday at 5:09 p.m. in San Antonio, Texas in the Final Four for a chance at the National Championship on Sunday.
