MANHATTAN (KSNT) - K-State head women's basketball coach Jeff Mittie is earning national recognition.
Mittie is one of 15 coaches named to the 2024 Werner Ladder Women's Naismith Coach of the Year late season watchlist, K-State Athletics announced Wednesday.
K-State women's basketball tied its highest ranking in the AP poll in program history under Mittie this season, coming in at No. 2 a few weeks ago. Since entering the AP Top 25 in November, the 'Cats have stayed in the rankings for 14 straight weeks.
Mittie has helped craft a stifling defense that ranks first in the Big 12 Conference in scoring and ranks seventh nationally in field goal and three-point field goal percentage defenses.
The Wildcats' head coach is only the second coach to receive such recognition in the history of the program. Former K-State coach Deb Patterson was a three-time finalist for the award.
Heading into Wednesday's home matchup against No. 22 West Virginia, the Wildcats are 22-4 on the season, including a 14-game winning streak during December.
Tip-off against the Mountaineers is set for 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 21 in Bramlage Coliseum.
