DePaul University Athletics
Chris Holtmann Awarded Skip Prosser Man of Year Award
4/2/2026 2:30:00 PM | MEN'S BASKETBALL
Holtmann honored with national award by College Insider
INDIANAPOLIS – DePaul men's basketball head coach Chris Holtmann has been named Skip Prosser Man of Year, as announced Thursday afternoon by CollegeInsider.com.
The award is presented annually to a Division I coach who "wins with integrity on and off the court." It is named after Skip Prosser, the former head coach at Wake Forest, Xavier and Loyola (Md.). The recipient is selected by a 10-member voting committee comprised of current and former head coaches, as well as senior staff members of CollegeInsider.com.
Holtmann is the first BIG EAST head coach to win the award since Chris Mack in 2011 and the third in the history of the award, joining Mike Brey in 2008. He was named as one of 25 finalists for the award last month.
Fresh off completing his second year at the helm of the Blue Demons program, Holtmann has made an immediate impact on and off the court. In 2025-26, Holtmann helped lead DePaul to its second-most BIG EAST wins in program history and its best finish in the league standings since joining the BIG EAST in 2006.
Beyond the court, Holtmann has quickly built strong connections within the DePaul community. Since arriving in Chicago, Holtmann has purchased lunch for students the day after each home victory. This season, Holtmann and his wife, Lori, also provided food for two buses of students who traveled to Milwaukee for DePaul's BIG EAST matchup against Marquette. Though largely private, Holtmann and his family have made numerous contributions throughout the Chicagoland, Columbus and Indianapolis communities.
Holtmann is one of 10 active coaches nationally to earn conference Coach of the Year honors at three different institutions – Ohio State (2018), Butler (2017) and Gardner-Webb (2013). In his career, he is a three-time Naismith National Coach of the Year finalist and earned his third-career Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year finalist this season. Under his leadership, Holtmann guided his programs to nine consecutive 20-win seasons from 2012-21, including eight straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all the latest information on DePaul Men's Basketball, please visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on X, Instagram and Facebook.
TICKET INFORMATION
Join Blue Demon Nation for BIG EAST hoops at Wintrust Arena! Deposits for NEW season tickets for the 2026-27 season are now being accepted for just $25! Visit DePaulBlueDemons.com/Commit to lock in your tickets or contact the DePaul Ticket Office at 773-325-7527.
ABOUT COLLEGEINSIDER.COM
Established in 1996, CollegeInsider.com has been at the forefront of promoting college basketball online. In the July 27, 1998, issue of ESPN the Magazine, College Insider was ranked No. 24 on the magazine's list of 99 Things to do Before you Die. College Insider created the Mid-Major Top 25®, the measuring stick for men's and women's programs outside of the proverbial power leagues, and has 18 national awards presented annually, including the Lute Olson Award, Lou Henson Award, and the John McLendon Award. The CollegeInsider.com All-Access series has been nominated for 5 Emmy Awards and won 2013 Emmy, for its' feature on New York City Basketball (Iona, LIU-Brooklyn and Manhattan). CI also created This Game No Secret, which debuted during the 2016 CIT and now has become an annual event, which has included programs like Duke, Houston, Miami, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Texas and Virginia.
The award is presented annually to a Division I coach who "wins with integrity on and off the court." It is named after Skip Prosser, the former head coach at Wake Forest, Xavier and Loyola (Md.). The recipient is selected by a 10-member voting committee comprised of current and former head coaches, as well as senior staff members of CollegeInsider.com.
Holtmann is the first BIG EAST head coach to win the award since Chris Mack in 2011 and the third in the history of the award, joining Mike Brey in 2008. He was named as one of 25 finalists for the award last month.
Fresh off completing his second year at the helm of the Blue Demons program, Holtmann has made an immediate impact on and off the court. In 2025-26, Holtmann helped lead DePaul to its second-most BIG EAST wins in program history and its best finish in the league standings since joining the BIG EAST in 2006.
Beyond the court, Holtmann has quickly built strong connections within the DePaul community. Since arriving in Chicago, Holtmann has purchased lunch for students the day after each home victory. This season, Holtmann and his wife, Lori, also provided food for two buses of students who traveled to Milwaukee for DePaul's BIG EAST matchup against Marquette. Though largely private, Holtmann and his family have made numerous contributions throughout the Chicagoland, Columbus and Indianapolis communities.
Holtmann is one of 10 active coaches nationally to earn conference Coach of the Year honors at three different institutions – Ohio State (2018), Butler (2017) and Gardner-Webb (2013). In his career, he is a three-time Naismith National Coach of the Year finalist and earned his third-career Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year finalist this season. Under his leadership, Holtmann guided his programs to nine consecutive 20-win seasons from 2012-21, including eight straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all the latest information on DePaul Men's Basketball, please visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on X, Instagram and Facebook.
TICKET INFORMATION
Join Blue Demon Nation for BIG EAST hoops at Wintrust Arena! Deposits for NEW season tickets for the 2026-27 season are now being accepted for just $25! Visit DePaulBlueDemons.com/Commit to lock in your tickets or contact the DePaul Ticket Office at 773-325-7527.
ABOUT COLLEGEINSIDER.COM
Established in 1996, CollegeInsider.com has been at the forefront of promoting college basketball online. In the July 27, 1998, issue of ESPN the Magazine, College Insider was ranked No. 24 on the magazine's list of 99 Things to do Before you Die. College Insider created the Mid-Major Top 25®, the measuring stick for men's and women's programs outside of the proverbial power leagues, and has 18 national awards presented annually, including the Lute Olson Award, Lou Henson Award, and the John McLendon Award. The CollegeInsider.com All-Access series has been nominated for 5 Emmy Awards and won 2013 Emmy, for its' feature on New York City Basketball (Iona, LIU-Brooklyn and Manhattan). CI also created This Game No Secret, which debuted during the 2016 CIT and now has become an annual event, which has included programs like Duke, Houston, Miami, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Texas and Virginia.
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