Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 16, 1993 TAG: 9303160080
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RALEIGH, N.C. LENGTH: Medium
DEAN OF COACHES GETS ACC HONOR
Dean Smith, who became the second-winningest Division I coach as he led North Carolina to its 19th straight NCAA Tournament this season, was named 1993 ACC coach of the year Monday by The Associated Press.Smith, in his 32nd season as the Tar Heels coach, received 64 of a possible 101 votes by members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Writers Association. He easily outdistanced Wake Forest's Dave Odom, who got 20 votes.
"It is certainly a reflection on how our players played," Smith said. "Our staff will be happy to accept this.
"I thought we would miss Hubert [Davis]," Smith added. "But I had hoped everybody would be improved individually and that would translate into a better team. . . . I think you would have to say they exceeded my expectations, anybody's for that matter."
The Tar Heels (28-4), with George Lynch their only senior starter, raced to a 6-0 Atlantic Coast Conference start and became only the seventh team in league history to record 14 conference wins.
It was Smith's eighth ACC coach of the year honor but only his second since 1980. He also won the award in 1988.
"Not too many people talk about him as a coach of the year, for ACC or the country, and I think that is pretty embarrassing that someone doesn't recognize the capabilities of this man," said center Eric Montross.
"Coach really has a sense of well-being for the players. We realize that and that's what makes him so easy to accept as a person and his philosophy of basketball. His style, very hard work and diligent effort, and really going after it and working as a team really makes it easy to be successful."
Smith posted a record 23rd 20-win season and led the Tar Heels to the No. 1 ranking before losing Sunday in the ACC Tournament title game to Georgia Tech. His semifinal win gave him 768 victories, passing Henry Iba for second all-time.
Smith has lost only 223 of 991 games as North Carolina coach for a winning percentage of .775, best among active coaches. He also has posted 16 seasons of 25 or more wins.
Smith, 62, who trails victory leader Adolph Rupp by 108, said he doesn't plan to retire in the near future.
"When Nov. 1 arrives and I say `Oh nuts I have got to go back to practice,' then that's the time to get out," Smith said. "I'm very healthy but I need to exercise."
Pat Kennedy of Florida State placed third with 11 votes, Les Robinson was fourth with four votes and Cliff Ellis of Clemson got two votes.
Kennedy won the award last year.