KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) has named head coach Bryan Rooney as the nation's top Division II men's basketball coach from the nearly 300 programs across the country. Rooney is the first winner of National Coach of the Year from Cal State East Bay and the first from the West Region since 2012.

Coach Rooney, in his ninth year at the helm, has had a decorated 2025-2026 season. He won the CCAA Coach of the Year and NABC District Coach of the Year, both for the second time during his East Bay tenure. 

Rooney's "Burn the Boats" mantra wasn't the only thing on fire at East Bay, as the record book was also in flames. Ranking 3rd all-time in career wins, Rooney's pioneers set the single-season school records for wins, longest winning streak, and highest winning percentage. Rooney and company completed a perfect 22-0 run through conference play, the first team in CCAA history to do so. East Bay climbed as high as No. 2 in the national rankings, also a school record. The Pioneers are the only undefeated team remaining at any level of NCAA men's basketball. East Bay's appearance in the Elite 8 is also the deepest postseason run the Pioneers have ever made. 

The Stockton native has the Pioneers peaking at the right time as they are 5-0 in the postseason. During that span, when the competition has been the fiercest, the average margin of victory is 14, an increase over the regular season. 

Perhaps his most impressive accomplishment is the unprecedented comeback that Coach Rooney has led this season. After an 11-win season last year, the Pioneers have notched 33 wins, a turnaround of 22 wins, among the best marks of all-time at any level of NCAA basketball (+29 wins is the all division record). 

Selected via a nationwide vote of NABC-member head coaches, NABC Coach of the Year awards are presented each season to outstanding head coaches.

Rooney will continue his record-setting season today against Oklahoma Baptist at 11:30 a.m. PT.