ATLANTA Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl has been named to the 2025 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year Watch List, an honor presented by AXIA Time, as announced by the Naismith Awards on Friday.
Now in his 30th season as a head coach and 11th leading the Auburn Tigers, Pearl has transformed the program into a national powerhouse. Under his leadership, Auburn has reached unprecedented milestones, including securing the program’s first-ever No. 1 national ranking twice—once in 2022 and again in 2025. Additionally, the Tigers have captured four Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships during his tenure, winning league titles in 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2024.
Auburn is currently enjoying one of the best seasons in its history, holding the best overall record in college basketball at **24-2** and dominating the SEC with a **12-1** conference record. The team has been exceptional, leading the nation in Quad 1 victories while boasting the highest offensive efficiency rating recorded in the **KenPom Rankings era**.
### Auburn’s Next Challenge
The **top-ranked Auburn Tigers** will return to action against the **Georgia Bulldogs (16-10, 4-9 SEC)** on **Saturday at 3 p.m. CT** at Neville Arena. The Tigers will look to continue their dominant season and maintain their position as the best team in the nation.
### Other Coaches on the Watch List
Pearl joins an elite group of coaches named to the Naismith Watch List, including:
– **Greg Gard (Wisconsin)**
– **Dennis Gates (Missouri)**
– **Todd Golden (Florida)**
– **Penny Hardaway (Memphis)**
– **Tom Izzo (Michigan State)**
– **Pat Kelsey (Louisville)**
– **Dusty May (Michigan)**
– **Grant McCasland (Texas Tech)**
– **Ben McCollum (Drake)**
– **Matt Painter (Purdue)**
– **Rick Pitino (St. John’s)**
– **Richard Pitino (New Mexico)**
– **Kelvin Sampson (Houston)**
– **Jon Scheyer (Duke)**
With Auburn’s remarkable performance this season, Pearl remains a strong contender for the prestigious Naismith Coach of the Year award.
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