The Associated Press has announced the men's and women's college basketball player and coach of the year awards.
Iowa’s Caitlin Clark is the women's Player of the Year and Indiana’s Teri Moren won women's Coach of the Year.
Purdue’s Zach Edey was named the men’s Player of the Year on Friday morning and Marquette’s Shaka Smart is the men's Coach of the Year.
WHEN DID THE AWARDS START? The AP men's player of the year was first awarded in 1961 to Ohio State's Jerry Lucas, who made it a repeat the following season. UConn’s Rebecca Lobo won the inaugural women’s AP player of the year award in 1995.
UCLA’s John Wooden won the first AP coach of the year award in 1967 and went on to earn it four more times. UConn’s Geno Auriemma won the first women’s coach of the year award in 1995 and won it eight more times.
WHO HAS RECEIVED THE MOST AWARDS?
Virginia's Ralph Sampson is the only three-time winner of the men's players of the year, and Breanna Stewart is the only three-time winner among women.
After Wooden, Indiana's Bobby Knight is second among men's coaches with three awards. Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw is second behind Auriemma with four.
WHO ARE THE VOTERS?
The men's panel is made up of 58 media members who regularly cover college basketball and vote in The Associated Press men's college basketball poll. The women's panel consists of 28 media members. The voting panel includes local beat writers at newspapers big and small, along with national media.
WHEN DO THEY CAST THEIR VOTES?
Voting is done at the conclusion of the regular season and before the NCAA Tournament starts. Voting is based on regular season performance, so a poor showing in March Madness has no bearing.
HOW ARE THE VOTERS SELECTED?
AP staff members invite writers or broadcasters who are AP members to be a part of the poll. Voters are approved by AP editors.
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AP March Madness coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
