WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The list of past Furfari Award winners is very impressive to say the least.
West Liberty University men’s basketball coach Ben Howlett thought the same thing when he was informed that he is the latest honoree.
“Very humbling. Very humbling,” Howlett admitted of the honor as the West Virginia College Coach of the Year. “I’m familiar with the other coaches in the state and the success of their programs. To be nominated and then voted the winner is very humbling and I’m very appreciative of it.”
Named for the longtime state sports writer Mickey Furfari, a Morgantown native who spent 70 years covering West Virginia University athletics, the honor was started in 1942 by the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
Howlett finished ahead of Glenville State women’s basketball coach Kim Stephens, last year’s winner; Marshall University men’s basketball coach Dan D’Antoni; and Shepherd football coach Ernie McCook in the voting by members of the West Virginia Sports Writers Association.
Howlett will be recognized at the nation’s oldest statewide sports fete, the 76th annual Victory Awards Dinner, on May 7 at the Embassy Suites in Charleston.
“Just the list of those individual coaches and past winners is impressive,” Howlett noted. “I’ve been a fan of some of those coaches, so be to be added to that list is an honor and a privilege.”
Howlett, a former standout guard for the Hilltoppers, guided the Black-and-Gold to the NCAA Division II national championship game this past season, his sixth as head coach at his alma mater.
The high-scoring Hilltoppers fell to unbeaten Nova Southeastern in the national title tilt in Evansville, Ind., after winning the Mountain East Conference regular season and tournament titles along with the Atlantic Region crown. Nova Southeastern was coached by former West Liberty coach Jim Crutchfield, who won the Furfari Award from 2011-14.
“I never thought the season would go as well as it did. I remember sitting in the locker room after we lost a regular season game to Wheeling University at their place, and I did not feel good about our team,” Howlett said. “We didn’t lose again until the national championship game. I don’t know how many wins that was in a row, but we reeled off quite a few.
“I thought the guys really bought into each other and believed in themselves. They played some high-level basketball and we were one win away from being national champions.”
Howlett, a native of Marietta, Ohio, is the fifth West Liberty coach to receive the Furfari Award since its inception. In addition to Crutchfield, former women’s basketball coach Lynn Ullom, the current WLU athletic director, was honored in 2001, men’s basketball coach Ollie Olson was the 1961 recipient and football coach Joe Bartell received the award in 1957.
Howlett said he was very appreciative of the 14 players on the team and especially proud of his three assistant coaches. “They don’t get the publicity they deserve,” he said of Michael Lamberti, Aaron Huffman and Connor Hart. “They work day and night.”
Lamberti, who spent the past five seasons as Howlett’s lead assistant, recently departed to accept the head coaching position at Western Colorado.
Other previous Furfari Award winners include Randy Mazey (WVU baseball, 2020); Nikki Izzo-Brown (WVU women’s soccer, 2017); Bob Huggins (WVU men’s basketball, four times); Bob Pruett (Marshall football, 1997-2000); and Joe Retton (Fairmont State men’s basketball, five times).
