FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Head women's basketball coach Cheryl McNair has been named the 2023-2024 Methodist University Thomas R. and Elizabeth E. McLean Foundation Coach of the Year, as announced by Vice President and Director of Athletics Dave Eavenson on Monday. McNair becomes the 12th unique coach to receive the honor in its 16-year history.

The award, voted on by a committee composed of Methodist University faculty and staff from outside of the Athletic Department, annually recognizes a head coach who has shown involvement in campus events and their respective sport's professional associations, demonstrated excellent recruitment and retention within their program, and led a team that exhibited outstanding athletic and academic performance during its season and throughout the school year.
 
During the 2023-2024 season, McNair led her team to a 20-5 regular-season record, including a 17-1 mark versus USA South opponents – a program best for wins in conference play. That mark secured the Monarchs a spot as regular-season co-champions (their first share of a conference title since the 2000-01 season), leading them to the No. 2 seed in the USA South Tournament. The team's performance greatly exceeded the expectations of USA South coaches, who slotted Methodist at fourth in the conference preseason poll.  McNair guided the Monarchs as far as the semifinals, picking up a win over Meredith College in the first round to earn Methodist's first post-season victory since 2013-2014.
 
Winning the USA South Coach of the Year award for the first time in her seven years as head coach, McNair also saw two of her student-athletes receive All-Conference accolades following the 2023-2024 season; senior Aniyah Tate earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team while senior Jessica Drake was voted to the All-Conference Second Team.
 
A Fayetteville native, McNair joined the women's basketball staff at Methodist in 1997, serving as an assistant to DeeDee Jarman on the sideline for 20 years before assuming the head coaching role prior to the 2017-2018 season.

McNair will be recognized at a home athletics contest this fall.

Past McLean Foundation Coach of the Year Award winners:
2023 – Bryan Madej, women's soccer
2022 – Steve Conley, men's golf
2021 - Keven Williams, football
2020 – David Smith, men's basketball
2019 – Tom Inczauskis, women's golf
2018 – Tom Austin, baseball
2017 – Zach Nedbalski, men's lacrosse
2016 – DeeDee Jarman, women's basketball
2015 – Steve Conley, men's golf
2014 – Justin Terranova, men's soccer
2013 – Tom Austin, baseball
2012 – Tom Inczauskis, women's golf
2011 – Duane Ross, track & field
2010 – Steve Conley, men's golf
2009 – Francie Barragan, women's tennis