Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: Fred Mullane
Billy Kennedy - 2011 John Lotz “Barnabas” Award Recipient By FCA
3/23/2011 10:16:05 AM | Men's Basketball
Billy Kennedy, a college basketball coach who is passionate not only about winning games, but also about training his athletes physically, mentally and spiritually, will be presented with the 2011 John Lotz “Barnabas” Award by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
The award presentation will be made Saturday, April 2, during the FCA Coaches Luncheon at the NCAA Men's Final Four in Houston.
Kennedy, head men's basketball coach at Murray State University, finished his fifth season with the Racers clinching the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) regular season championship for back-to-back seasons as well as being named OVC's Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year. In the last two seasons alone, Coach Kennedy's teams hold a 54-14 record including a record-breaking 31-2 win season in 2009-10.
Kennedy is the ninth winner of the annual award, named after former University of Florida Head Coach John Lotz and presented by FCA to honor a basketball coach who best exhibits a commitment to Christ, integrity, encouragement to others and lives a balanced life. Since its launch by FCA in 2003, the award has honored a stellar lineup of coaches who have made an impact both on and off the basketball court: Homer Drew (2003), John Wooden (2004), Dale Clayton (2005), Steve Alford (2006), Dale Layer (2007), Willis Wilson (2008), Ritchie McKay (2009) and Gary Waters (2010).
Fellowship of Christian Athletes President and CEO Les Steckel said of Billy Kennedy in presenting this award, “Coach Kennedy embodies this award by encouraging his players all the time – on and off the court. The basketball world needs more Coach Kennedy's.”
In his 26 seasons in the game and 13 as head coach, Kennedy's focus has remained on his student-athletes by building not only a hardworking, winning team, but also encouraging character in his players on and off the court. His view on how to run a college basketball program is all about the student-athletes and the relationship he has with them. This coaching philosophy has developed from the 11 seasons spent as an assistant coach at seven Division I schools, including New Orleans, Wyoming, Northwestern State, Tulane, Texas A&M, Creighton and the California as well as leading programs at Centenary, Southeastern Louisiana, Miami, Fla., and now at Murray State University.
Kennedy arrived at Murray State in 2006-07 season and quickly built the program into a top team in the Ohio Valley Conference. During the 2009-10 season, the Racers won both the OVC regular season and tournament championship with 31 wins and a 17-game winning streak. The program then upset Vanderbilt in the NCAA Tournament in San Jose, Calif. Kennedy was named the OVC Coach of the Year and NABC District-19 Coach of the Year. He was also a finalist for the Skip Prosser Award and Hugh Durham Award.
Prior to joining Murray State University, Kennedy coached six years at Southeastern Louisiana University. In his final two seasons at SLU, Kennedy guided the Lions to a 44-18 record, two Southland Conference regular season titles and the school's first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. He was named Coach of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (District-8) in back-to-back years.
He also spent two seasons at Centenary (1997-1999) as head coach where he was able to turn the program around. Centenary went from only six wins in 1997-98 to a 14-14 mark in his final season.
A Metairie, La., native, Kennedy was a standout basketball player at Holy Cross High School in New Orleans before attending Delgado Community College where he earned an associate of arts degree in general studies in 1984. He then received his bachelor of arts degree in social studies education from Southeastern Louisiana University in 1986. He is married to the former Mary Ethredge, and he has four children: Will, Lexie, Brooks and Anna Cate.
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the heart and soul in sports, is touching millions of lives... one heart at a time. Since 1954, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been challenging coaches and athletes on the professional, college, high school, junior high and youth levels to use the powerful medium of athletics to impact the world for Jesus Christ. FCA is the largest Christian sports ministry in the world and focuses on serving local communities by equipping, empowering and encouraging people to make a difference for Christ.
The award presentation will be made Saturday, April 2, during the FCA Coaches Luncheon at the NCAA Men's Final Four in Houston.
Kennedy, head men's basketball coach at Murray State University, finished his fifth season with the Racers clinching the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) regular season championship for back-to-back seasons as well as being named OVC's Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year. In the last two seasons alone, Coach Kennedy's teams hold a 54-14 record including a record-breaking 31-2 win season in 2009-10.
Kennedy is the ninth winner of the annual award, named after former University of Florida Head Coach John Lotz and presented by FCA to honor a basketball coach who best exhibits a commitment to Christ, integrity, encouragement to others and lives a balanced life. Since its launch by FCA in 2003, the award has honored a stellar lineup of coaches who have made an impact both on and off the basketball court: Homer Drew (2003), John Wooden (2004), Dale Clayton (2005), Steve Alford (2006), Dale Layer (2007), Willis Wilson (2008), Ritchie McKay (2009) and Gary Waters (2010).
Fellowship of Christian Athletes President and CEO Les Steckel said of Billy Kennedy in presenting this award, “Coach Kennedy embodies this award by encouraging his players all the time – on and off the court. The basketball world needs more Coach Kennedy's.”
In his 26 seasons in the game and 13 as head coach, Kennedy's focus has remained on his student-athletes by building not only a hardworking, winning team, but also encouraging character in his players on and off the court. His view on how to run a college basketball program is all about the student-athletes and the relationship he has with them. This coaching philosophy has developed from the 11 seasons spent as an assistant coach at seven Division I schools, including New Orleans, Wyoming, Northwestern State, Tulane, Texas A&M, Creighton and the California as well as leading programs at Centenary, Southeastern Louisiana, Miami, Fla., and now at Murray State University.
Kennedy arrived at Murray State in 2006-07 season and quickly built the program into a top team in the Ohio Valley Conference. During the 2009-10 season, the Racers won both the OVC regular season and tournament championship with 31 wins and a 17-game winning streak. The program then upset Vanderbilt in the NCAA Tournament in San Jose, Calif. Kennedy was named the OVC Coach of the Year and NABC District-19 Coach of the Year. He was also a finalist for the Skip Prosser Award and Hugh Durham Award.
Prior to joining Murray State University, Kennedy coached six years at Southeastern Louisiana University. In his final two seasons at SLU, Kennedy guided the Lions to a 44-18 record, two Southland Conference regular season titles and the school's first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. He was named Coach of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (District-8) in back-to-back years.
He also spent two seasons at Centenary (1997-1999) as head coach where he was able to turn the program around. Centenary went from only six wins in 1997-98 to a 14-14 mark in his final season.
A Metairie, La., native, Kennedy was a standout basketball player at Holy Cross High School in New Orleans before attending Delgado Community College where he earned an associate of arts degree in general studies in 1984. He then received his bachelor of arts degree in social studies education from Southeastern Louisiana University in 1986. He is married to the former Mary Ethredge, and he has four children: Will, Lexie, Brooks and Anna Cate.
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the heart and soul in sports, is touching millions of lives... one heart at a time. Since 1954, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has been challenging coaches and athletes on the professional, college, high school, junior high and youth levels to use the powerful medium of athletics to impact the world for Jesus Christ. FCA is the largest Christian sports ministry in the world and focuses on serving local communities by equipping, empowering and encouraging people to make a difference for Christ.
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