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NWAC Reveals 2026 Winter Coach of the Year Awards
Posted: Mar 19, 2026

NWAC Reveals 2026 Winter Coach of the Year Awards

The NWAC has announced its recepients for the 2026 Winter Coach of the Year awards for men's and women's basketball after the completion of their respective seasons.

The winners are Bellevue men's basketball coach Marcus Fermon and Clackamas women's basketball coach Jim Martineau. The awards were voted upon by the respective coaches for each sport at the conclusion of the regular season, prior to the beginning of the championship tournaments. 

Marcus Fermon • Bellevue • Men's Basketball

Fermon led the Bulldogs to the best regular season record of 27-2, including a 27-game winning streak. After dropping the first two games of the season, the Bulldogs rolled off an incredible 27-straight regular season wins and 29 including the postseason. Bellevue went undefeated in the North Region with a 14-0 record. The North Region featured three of the final four teams in the postseason tournament including Bellevue, Skagit Valley and Edmonds, making their undefeated record even more impressive. 

Fermon also led Bellevue to the unanimous No. 1 ranking in the final coaches' poll after their remarkable regular season run. The Bulldogs ranked No. 1 in net efficiency at 0.286 during the conference season. They were ranked among the top teams in a number of categories including first in field goal percentage (52.2) and rebound margin per game (+8.7), second in offensive efficiency (1.169), points allowed per game (68.8), and opponents field goal percentage (40.9).

Fermon and the Bulldgos took their impressive season into the postseason as they reached the NWAC Final Four.

Jim Martineau • Clackamas • Women's Basketball

Martineau had the Cougars rolling on all cylinders all season long as they finished the regular season with a perfect 29-0 record, including a 16-0 record against the always tough South Region. Led by Martineau, the Cougars had the highest net efficiency in the NWAC at 0.389. Clackamas was an offensive juggernaut averaging 81.3 points per game with the top shooting percentage of 44.2. They also moved the ball around without turning it over, ranking first in both assists per game (19.6) and turnovers per game (13.1). They were also agressive on the defensive end with the second most steals per game (12.4) and third most blocks per game (3.8).

With Martineau at the help, Clackamas won the South Region title and finish unanimously atop the final coaches' poll. In the postseason, the Cougars reached the NWAC final, but fell just short against Walla Walla.