Duke women’s basketball head coach Kara Lawson was named the 2026 ACC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year as announced by the conference office Tuesday.
In her sixth season at the helm, Lawson led Duke to its first ACC regular season crown in 13 years with a 16-2 record. The 16 league wins are the most in her tenure and rank second in program history. Following a 3-6 start to the year, Lawson and the Blue Devils went on a 17-game winning streak, which included three wins over AP top 25 teams. It was the fourth longest active streak among Division I programs and spanned Dec. 5-Feb. 21. The Blue Devils also had won 22 straight against ACC opponents. Sporting a 118-49 overall record, Lawson became the second fastest ACC women’s basketball coach to 100 career wins earlier this season, reaching the benchmark in 143 games.
In September 2025, Lawson was named head coach for Team USA Women's Basketball through 2028. She will lead the team through international competition, including the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.