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Bob Pietrack wins Red Auerbach Coach of the Year award

Award is given out by the Jewish Coaches Association
Fort Lewis head coach Bob Pietrack celebrates Fort Lewis’ Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament championship win on March 9, 2024, against Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald)

Fort Lewis men’s basketball head coach Bob Pietrack was announced as the winner of the Red Auerbach Coach of the Year award by the Jewish Coaches Association on Saturday.

The Red Auerbach Award recognizes the top Jewish American basketball coach of the year across all levels of college basketball.

“I'm just incredibly humbled,” Pietrack said. “There’s so many great coaches across the country that would be deserving. I'm extremely thankful for all of our assistant coaches who put so much effort into making sure that our team is not only coached well but mentally prepared. Then of course, like any coach, anytime there's an individual award by a coach, it's obviously because that coach is blessed to have great players.”

Pietrack wins the Red Auerbach Award after guiding the Skyhawks to a 29-4 record in 2023-2024 after losing all five starters from the 2022-2023 Fort Lewis team which also went 29-4.

The Skyhawks won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament championship this past season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II tournament.

Pietrack also credited Fort Lewis Director of Athletics Travis Whipple and the athletics administration for elevating the basketball program.

“I love Fort Lewis with all my heart and not only just the basketball program but the school itself,” Pietrack said. “So anytime there's positive news that I can be involved with or our program can be involved with, I'm always thrilled for it. We have a special basketball program, the last two years have been the best two years that the program's ever had. I’m thankful to be the captain of the ship, but I can't begin to say thank you enough to everybody who has a hand in it from the people at Fort Lewis to the players, to the assistants, to the community, to the student body.”

Pietrack won the award this year over coaches from numerous levels of college basketball like Division I Indiana State’s men’s basketball coach Josh Schertz and Division III New York University’s men’s basketball coach Dave Klatsky.

Previous award winners include Auburn men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl and former Akron men’s basketball head coach Keith Dambrot.

Pietrack was honored in Phoenix on Saturday where the Division I Men’s Basketball Final Four is taking place. The Jewish Coaches Association had a brunch on Saturday in a Phoenix synagogue. Pearl spoke as well as Director of the Jewish Coaches Association Jason Belzer. Pietrack gave a speech too after accepting his award.

bkelly@durangoherald.com