Miami Ohio University Athletics
Steele Named 2026 John McLendon National Coach of the Year
4/2/2026 4:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – This afternoon, College Insider announced Miami's Travis Steele as the recipient of the 2026 John McLendon National Coach of the Year award. This award is presented annually to the top head coach among all levels of college basketball (DI, DII, DIII, NAIA and JUCO).
In Steele's fourth year, he put together one of the most exceptional seasons in program history, as the RedHawks became just the fifth program this century (NCAA Division I) to go undefeated during regular-season play. Miami went on to set a program record with 32 wins (tying the MAC record for most wins in a single season), breaking the previous mark of 25 set a year earlier. He propelled Miami into the Top 25 rankings for the first time since Feb. 15, 1999. Miami climbed as high as No. 19 as its winning streak grew, the team's highest ranking since March 13, 1978. Miami was ranked No. 10 in the College Insider preseason Mid-Major Top 25® and went on to supplant Gonzaga at No. 1 on March 2.
The RedHawks set program records for the most consecutive home wins overall (31) and road wins overall (15). Miami secured the best start for a program in MAC history, the most consecutive conference wins in MAC history, and the longest win streak in MAC history. The RedHawks ended the year with a program-record 1,049 made field goals and scored a program-record 3,047 points while also setting new records for field goal percentage (51.7%) and most made free throws in a season (592).
This past season, Steele was selected as the NABC Division I East District Coach of the Year, named a 2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Men's College Coach of the Year Semifinalist and was a unanimous selection as MAC Coach of the Year.
Under his guidance, senior guard Peter Suder was named to the NABC Division I East District First Team, and redshirt sophomore wing Brant Byers was selected to the Second Team. Suder earned MAC Player of the Year and earned First-Team honors as well, while Byers received a spot on the All-MAC Second Team, Eian Elmer was selected to the All-MAC Second Team, Luke Skaljac was placed on the All-MAC Third Team and Antwone Woolfolk was recognized as All-MAC Honorable Mention. In March, Collegeinsider.com announced that Suder was a finalist for the 2025-26 Lou Henson Award, which is presented annually to the top mid-major player in college basketball.
"I was very fortunate to be on Miami's campus for the first summer practice for the RedHawks," said Jamie Kachmarik, Senior Analyst for College Insider, Inc. and member of the John McLendon award voting panel. "The energy and enthusiasm that Coach Steele and his staff had on day one was electric. By the end of that practice, you could see that this Miami team had something different about them. The trust and confidence that the players showed for Coach Steele not only on day one of the summer but throughout the season was magical. Coach Steele has built a mid-major powerhouse in Oxford, Ohio."
The Coach John McLendon award is named in honor of one of the greatest coaches in the history of the sport. A trailblazer and one of the true pioneers of the game, McLendon became the first African American coach to win an integrated national championship. His team went on to win the NAIA Division I Men's Tournament in 1957, 1958 and 1959, making him the first coach in history to win three consecutive NAIA championships.
In 1962 he became the first African American head coach in a major professional league (ABL) with the Cleveland Pipers. In 1966 he became the first African American head coach of predominantly-white university, when he took over the Cleveland State program. He led the team to their best record in school history.
In 1969, McLendon was hired by the Denver Rockets and became the first African American head coach in the American Basketball Association. After a brief stint with the Rockets, McLendon ended his 25-year professional coaching career with a winning percentage of .760 and a lifetime career average of 523 victories and 165 losses.
Coach McLendon passed away on October 8, 1999. He was 84 years of age.
In Steele's fourth year, he put together one of the most exceptional seasons in program history, as the RedHawks became just the fifth program this century (NCAA Division I) to go undefeated during regular-season play. Miami went on to set a program record with 32 wins (tying the MAC record for most wins in a single season), breaking the previous mark of 25 set a year earlier. He propelled Miami into the Top 25 rankings for the first time since Feb. 15, 1999. Miami climbed as high as No. 19 as its winning streak grew, the team's highest ranking since March 13, 1978. Miami was ranked No. 10 in the College Insider preseason Mid-Major Top 25® and went on to supplant Gonzaga at No. 1 on March 2.
The RedHawks set program records for the most consecutive home wins overall (31) and road wins overall (15). Miami secured the best start for a program in MAC history, the most consecutive conference wins in MAC history, and the longest win streak in MAC history. The RedHawks ended the year with a program-record 1,049 made field goals and scored a program-record 3,047 points while also setting new records for field goal percentage (51.7%) and most made free throws in a season (592).
This past season, Steele was selected as the NABC Division I East District Coach of the Year, named a 2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Men's College Coach of the Year Semifinalist and was a unanimous selection as MAC Coach of the Year.
Under his guidance, senior guard Peter Suder was named to the NABC Division I East District First Team, and redshirt sophomore wing Brant Byers was selected to the Second Team. Suder earned MAC Player of the Year and earned First-Team honors as well, while Byers received a spot on the All-MAC Second Team, Eian Elmer was selected to the All-MAC Second Team, Luke Skaljac was placed on the All-MAC Third Team and Antwone Woolfolk was recognized as All-MAC Honorable Mention. In March, Collegeinsider.com announced that Suder was a finalist for the 2025-26 Lou Henson Award, which is presented annually to the top mid-major player in college basketball.
"I was very fortunate to be on Miami's campus for the first summer practice for the RedHawks," said Jamie Kachmarik, Senior Analyst for College Insider, Inc. and member of the John McLendon award voting panel. "The energy and enthusiasm that Coach Steele and his staff had on day one was electric. By the end of that practice, you could see that this Miami team had something different about them. The trust and confidence that the players showed for Coach Steele not only on day one of the summer but throughout the season was magical. Coach Steele has built a mid-major powerhouse in Oxford, Ohio."
The Coach John McLendon award is named in honor of one of the greatest coaches in the history of the sport. A trailblazer and one of the true pioneers of the game, McLendon became the first African American coach to win an integrated national championship. His team went on to win the NAIA Division I Men's Tournament in 1957, 1958 and 1959, making him the first coach in history to win three consecutive NAIA championships.
In 1962 he became the first African American head coach in a major professional league (ABL) with the Cleveland Pipers. In 1966 he became the first African American head coach of predominantly-white university, when he took over the Cleveland State program. He led the team to their best record in school history.
In 1969, McLendon was hired by the Denver Rockets and became the first African American head coach in the American Basketball Association. After a brief stint with the Rockets, McLendon ended his 25-year professional coaching career with a winning percentage of .760 and a lifetime career average of 523 victories and 165 losses.
Coach McLendon passed away on October 8, 1999. He was 84 years of age.
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