It was November. South Carolina was flying high, fresh off a dominant win over Clemson to extend its program-record winning streak to 43 games. And then came UCLA. Cori Close and Co. walked and delivered a message loud and clear. By halftime, they had built a staggering 21-point lead. When the final buzzer sounded, the Bruins had handed South Carolina a loss that wasn’t nearly as close as the score suggested. 

Just like that, one of the biggest storylines of the season—whether Dawn Staley and her squad could go undefeated —was shut down before it could even take off. “We have a phrase in our program that ‘it begins before it begins.’ There was never a doubt. We prepared like we expected to win,” Close said after the win. 

And she wasn’t wrong. That night, the Bruins proved they were for real as we realised this is going to be one of the most thrilling and unpredictable seasons in recent memory. As the season continued, two teams emerged as headline grabbers—UCLA and TCU. Fans love a surprise, but nothing prepared them for the shock they felt when the Naismith Women’s Coach of the Year award was announced.

The finalists were Mark Campbell (TCU), Cori Close (UCLA), Lindsay Gottlieb (USC), and, of course, Dawn Staley. Eventually, the honor went to Cori Close, breaking Staley’s three-year reign over the award. And while it might have stung for Staley, South Carolina fans weren’t the loudest voices in the outrage. That belonged to the TCU faithful, who were in absolute disbelief that Mark Campbell wasn’t named Coach of the Year.

Hands down, Close had an undeniable case for the award. She led the Bruins to a historic 34-2 season, their first-ever Final Four appearance, and a program-record 23 consecutive wins. UCLA spent 12 straight weeks as the No. 1 team in the country and secured the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. By every measure, she was deserving.

But then there’s Campbell.

Mark Campbell robbed? Fans think so as Cori Close takes the win

“RIGGED! Mark Campbell is my COTY,” a fans wrote on X. We can’t deny that this was the greatest basketball season by every measure that TCU has seen. The Horned Frogs not only set a school record for total wins, but they also became the first basketball team in TCU history—men’s or women’s—to reach the Elite Eight. They went toe-to-toe with powerhouse Texas and, despite falling short, exceeded all expectations. Even before the award was announced, fans flooded social media with support for Campbell, convinced he was the rightful winner.

“How did Mark Campbell not win this award? WBB constantly shooting itself in the foot,” another added. The fact is that this isn’t the first time fans have been frustrated with the Naismith Coach of the Year decision. Just last year, Staley won the award for the third consecutive time, sparking a debate about whether Iowa’s Lisa Bluder was more deserving. Now, history is repeating itself, with many believing Campbell was robbed of his moment.

A writer for the Horned Frogs chimed in saying, “Mark Campbell doesn’t win the Naismith COTY the year award. The greatest story in WBB this season, gathering 90% of the fan vote, wasn’t enough. #TCU was hand constructed by MC, built from quite literally the ground up. Throw the entire award away. Voters should be ashamed.”  The 2024-25 Big 12 Coach of the Year led a turnaround that seemed impossible just two years ago.

TCU won its first-ever Big 12 regular-season and tournament championships, secured a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament (its highest in program history), and reached a program-best No. 6 ranking in the AP Poll. This was the same program that, just last year, was holding open tryouts due to a depleted roster and went 1-17 in the Big 12. Hence, this fan targeted the jury directly.

Another opined, “Mark Campbell was BETTER this year. The turnaround was INSANE.” Mostly because, Campbell’s impact wasn’t just about winning games. When he took over, TCU had won just 24 games combined in the previous three seasons. The program was in shambles, winning under 29% of games played. But with the backing of the university and its boosters, Campbell worked the transfer portal like a master, bringing in stars like Sedona Prince, Madison Conner, and Hailey Van Lith.

Also, he did more than just coach, he was there for them every step of the way, on and off the court. So, this wasn’t an overnight fluke, it was years in the making, and this season was supposed to be his crowning achievement.

“Mark Campbell not exist or something??????” It certainly felt that way to fans. While Close was rightfully recognized for her team’s dominance, Campbell’s omission from the award felt like an oversight of historic proportions. However, many believed the only reason could be that Bruins are still in the race, heading to Tampa for Final Four while Horned Frogs’ season came to an end in Elite Eight.

But, for now, if there’s any consolation for TCU fans, it’s this—Campbell isn’t going anywhere. He just signed an extension that keeps him in Fort Worth through 2030, ensuring that this season wasn’t just a one-time miracle. Sure, Van Lith and other seniors will move on, but the foundation has been laid. Maybe Mark Campbell’s winning era is only beginning. And next time, the voters might not have a choice but to acknowledge it.