Former KSU Coach Abdur-Rahim named Durham National Coach of the Year

For his coaching skills in leading the Kennesaw State University Owls men’s basketball to their first NCAA Division I Tournament appearance, former coach Amir Abdur-Rahim was named the 2022-23 Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year. 

The award is given to the top Division I mid-major coach, and honors the legacy of Durham, the only coach in NCAA history to be the winningest coach at three different schools — Jacksonville, Florida State and Georgia. 

Under his leadership, KSU earned its first trip to the NCAA Tournament as a Division I team. While becoming one of the most talked about college basketball teams, the Owls swept the conference regular-season and tournament championship games.

Abdur-Rahim, who resigned Wednesday, is headed south to become the head coach at South Florida. With a school record of 26-9, the Owls finished the year with the first-winning season in the program’s Division I history.

During the NCAA Tournament, the 14th-seeded KSU Owls took on third-seeded Xavier in Greensboro, North Carolina. 

As supporters rallied them on, the game was competitive. The Owls nearly caused an upset as they brought the game to a one point difference, but their opponent rallied back and won with a final score of 72-67.