March 22, 2010
LEXINGTON, KY – University of Kentucky head coach John Calipari and freshman John Wall have been awarded the Adolph Rupp Cup and Adolph Rupp Trophy, honoring the National Coach of the Year and National Player of the Year.
It marks the first time in the 38-year history of the award that a Kentucky coach or player has ever won a Rupp Award; and it is also the first time that both recipients came from the same school.
This year marks the first time that Calipari has won the award. In his inaugural season in Lexington, Calipari has led the Wildcats to a 34-2 record, the program’s 44 th SEC Championship, 26 th SEC Tournament championship and the school’s first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2005.
Calipari got off to the best start in UK history by a coach in his inaugural season, leading the Wildcats to a 19-0 start. He recorded his fifth-straight 30-win season, an unprecedented mark in NCAA Division I coaching history.
Wall becomes the first player in the illustrious history of the UK basketball program to receive any one of the primary national player of the year awards. The 6-4 freshman leads the Wildcats in scoring (16.8), assists (6.5) and steals (1.7). He has set all-time UK freshman records in scoring, assists and free throws made.
The Raleigh, N.C. native has five double-doubles on the season, three in points and assists and two in points in rebounds, making him the first player in UK history to record double-doubles in points and rebounds and points and assists.
Earlier this season, Wall broke the UK single-game assist record with 16 and entering the Sweet 16 is only four assists shy of the UK single-season assist mark of 232 set back in 1986.
The honors are awarded by the Commonwealth Athletic Club of Kentucky, a non-profit organization established in 1972 by former players and of former UK head coach Adolph Rupp. The awards are determined by a select national voting panel consisting of over 90 sportswriters, coaches and athletic directors representing every major Division I conference and all geographic regions of the country.
