Coach Berube with the Pat Summitt Trophy Monday night

MEDFORD - Tufts University head coach Carla Berube was presented the Pat Summitt Trophy as the 2015 United States Marine Corps / Women's Basketball Coaches Associaton (WBCA) NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year on Monday night during the Fifth Annual WBCA Awards Show in Tampa Bay, Florida.

For the second straight year, Berube coached the Jumbos to the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) title, wins in the NCAA Regional and NCAA Sectional rounds and a berth into the NCAA "Final Four." Tufts defeated defending national champion Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham, 58-52, in the national quarterfinals to earn a return trip to the "Final Four." The Jumbos finished 30-3 and recorded their second straight 10-0 conference season.

> Watch Coach Berube's Acceptance Speech

Coach Berube and the team had to overcome adversity along the way. Despite longterm losses of starters and tri-captains Kelsey Morehead and Hannah Foley during the course of the season, the Jumbos did not miss a beat. During their perfect NESCAC season, Tufts posted a 20-point average margin of victory.  The Jumbos finished the year with the nation's top defense, allowing just 47.5 points per game.

For the third time in four years and the fifth time overall, Berube was named NESCAC Coach of the Year. She also repeated as United States Marine Corps / WBCA NCAA Division III Regional Coach of the Year and as D3hoops.com Northeast Region Coach of the Year.

Berube is the fourth head coach at Tufts to receive a national Coach of the Year award during the 2014-15 year. Men's Lacrosse coach Mike Daly, Softball coach Cheryl Milligan and Men's Soccer coach Josh Shapiro were all recognized at their national conventions in December. Daly's and Milligan's honors were based on their 2013-14 achievements.

The 2015 United States Marine Corps / WBCA Division III National Coach of the Year was announced during the Fifth Annual WBCA Awards Show on Monday (April 6) in the Grand Ballroom at the Tampa Marriott Waterside. The event was part of the WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women's Final Four®, won for the 10th time by Coach Berube's alma mater UConn.

The WBCA presents the national coach of the year award annually in each of the six WBCA membership divisions (NCAA Divisions I, II and III; NAIA; junior/community college and high school). This marks the 33rd year the awards have been given in the junior/community college and NCAA divisions, while the WBCA has honored an NAIA coach of the year for 31 years. Also receiving the Pat Summitt Trophy as the 2015 United States Marine Corps/WBCA National Coaches of the Year in the other WBCA membership divisions were:

• NCAA Division I – Sue Semrau, Florida State University
• NCAA Division II – Lisa Carlsen, Lewis University
• NAIA – Dale Neal, Freed-Hardeman University
• Junior/Community College – Greg Franklin, Chipola Junior College
• High School – Scott Allen, Paul VI Catholic High School

"The WBCA congratulates these distinguished coaches for receiving the United States Marine Corps/WBCA Coach of the Year award," said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. "This award is uniquely profound as these coaches have been chosen by their respective peers to receive the WBCA's highest honor for the profession.  These impressive leaders have left their mark on the game and their student-athletes for all time.  Our women's basketball family celebrates their success and their example propelling the sport of women's basketball to the highest level." 

This is the second year the physical award presented to the six United States Marine Corps/WBCA National Coaches of the Year has borne Summitt's name. It is the only national coach of the year award to do so. The legendary University of Tennessee head coach, who stepped down in April 2012, is the winningest basketball coach (men's or women's) in NCAA Division I history with 1,098 career victories. Summitt led the Lady Vols to eight NCAA Division I national championships and was named the United States Marine Corps/WBCA NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year three times in her career.

> Materials provided by the WBCA are used in this release

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