For the first time in school history, Chad Lavin of The University of South Dakota has been named the Russell Athletic/WBCA NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Coach of the Year. Lavin was named the national coach of the year at the Elite Eight Championship Banquet held in Kearney, Neb., on Tuesday night.

Lavin, who is in his 14th and final season at the helm of the Coyote program, has directed the Coyotes to a school record 31-1 record this season. The third-ranked Coyotes will face 24th-ranked Washburn at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday night in the quarterfinals of the national tournament. Lavin has led the Coyotes to the program's first-ever appearance in the Elite Eight Championship. He has taken seven Coyote teams to the national playoffs.

With Lavin's direction, the Coyotes won the 2008 North Central Region Championship for the first time in school history. USD, which has already broken 11 school records this season, defeated Colorado State-Pueblo, 66-55; Nebraska-Kearney, 59-48; and Minnesota State, 61-49, in the regional. Lavin owns a 6-6 record in NCAA Division II playoff games. His Coyote squad finished the NCC with a 12-0 record and became just the sixth team to ever record an unbeaten season in league history.

For the first time ever, the Coyotes won the NCC Postseason Tournament with a 72-69 decision over North Dakota on March 9.

In 2007-08, he was named the NCC Coach of the Year for the fourth time of his career. He also was selected the Russell Athletic/WBCA North Central Regional Coach of the Year for the second time of his illustrious career. Lavin has led the Coyotes to five NCC titles. Those teams including the 2007-08 Coyotes as well as teams in 2002-03, 1982-83, 1983-84 and 1984-85. He has coached seven 20-win teams, including six at South Dakota.

Lavin owns an overall record of 271-140 (.659) at South Dakota and has a career coaching mark of 446-300 (.598) He finished his career with a 112-88 record in NCC games.

A native of Clear Lake, S.D., Lavin was a three-year letter winner for South Dakota men's basketball team while a student at The U. He was named Academic All-NCC in 1978. He earned a B.S. degree in business management from USD in 1978 and an M.A. degree in physical education in 1983.

--Courtesy USD Sports Information