Mike Bradbury named a finalist for 2019 United States Marine Corps/WBCA National Coach of the Year
LILBURN, Ga. – The University of New Mexico head women’s basketball coach Mike Bradbury has been named as one 13 finalists for the 2019 United States Marine Corps/WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year as it was announced by the WBCA on Tuesday.
Bradbury, who recently completed his third year on the bench for the Lobos, is the only finalist from a non-Power 5 conference. This past season, Bradbury continued to improve the UNM women’s basketball program and guided it to new heights.
“I am grateful to be recognized by the WBCA for everything that this team has accomplished this year,” said Bradbury. “This is great for our program and our University and shows that we are taking great steps forward. I am excited about where we are headed.”
For the second-straight season, the Lobos won over 20 games to give them consecutive 20-plus win seasons for the first time since 2007-08 – 2008-09. The 24 wins this past season were tied for the fifth-most in season in program history. Additionally, the 49 wins the past two seasons are the most since the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons.
After a breakout season last year that saw the Lobos qualify for the WNIT for the first time since 2010 and advance to the third round of the tournament, Bradbury helped lead the Lobos back to the WNIT for a second-straight season. It was the first consecutive postseason appearance for the program since 2008-09 – 2009-10.
At the start of the 2018-19 season, the Lobos were 1-1 and had just dropped a close three-point game to Auburn at home in the Preseason WNIT. The Lobos then rolled off 11-straight wins to tie the program record for the longest winning streak in a season; an achievement also accomplished by Bradbury’s team last season. The Lobos would also go on to win 15-straight games at home following the Auburn defeat. The 15-consecutive home wins are the second-most in a season in program history.
The 2018-19 season also saw a lot of individual accolades received for Bradbury’s players along with some history as well.
At the conference level, the Lobos received the Mountain West Player of the Week honor five different times including three-consecutive early in the season. In terms of postseason awards, the Lobos cleaned up in major awards as Jayla Everett was named the Freshman of the Year, Aisia Robertson the Newcomer of the Year and Jaisa Nunn the Player of the Year.
Robertson’s Newcomer of the Year award was the second-straight under Bradbury and the program’s sixth overall. Both Everett and Nunn’s honors were historical as they were the first in program history.
Bradbury’s record with the Lobos is now 64-33 (.660).