SAN ANTONIO, Texas - CollegeInsider.com has named Omaha men's basketball head coach Chris Crutchfield as the recipient of the 2025 Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year award, which is presented annually to the top minority head coach in division I college basketball.

The 2024-25 Summit League Coach of the Year following the most successful season in the program's Division I history. Under Crutchfield's leadership, the 2024-25 Mavericks claimed their first ever Summit League regular season and tournament titles, as well as their first ever NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament appearance. Along the way, Crutchfield's Mavericks set Division I program records in wins (22) and consecutive wins (nine). 

This season also saw the emergence of Marquel Sutton as the Summit League Player of the Year and tournament MVP, as well as a First Team All-Summit nod for JJ White and an All-Defensive Team honor for Ja'Sean Glover. Led by this trio, the Mavericks posted the best scoring margin in the Summit League this season at 7.3 points.

The Ben Jobe Award is named in honor of one of the most iconic coaches in the history of basketball at Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He is best known as the head coach of Southern University, a position he held for 12 seasons. He was also head coach at Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Talladega, Tuskegee, and South Carolina State.