Stratton Named HoopDirt.com JUCO Coach of the Week
Haverhill, MA (12/04/2023) — Northern Essex Community College head men's basketball coach Darren Stratton has been named the Week 4 HoopDirt.com JUCO National Coach of the Week as announced today by the website. The award is presented by Just Play Sports Solutions. Stratton is now eligible for consideration at the end of the season for JUCO National Coach of the Year honors.
This is the second time in his career he has earned the recognition from HoopDirt.com as the Coach of the Week, with the awards program dating back to the 2015-16 season. Stratton, who picked up his 300th career win last week as part of a 3-0 week has the Knights off to an 11-0 start and a #2 national ranking in the NJCAA Basketball weekly poll.
Other weekly national winners included: NCAA Division I, Damon Stoudamire of Georgia Tech, NCAA Division II John Ellenwood of Ashland University, NCAA Division III Brandon Linton of Tufts University and Matt O'Brien of the NAIA's Southwestern College.
In his 21st season leading the program, the Knights are seeking their second consecutive Region 21 and Northeast District Championships as they finished the 2022-23 campaign with a fifth-place finish at the national tournament.
Leading the Knights in the current season has been Luis Reynoso (Lawrence) who is averaging a double-double per game with 17.8 points and 13.7 rebounds per game which currently ranks fourth in the NJCAA.
Four others are averaging over eight points per game Camill Palacioglu (Tuebengin, GR) with 8.8, while Karl Wolfgang (Douala, CM) is averaging 8.1 points per game while closing in on double digits rebounds per game with 9.6.
As a team, the Knights currently lead the nation in rebounding with 63.8 boards per game and rank fourth in both field goals made and three-point field goals made with 363 and 85 respectively.
Northern Essex Community College, the first Federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution in New England, is an education leader for the Merrimack Valley. Through a supportive learning environment and cultural inclusion, NECC embraces all identities and inspires initiative and excellence through top-notch affordable certificate and associate degree programs online and at campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence. NECC offers many bachelor's degree transfer options, workforce development and community education classes, and is host to the NECC Police Academy, MassHire Merrimack Valley, and Gallaudet University's Regional Center for the deaf and hard of hearing. Visit Northern Essex online at www.necc.mass.edu.
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Darren Stratton