Kelly claims his second Coach of the Year honor after leading Catholic to the top seed in the conference tournament for the second straight season. Assisted by Jack Fitzpatrick and Eli Reinhardt, Kelly’s squad excelled on both ends of the floor, holding conference opponents to just 64.5 points per game while scoring 80.0 themselves, producing a +15.5 point margin, the third-best in the Landmark Conference.
Although the Cardinals fell in the semifinals, their strong NPI ranking secured an at-large NCAA Tournament bid, allowing them to continue their postseason run. The Cardinals earned one of the 21 at-large bids into the 64-team field. It is only the second time in program history that the program has made the dance in at least three consecutive seasons.