NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Mark H. Carter and Family Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball Head Coach Mark Byington was named to the 2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year Watch List by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Friday.
Byington is one of 15 coaches on the prestigious watch list and the only SEC representative. In his second year at the helm of the Commodores, Byington has guided the black and gold to 21 wins which marks the highest regular season total since 2011-12.
Byington is also the first Vanderbilt head coach to ever lead the program to back-to-back 20 win seasons in each of his first two years in charge.
The No. 19 ranked Commodores host rival Tennessee in a 1 p.m. tipoff Saturday at Memorial Gymnasium. The game will air on ESPN.
2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year Watch List presented by AXIA Time
| Name | School | Conference |
| Brad Brownell | Clemson | ACC |
| Mark Byington | Vanderbilt | SEC |
| Fred Hoiberg | Nebraska | Big Ten |
| Dan Hurley | UConn | BIG EAST |
| Tom Izzo | Michigan State | Big Ten |
| Tommy Lloyd | Arizona | Big 12 |
| Dusty May | Michigan | Big Ten |
| Ryan Odom | Virginia | ACC |
| T.J. Otzelberger | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| Kelvin Sampson | Houston | Big 12 |
| Josh Schertz | Saint Louis | Atlantic 10 |
| Jon Scheyer | Duke | ACC |
| Bill Self | Kansas | Big 12 |
| Travis Steele | Miami University | MAC |
| Brad Underwood | Illinois | Big Ten |
