2001 Coach of the Year is Cleveland's Hughes

NEW YORK, Aug. 18 -- Cleveland Rockers coach Dan Hughes has been named the 2001 WNBA Coach of the Year after leading the Rockers to a 22-10 record and first place in the Eastern Conference.

Dan Hughes accepts his Coach of the Year trophy from WNBA President Val Ackerman. (Rockers Photo)

Hughes, who is in his second season in Cleveland, received 38 of a possible 60 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Others receiving votes were Los Angeles' Michael Cooper, Charlotte's Anne Donovan, Miami's Ron Rothstein, Utah's Candi Harvey and Houston's Van Chancellor.

The Rockers posted the best defense in league history by holding opponents to a record low of 55.9 points per game during the regular season, and the team's 22 victories set a club high for wins in a season. Cleveland is making its second straight playoff appearance under Hughes. Last season, they advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Liberty after defeating the Orlando Miracle in the first round.

Hughes joined the Rockers after serving as interim head coach of the Charlotte Sting during the 1999 season. He is the only coach to have led two WNBA teams to the playoffs, having led the Sting to the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Liberty in 1999.

The 60-member voting panel consisted of 12 national media representatives, as well as media representatives from each of the league's 16 markets who cover the WNBA regularly.

Below are the complete results of the 2001 WNBA Coach of the Year vote and past recipients of the award:

Coach of the Year Results

Votes	Coach	Team
38	Dan Hughes	Cleveland Rockers
8	Michael Cooper	Los Angeles Sparks
6	Anne Donovan	Charlotte Sting
3	Candi Harvey	Utah Starzz
3	Ron Rothstein	Miami Sol
2	Van Chancellor	Houston Comets

Coach of the Year Winners
2000 -- Michael Cooper, Los Angeles Sparks
1999 -- Van Chancellor, Houston Comets
1998 -- Van Chancellor, Houston Comets
1997 -- Van Chancellor, Houston Comets