Texas Tech University Athletics
Bob Knight To Receive Pete Newell Career Achievement Award
November 08, 2006 | Men's Basketball
Nov. 8, 2006
SAN JOSE--Hall of Fame Coach Bob Knight, who starts the 2006-2007 season needing just 11 victories to break Dean Smith's record as the winningest coach in college basketball history, has been chosen to receive the 2006 Pete Newell Challenge Career Achievement Award, for significant contributions to the game of basketball.
Knight will accept the award from Pete Newell prior to the start of the Texas Tech-Stanford game, the first game of the 2006 Pete Newell Challenge, which is set for Sunday, Dec. 3, 3:30 p.m., at HP Pavilion in San Jose. In the second game of the 10th-anniversary doubleheader, Nevada, ranked No. 24 in the Associated Press preseason poll, meets Cal.
Knight, who turned 66 on Oct. 25, begins his 41st season as a college head coach on Saturday, when the Red Raiders play host to Sam Houston State. He has an overall career record of 869-350 (.713), including six years at Army, 29 at Indiana and the past six at Texas Tech. Knight trails only former Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp (876) and Smith (879) on the all-time victories list.
Knight became the youngest head coach in college basketball history when, at age 24, he was hired at West Point prior to the start of the 1965-66 season. His Indiana teams won NCAA championships in 1976--the Hoosiers were 32-0 that season after finishing 31-1 the year before--1981 and 1987. His overall record in postseason play is 71-34 (.676). Knight led Indiana to five Final Fours and 11 Big Ten titles.
Like the award's namesake, Knight has achieved the rare coaching "triple crown" of winning an NCAA championship, an NIT title (1979) and an Olympic gold medal (Los Angeles, 1984).
Said Newell of Knight: "Nobody in the history of the game has spoken at more clinics than Bobby. He really teaches the fundamental elements to coaches, both in this country and around the world. He has always been open about sharing his knowledge of the game with coaches. Bobby was instrumental in introducing the motion offense to basketball, which has really helped coaches at all levels.
"He has also maintained great relationships with so many of his former players. They know if they ever have a problem, they can call Coach Knight. He always has time for them. He makes sure they graduate, and helps teach them about life after basketball."
Former Michigan State coach Jud Heathcote, himself a former winner of the Pete Newell Challenge Career Achievement Award, said about facing Knight `s Indiana teams during their days in the Big Ten:
"In our 19 years of competition, I always felt it was an honor and a privilege to coach against one of the greatest coaches in the history of the game. I also knew that Knight teams would always be well prepared, play hard and play fair."
Past winners of the Pete Newell Challenge Career Achievement Award:
2005: Pete Carril
2004: Franklin Mieuli
2003: Al Attles
2002: Jud Heathcote
2001: Earvin (Magic) Johnson
2000: Oscar Robertson
1999: Hank Luisetti
1998: Dean Smith, Jerry West
The Pete Newell Challenge will be held for the first time this year at HP Pavilion in San Jose, site of the 2007 NCAA West Regional, after nine years in Oakland. Both games will be nationally televised for the fourth consecutive year by CSTV: College Sports Television (www.collegesports.com). The announcing team will be Tom Hart (play-by-play) and former Villanova and Massachusetts coach Steve Lappas (analysis).
Tickets for the 2006 Pete Newell Challenge are now on sale at the HP Pavilion ticket office, online at www.ticketmaster.com, through all Ticketmaster ticket centers or by phone at 408.998.TIXS (8497), 415.421.TIXS or 510.625.TIXS.
Ticket prices range from $20 to $100. A special student discount of $15 per ticket for lower bowl seats for both games is available to students of the participating schools. Those tickets must be purchased through the schools.
To obtain media credentials for the Pete Newell Challenge, please call Laurie Lee of Leader Enterprises at 415.482.7506, or e-mail llee@leaderenterprises.com.
