Braeuer Tabbed as Finalist for Joe B. Hall, Hugh Durham Coach of the Year Awards
3/5/2026 3:41:00 PM | Men's Basketball
First-year leader of the Lumberjacks one of 16 first-time head coaches named as Joe B. Hall Award Finalist, one of 25 coaches named finalist for mid-major coach of the year honor
BOSTON, Mass. – First-year Stephen F. Austin men's basketball coach Matt Braeuer has been named a finalist for two prestigious coaching honors: the Joe B. Hall and Hugh Durham Coach of the Year Awards. Braeuer is one of 16 finalists for the Joe B. Hall Award, given annually to the nation's top first-time Division I basketball head coach, and he is one of 25 finalists for the Hugh Durham Awward, given annually to the nation's top DI mid-major head coach.
In his first season in Nacogdoches, Braeuer has led SFA to the outright Southland Conference regular season title behind a conference and program record 20 league wins. It is the first regular season SLC title for the Jacks since the 2019-20 season. The Jacks have been ranked No. 10 nationally for the past three weeks in the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 rankings in addition to receiving a pair of votes in the AP Top 25 Poll on February 23.
The Jacks' 27 wins are tied for the eighth-most victories in a single season in program history. As of March 4, SFA is one of only ten DI teams to reach that win total this season. Fifteen of the Jacks' wins were produced inside the William R. Johnson Coliseum which witnessed a 15-0 start to the home slate, while SFA's dozen road wins are the most in a single season since '19-20.
At regular season's end, the Jacks led the SLC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.52; top 50 DI), rebound margin (+5.3; top 45 DI), rebounds per game (38.10; top 55 DI), scoring defense (65.9 ppg; 18th DI), 3pt% defense (29.1%; 9th DI), turnovers per game (9.2; 12th DI) and ranked second in effective FG% (52.5%), fouls per game (16.1), defensive rebounds/game (25.19), offensive rebounds/game (12.9; 35th DI), scoring margin (11.6; 28th DI), scoring offense (77.5) and 3pt makes/game (9.1).
Former Lumberjack head coach Brad Underwood was named the recipient of the Joe B. Hall Award following the 2013-14 season. That year, the Jacks won a program record 32 games, finished unbeaten in SLC play at 18-0, won the Southland Conference Tournament and beat VCU in the NCAA Tournament's Round of 64.
The year prior, former Lumberjack head coach Danny Kaspar won the Hugh Durham Award. The Jacks won 27 games that season with a 16-2 mark in SLC play to claim the SLC title. SFA boasted a 15-0 record at home and made an appearance in that season's NIT.
Braeuer is one of five head coaches named a finalist for both awards.
JOE B. HALL AWARD FINALISTS
Clint Allard (UC San Diego)
Bill Armstrong (McNeese State)
Tim Bergstraser (Denver)
Matt Braeuer (Stephen F. Austin)
Kevin Carroll (Lipscomb)
Zach Chu (Radford)
Flynn Clayman (High Point)
Ali Farokhmanesh (Colorado State)
Kevin Giltner (Wofford)
Kevin Hovde (Columbia)
Jai Lucas (Miami)
Ryan Miller (Murray State)
Ryan Pannone (Arkansas State)
Jon Perry (Navy)
Nolan Smith (Tennessee State)
Charlie Ward (Florida A&M)
HUGH DURHAM AWARD FINALISTS
Casey Alexander (Belmont)
Randy Bennett (Saint Mary's)
Kenny Blakeney (Howard)
Matt Braeuer (Stephen F. Austin)
Flynn Clayman (High Point)
Jim Ferry (UMBC)
Joe Gallo (Merrimack)
Kevin Giltner (Wofford)
Corey Gipson (Austin Peay)
Doug Gottlieb (Green Bay)
Justin Gray (Coastal Carolina)
John Groce (Akron)
James Jones (Yale)
Jon Judkins (Utah Tech)
Ritchie McKay (Liberty)
Chris Mudge (Sam Houston)
Jon Perry (Navy)
Todd Phillips (Utah Valley)
David Richman (North Dakota State)
Herb Sendek (Santa Clara)
John Shulman (Central Arkansas)
Takayo Siddle (UNCW)
Dave Smart (Pacific)
Nolan Smith (Tennessee State)
Travis Steele (Miami)
UP NEXT
The Jacks open postseason play on Tuesday, March 10 as the top seed in the Southland Conference Tournament from Lake Charles' Townsley Law Arena. SFA receives a double bye into the tournament semifinals and will match up against the winner of the tournament's No. 4 seed and the Game 1 winner (No. 5 vs. No. 8). More information on the 2026 SLC Tournament as well as live coverage links to follow SFA's postseason march are available at www.SFAjacks.com.
