10/11 NOW | KOLN

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – Fred Hoiberg capped Nebraska men’s basketball’s historic 2025-26 season Friday afternoon, as he was named National Coach of the Year by The Associated Press.

Hoiberg will receive the award on Friday in Indianapolis at the Final Four.

Hoiberg is the first Husker men’s coach to earn the award, according to Nebraska Athletics. He is also the 10th Big Ten coach to win the award since it was first presented in 1967 and just the second in the last two decades.

Hoiberg guided Nebraska to its best season in program history in 2025-26, as the Huskers finished 28-7 and made the school’s first NCAA Sweet 16.

Nebraska set season records with 28 wins, 15 conference wins and seven conference road wins.

The team opened the year by winning its first 20 games as part of a school-record 24-game win streak dating back to last season, Nebraska Athletics said.

Nebraska’s historic start helped it earn its highest AP ranking in school history (fifth) and spend eight weeks in the top 10 during the season.

After being picked 14th in the Big Ten during the preseason, Nebraska posted a 15-5 mark in Big Ten play to tie for second, the program’s best conference finish in more than three decades, according to Nebraska Athletics.

The breakthrough season culminated with wins over Troy and No. 16 Vanderbilt in the NCAA Tournament, marking the program’s first NCAA Tournament wins, according to Nebraska Athletics.

Friday’s honor marks only the second time a Husker coach has received an AP National Coach of the Year honor, as Women’s Basketball Coach Connie Yori was honored in 2009-10.