Honors raining on Gaels: Coach Randy Bennett, and players Augustus Marciulionis and Aidan Mahaney / Photos by Tod Fierner, collage by Piper Westrom for SMC Athletics
Gaels Basketball Honors Continue for Coach Randy Bennett, Players Aidan Mahaney and Augustas Marciulionis
Bennett is District 9 Coach of the Year, finalist for Hugh Durham Coach of the Year and Jim Phelan Coach of the Year. Mahaney is a finalist for Lou Henson National Player of the Year. And he and Marciulionis earn second team All-District Honors.
As March Madness gets underway, honors continue to pour in for the Saint Mary’s Gaels Men’s Basketball team. Here’s the latest.
National Association of Basketball Coaches Honors Coach Randy Bennett and Players Aidan Mahaney and Augustus Marciulionis
This week, the National Association of Basketball Coaches named Gaels Head Coach Randy Bennett as the District Nine Coach of the Year. Also earning recognition from the NABC were Aidan Mahaney and Augustas Marciulionis, earning second team All-District Honors.
This is the second year in a row that Bennett has been named the District 9 Coach of the Year. He’s also a six-time West Coast Conference Coach of the Year. This season he led the Gaels to a 26–7 record, including 23 wins in their last 25 matchups. The Gaels are a five seed in the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year. They’re the first mid-major school not named Gonzaga to achieve this feat since Memphis in the late 2000s.
WCC Player of the Year and WCC Tournament Most Outstanding Player Augustas Marciulionis has been the Gaels’ second leading scorer and leader in assists this season. The junior out of Lithuania had a breakout campaign, starting every game, and scoring in double figures in 20 of them. He dropped a career-best 28 points at home against Pepperdine and logged his first three career double-doubles in conference play. He is currently ranked 30th in the country in assist to turnover ratio at 2.79.
The Gaels’ leading scorer this season, Aidan Mahaney continued his offensive fireworks during his sophomore campaign. His 80 made threes tied him with teammate Alex Ducas for most made in the WCC. Mahaney also saw steady increases in his rebounding and assist numbers. Three times Aidan tied his career high with 25 points this season. He was named first team All-WCC and to the WCC All-Tournament team.
Aidan Mahaney Named a Finalist for the Lou Henson National Player of the Year
Aidan Mahaney has also been named a finalist for the Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award. The award is presented annually to the top player in mid-major college basketball. The 2024 award will be announced in Phoenix, Arizona, site of the men's NCAA Division I Basketball Championship.
Mahaney was the offensive spark plug for the Gaels all season long. The Lafayette, California native also finished second on the team in assists and led the Gaels with an 81.3% free throw shooting clip.
Randy Bennett Named a Finalist for the 2024 Hugh Durham Coach of the Year and the Jim Phelan Coach of the Year Awards
Randy Bennett has been named one of the 20 finalists for the 2024 Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year Award and the 2024 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award.
The Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year Award is presented annually to the top mid-major head coach in college basketball. Coaches of teams in the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Coastal Athletic, CUSA, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, MEAC, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, SWAC, Summit, Sun Belt, WAC, and the WCC—where Saint Mary’s plays.
The Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award is Presented annually to the top head coach in Division I college basketball.
Both awards will be announced in Phoenix, Arizona, site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.
This season was the fifth time Bennett has led a Gaels team to a regular season title and the fourth time to a tournament title. After the Gaels started the season with a 3–5 record, Bennett was able to right the ship to the tune of 23 wins in his next 25 at the helm, including a streak of 16 consecutive victories and the longest active winning streak in the country.
March Madness Begins
The Gaels are gearing up for the NCAA Tournament, where they take on Grand Canyon in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in Spokane on Friday, March 22, with tip-off at 7:05 p.m.
READ MORE: These stories as they originally appeared at SMCGaels.com
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