THE 'JACKS HAVE GONE MOBILE
SFA Athletics' newest mobile phone application is designed to bring Lumberjack fans closer to the action than ever before. Available now on both the App Store and Google Play, the new SFA Athletics app delivers schedules, scores, rosters, news, ticket access, and exclusive content right to your phone. Fans can also receive push notifications, so they never miss a moment of the action. Download now: Official SFA Athletics App.
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA men's basketball, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
In his first season in Nacogdoches, Braeuer has led SFA to the outright Southland Conference regular season title behind a conference and program record 20 league wins. It is the first regular season SLC title for the Jacks since the 2019-20 season. The Jacks have been ranked No. 10 nationally for the past three weeks in the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 rankings in addition to receiving a pair of votes in the AP Top 25 Poll on February 23.
The Jacks' 27 wins are tied for the eighth-most victories in a single season in program history. As of March 4, SFA is one of only ten DI teams to reach that win total this season. Fifteen of the Jacks' wins were produced inside the William R. Johnson Coliseum which witnessed a 15-0 start to the home slate, while SFA's dozen road wins are the most in a single season since '19-20.
At regular season's end, the Jacks led the SLC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.52; top 50 DI), rebound margin (+5.3; top 45 DI), rebounds per game (38.10; top 55 DI), scoring defense (65.9 ppg; 18th DI), 3pt% defense (29.1%; 9th DI), turnovers per game (9.2; 12th DI) and ranked second in effective FG% (52.5%), fouls per game (16.1), defensive rebounds/game (25.19), offensive rebounds/game (12.9; 35th DI), scoring margin (11.6; 28th DI), scoring offense (77.5) and 3pt makes/game (9.1).
Former Lumberjack head coach Brad Underwood was named the recipient of the Joe B. Hall Award following the 2013-14 season. That year, the Jacks won a program record 32 games, finished unbeaten in SLC play at 18-0, won the Southland Conference Tournament and beat VCU in the NCAA Tournament's Round of 64.
The year prior, former Lumberjack head coach Danny Kaspar won the Hugh Durham Award. The Jacks won 27 games that season with a 16-2 mark in SLC play to claim the SLC title. SFA boasted a 15-0 record at home and made an appearance in that season's NIT.
Braeuer is one of five head coaches named a finalist for both awards.
JOE B. HALL AWARD FINALISTS
Clint Allard (UC San Diego)
Bill Armstrong (McNeese State)
Tim Bergstraser (Denver)
Matt Braeuer (Stephen F. Austin)
Kevin Carroll (Lipscomb)
Zach Chu (Radford)
Flynn Clayman (High Point)
Ali Farokhmanesh (Colorado State)
Kevin Giltner (Wofford)
Kevin Hovde (Columbia)
Jai Lucas (Miami)
Ryan Miller (Murray State)
Ryan Pannone (Arkansas State)
Jon Perry (Navy)
Nolan Smith (Tennessee State)
Charlie Ward (Florida A&M)
HUGH DURHAM AWARD FINALISTS
Casey Alexander (Belmont)
Randy Bennett (Saint Mary's)
Kenny Blakeney (Howard)
Matt Braeuer (Stephen F. Austin)
Flynn Clayman (High Point)
Jim Ferry (UMBC)
Joe Gallo (Merrimack)
Kevin Giltner (Wofford)
Corey Gipson (Austin Peay)
Doug Gottlieb (Green Bay)
Justin Gray (Coastal Carolina)
John Groce (Akron)
James Jones (Yale)
Jon Judkins (Utah Tech)
Ritchie McKay (Liberty)
Chris Mudge (Sam Houston)
Jon Perry (Navy)
Todd Phillips (Utah Valley)
David Richman (North Dakota State)
Herb Sendek (Santa Clara)
John Shulman (Central Arkansas)
Takayo Siddle (UNCW)
Dave Smart (Pacific)
Nolan Smith (Tennessee State)
Travis Steele (Miami)
UP NEXT
The Jacks open postseason play on Tuesday, March 10 as the top seed in the Southland Conference Tournament from Lake Charles' Townsley Law Arena. SFA receives a double bye into the tournament semifinals and will match up against the winner of the tournament's No. 4 seed and the Game 1 winner (No. 5 vs. No. 8). More information on the 2026 SLC Tournament as well as live coverage links to follow SFA's postseason march are available at www.SFAjacks.com.
THE 'JACKS HAVE GONE MOBILE
SFA Athletics' newest mobile phone application is designed to bring Lumberjack fans closer to the action than ever before. Available now on both the App Store and Google Play, the new SFA Athletics app delivers schedules, scores, rosters, news, ticket access, and exclusive content right to your phone. Fans can also receive push notifications, so they never miss a moment of the action. Download now: Official SFA Athletics App.
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA men's basketball, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
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