Canada - Jack Curran, Leta Andrews to receive inaugural Morgan Wootten Award
Springfield, MA – (January 17, 2007) – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced Jack Curran and Leta Andrews as the inaugural recipients of the Morgan Wootten Award: For Lifetime Achievement in Coaching High School Basketball
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By Dean O'Keefe
Hall of Fame Honor Recognizes Lifetime Achievement in Coaching Boys & Girls High School Basketball
Springfield, MA – (January 17, 2007) – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced Jack Curran and Leta Andrews as the inaugural recipients of the Morgan Wootten Award: For Lifetime Achievement in Coaching High School Basketball, honoring a boys and girls high school coach who has achieved extraordinary results in and made a significant contribution to the game of basketball at the high school level.
Coach Curran, the 48 year veteran coach of Archbishop Molloy High School in Briarwood, NY and Coach Andrews, America's winningest female girls coach, of Granbury High School in Granbury, TX are the first recipients of the award. The Basketball Hall of Fame and Mr. Wootten will present the award to both Coach Curran and Coach Andrews this March in Louisville at the 2007 McDonald's High School All-America Game
Jack Curran succeeded Hall of Famer Lou Carnesecca as Head Coach of Archbishop Molloy's basketball team in 1958. Over the past 48 seasons, Coach Curran has won 873 games, coached 8 All-Americans, five of which went on to play professionally including NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson. In addition, Curran has won five Catholic League City Championships, was National Coach of the Year in 1990 and has been inducted into nine different Hall of Fames.
Leta Andrews began her high school coaching career at Tolar High School (TX) in 1962 before becoming the head coach at Granbury High School in 1976. Over her 44 year coaching career, Coach Andrews has amassed 1,228 wins, the most for a female girls high school coach. She led her team to 16 Texas State Final Fours including one state championship, is in the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame, and served as coach for the 2006 McDonald's All-America Game.
Named in honor of legendary DeMatha High School (MD) coach and Hall of Famer Morgan Wootten, the Award winners were selected by a blue-ribbon panel comprised of national media members covering high school basketball, executives with a significant role in high school and amateur basketball, elite coaches and Hall of Fame Coach Wootten.
Coach Wootten was enshrined as a coach into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000, becoming the first and only coach to be elected as a result of his or her high school coaching achievements. Wootten, a graduate of the University of Maryland, coached at DeMatha for 46 seasons, compiling an astounding 1,274-192 win/loss record. Over 150 of his players went on to play in college, with many also starring in the NBA. Coach Wootten has won numerous coaching and teaching awards and accolades for his work, and still is active teaching others about the game he loves.