KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) has announced its prestigious year-end honors and UMass Dartmouth head coach
Brian Baptiste has been named the recipient of the 2026 NABC Hillyard Golden Anniversary Award. The honor is presented to an NABC member who has devoted at least 50 years of outstanding service to the game of basketball.
Baptiste becomes the 47th recipient of this incredible honor since the awards inception in 1977. Among those previously recognized include John Wooden, Tony Hinkle, John Chaney, Rollie Massimino and Lute Olsen, in addition countless other incredible individuals. The NABC will present the award to Baptiste at the NABC Convention Champions Brunch on Friday, April 3 at 8:30 a.m. in the Indiana Convention Center Wabash Ballroom.
Coach Baptiste has built an extraordinary career and legacy at UMass Dartmouth over the course of 43 years at the helm of the men's basketball program. Baptiste has posted an overall record of 742-417 for a .640 winning percentage while also owning a 340-192 mark in conference action.
Among active head coaches in NCAA Division III, Baptiste boasts the most victories with 742 to date. Additionally, Baptiste ranks sixth overall all-time in total wins by a head coach in Division III while also sitting in the top-15 among active coaches across all divisions.
"I'm honored to be selected as the recipient of the 2026 NABC Hillyard Golden Anniversary Award," said Baptiste. "I would like to that NABC for selecting me for this prestigious honor. I have been inspired by my mentors, colleagues and family for their unwavering support."
"We celebrate Coach's lifelong commitment to the sport of basketball and are grateful for the respected program that he has built at UMass Dartmouth," said UMass Dartmouth Director of Athletics
Lori Hendricks. "This award is an extraordinary acknowledgment of Coach Baptiste's place in men's collegiate basketball. He stands alongside heroic figures within the sport like John Wooden, Lute Olsen, John Chaney, and Homer Drew. We couldn't be prouder of his inclusion within this group."
Throughout his tenure at UMass Dartmouth, Baptiste has guided the Corsairs to 12 total Little East Conference (LEC) Championship titles along with 14 berths into the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament. In just his third season as head coach, Baptiste led the team to the Elite 8 during the 1986 NCAA Tournament. In 1993, he brought the team to the Final Four marking the furthest in program history the team has reached in postseason play.
Baptiste, who was honored in 2023 by the Massachusetts House of Representatives with a Citation for his impressive coaching career, has been heavily involved in his sport and its direction during his tenure. He has been a leading voice off the court, serving as a member of the NABC Division III Congress and NCAA Regional Advisory Committee.
"I've always felt like I'm blessed to do what I do," Baptiste said recently on the key to his longevity and success at UMass Dartmouth. "I go to work every day, and I've never felt like I am going to a job. I'm doing something that I'm very motivated about and feel positive about what I do. It hasn't felt like a difficult job; it's something that I enjoy doing every day."
The 2025 Jack Bennett Man of the Year award winner, Baptiste achieved his first win for UMass Dartmouth (then known as Southeastern Massachusetts University) against Anna Maria College on November 19, 1983. Over his career, Baptiste has won 12 Little East Conference Championships and made 14 Division III National Tournament appearances. Baptiste accrued 17 tournament wins, making five Sweet Sixteen appearances, while also reaching the Final Four.