FURFARI AWARD
(W.Va. Sports Writers Association)
W.Va. College Coach of the Year
2023 — BEN HOWLETT, WEST LIBERTY (MEN’S BASKETBALL)
2022 — Kim Stephens, Glenville State (women’s basketball)
2021 — Tianni Kelly, University of Charleston (women’s basketball)
2020 — Randy Mazey, West Virginia (baseball)
2019 — Kim Stephens, Glenville State (women’s basketball)
2018 — Dan D’Antoni, Marshall (men’s basketball)
2017 — Nikki Izzo-Brown, West Virginia (women’s soccer)
2016 — Monte Cater, Shepherd (football)
2015 — Bob Huggins, West Virginia (men’s basketball)
2014 — JIM CRUTCHFIELD, WEST LIBERTY (MEN’S BASKETBALL)
2013 — JIM CRUTCHFIELD, WEST LIBERTY (MEN’S BASKETBALL)
2012 — JIM CRUTCHFIELD, WEST LIBERTY (MEN’S BASKETBALL)
— Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia (football)
2011 — JIM CRUTCHFIELD, WEST LIBERTY (MEN’S BASKETBALL)
2010 — Bob Huggins, West Virginia (men’s basketball)
2009 — Bob Huggins, West Virginia (men’s basketball)
2008 — Bob Huggins, West Virginia (men’s basketball)
2007 — John Beilein, West Virginia (men’s basketball)
2006 — Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia (football)
2005 — John Beilein, West Virginia (men’s basketball)
2004 — Bob Bolen, Mountain State University (men’s basketball)
2003 — Rich Rodriguez, West Virginia (football)
2002 — Steve Harold, Glenville State (women’s basketball)
2001 — LYNN ULLOM, WEST LIBERTY (WOMEN’S BASKETBALL)
2000 — Bob Pruett, Marshall (football)
1999 — Bob Pruett, Marshall (football)
1998 — Bob Pruett, Marshall (football)
1997 — Bob Pruett, Marshall (football)
1996 — Marsha Beasley, West Virginia (rifle)
1995 — Billy Donovan, Marshall (men’s basketball)
1994 — Rich Rodriguez, Glenville State (football)
1993 — Jim Donnan, Marshall (football)
1992 — Jim Donnan, Marshall (football)
1991 — Steve Cox, Concord (men’s basketball)
1990 — Steve Dodd, Alderson-Broaddus (men’s basketball)
1989 — Don Nehlen, West Virginia (football)
1988 — George Chaump, Marshall (football)
1987 — Craig Carse, W.Va. State (men’s basketball)
1986 — Tex Williams, University of Charleston (men’s basketball)
1985 — Stan Parrish, Marshall (football)
1984 — Rick Huckabay, Marshall (men’s basketball)
1983 — Bruce Stewart, W.Va. Wesleyan (men’s basketball)
1982 — Don Nehlen, West Virginia (football)
1981 — Gale Catlett, West Virginia (men’s basketball)
1980 — Cal Bailey, W.Va. State (baseball)
1979 — Gale Catlett, West Virginia (men’s basketball)
1978 — Joe Retton, Fairmont State (men’s basketball)
1977 — Gary Hess, W.Va. Wesleyan (men’s basketball)
1976 — Joe Retton, Fairmont State (men’s basketball)
1975 — Joe Cook, Beckley College (men’s basketball)
1974 — Joe Retton, Fairmont State (men’s basketball)
1973 — Curtis Price, W. Va. State (men’s basketball)
1972 — Jesse Lilley, Glenville State (men’s basketball)
1971 — Joe Retton, Fairmont State (men’s basketball)
1970 — Jim Carlen, West Virginia (football)
1969 — Joe Retton, Fairmont State (men’s basketball)
1968 — Harold Duvall, Fairmont State (football)
1967 — Rick Meckfessel, Morris Harvey (men’s basketball)
1966 — Harold Duvall, Fairmont State (football)
1965 — Gene Corum, West Virginia (football)
1964 — Charles Snyder, Marshall (football)
1963 — Sonny Moran, Morris Harvey (men’s basketball)
1962 — George King, West Virginia (men’s basketball)
1961 — OLLIE OLSON, WEST LIBERTY (MEN’S BASKETBALL)
1960 — Harold Duvall, Fairmont State (football)
1959 — Hank Ellis, W.Va. Wesleyan (men’s basketball)
1958 — Neal Baisi, W.Va. Tech (men’s basketball)
1957 — JOE BARTELL, WEST LIBERTY (FOOTBALL)
1956 — Don Fuoss, Shepherd (football)
1942-55 (combined college/high school coach of the year)
1954 — Eddie King, Morris Harvey (all sports)
1953 — Art Lewis, West Virginia (football)
1952 — Art Lewis, West Virginia (football)
1949 — Herb Royer, W.Va. Tech (football)
1947 — Cam Henderson, Marshall (men’s basketball)
1942 — Dyke Raese, West Virginia (men’s basketball)
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