FCA honors Plett with Kay Yow Award, Davis with John Lotz Award Colorado Spring’s Lynn Plett and North Carolina’s Hubert Davis honored for leadership on and off the court. Published on April 02, 2018 FCA This past weekend, during the most exciting time in college basketball, FCA honored two outstanding basketball coaches with awards named after FCA friends to recognize leadership, dedication and commitment on and off the court. On Sunday, during the FCA Heart of a Coach Breakfast at the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Convention in Columbus, Colorado Springs (UCCS) women’s basketball coach Lynn Plett was honored with the 2018 Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award. Named for Kay Yow, the late North Carolina State coaching icon, the award is presented annually by FCA to honor a basketball coach who has exemplified biblical principles over the course of his or her career. Yow, who died from breast cancer in 2009, was presented with the inaugural award at the 2008 Final Four in Tampa. On Saturday, the 2018 John Lotz “Barnabas” Award was presented to North Carolina assistant men’s basketball coach Hubert Davis at the FCA Coaches Luncheon at the National Association of Basketball Coaches Convention in San Antonio. The award is presented annually to honor a basketball coach who best exhibits a commitment to Christ, integrity and encouragement to others, and lives a balanced life. Davis is the 16th recipient of the “Barnabas” Award, named for former North Carolina assistant and Florida head coach John Lotz. “Lynn Plett and Hubert Davis have exemplified integrity, serving, teamwork and excellence on and off the court, and all of us at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes are honored to recognize these two excellent coaches at the most exciting time of the college basketball season,” said Shane Williamson, FCA President and CEO. “These two outstanding leaders guide their players in matters much more eternal than the game of basketball.” Plett led the UCCS Mountain Lions to their first RMAC championship in program history and to a third straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearance in his first season in 2016-17. He also coached two All-RMAC first team student-athletes. Plett is a member and leader of an FCA coaches Bibles study and has been a speaker at numerous FCA events, including an FCA clinic, coaches breakfast and coaches retreat. Under his leadership, the women on the UCCS team have thrived in many ways. “For the first time, a team Bible study started last year and again this year,” wrote Tom Dorman, FCA’s interim southern Colorado Multi-Area Director who nominated Plett for the award. “(Coach Plett’s) example and insight shared with other coaches through FCA clearly display his integrity and commitment to coaching biblically.” Lindsey Waggoner, the UCCS women’s basketball chaplain stated: “Coach Plett is a quiet and selfless leader. With a humble approach to learn the game of basketball, Coach Plett can often be found in his office looking over game film or the next recruit. Coach has endured many changes of addresses, many different school colors and many different basketball seasons, yet the thing that remains the same for Coach and his wife Brenda is their love for the Lord. An unwavering love for the Lord no matter what the basketball record looks like at the end of the season, that is what sets Coach Plett apart from the rest of crowd.” Plett spent four seasons at Northern Kentucky, where the Norse qualified for the Women’s Basketball Invitational postseason tournament each season during the transition from NCAA Division II to Division I. Plett also spent five seasons as the coach at Missouri Western State in St. Joseph, and his Griffons reached the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association tournament three times. His team also ranked in the top 20 of NCAA Division II for grade point average in the 2008-09 season and he coached three All-MIAA student-athletes. Plett also served on the NCAA women’s basketball rules committee from 2007-11. Last year, coach Lynn Plett (center) led the UCCS Mountain Lions to their first RMAC championship in program history. He is also a leader of an FCA coaches Bibles study and has been a speaker at numerous FCA events. Davis, the John Lotz award winner, is a former Tar Heel guard, a 12-year NBA veteran and an ESPN analyst. He has been a member of the Carolina Basketball coaching staff for five years, and his duties include bench coaching, scouting and recruiting. “Hubert Davis is a man of integrity with a servant’s heart,” said Mitch Mason, the FCA chaplain at North Carolina. He serves the Lord and impacts so many people. He and his wife Leslie mean so much to my family and I. I am extremely proud to call him my friend.” Prior to joining North Carolina in 2012, Davis worked for seven years with ESPN as a college basketball analyst and co-host of “College GameDay.” The Burke, Virginia, native played in 137 games as a Tar Heel from 1988-92, during which time UNC went 102-37, won the 1989 and 1991 Atlantic Coast Conference Tournaments and played in the 1991 Final Four. He scored 1,615 points, an average of 11.8 per game, and holds the UNC record for career three-point percentage at .435. He scored in double figures 80 times and had 23 games with 20 or more points. -FCA- Past winners of the Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award include: 2008: Kay Yow, North Carolina State 2009: Jane Albright, Nevada 2010: Nancy Wilson, College of Charleston 2011: Sue Ramsey, Ashland 2012: Deb Patterson, Kansas State 2013: Sue Semrau, Florida State 2014: Kristy Curry, Alabama 2015: Matt Bollant, Illinois 2016: Kirk Martin, Cedarville 2017: Julie Goodenough, Abilene Christian Past winners of the “Barnabas” Award include: 2003: Homer Drew, Valparaiso 2004: John Wooden, UCLA 2005: Dale Clayton, Carson-Newman 2006: Steve Alford, Iowa 2007: Dale Layer, Colorado State 2008: Willis Wilson, Rice 2009: Ritchie McKay, Virginia 2010: Gary Waters, Cleveland State 2011: Billy Kennedy, Texas A&M 2012: Don Meyer, Northern State 2013: Tom Crean, Indiana 2014: Bob Hoffman, Mercer 2015: Jayson Gee, Longwood University 2016: Ed Schilling, UCLA 2017: Gregg Nibert, Presbyterian College
