The award -- presented around the anniversary of Coach Kush's passing (June 22, 2017) -- is one way for each coach to recognize a peer that impressed them the most. The rules and guidelines are... well, none.
They can vote for someone who earned Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors, a coach who made an impression in their first year, or simply the nicest coach in the building. Once tallied, one coach earns what one would consider the ultimate show of respect, an award from their peers in the 26-sport department.
In 2017-18, softball coach Trisha Ford earned the initial honor after leading her team to the College World Series in Oklahoma City.
This year's winner is a head coach of a sport that wasn't even in existence four years ago, yet advanced to the NCAA Tournament and has everyone in the hockey world buzzing about the potential.
Icing on this season's cake. ??
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) April 15, 2019
We're looking forward to 2019-20 and making more noise. ?? pic.twitter.com/JKUHquGXjI
Greg Powers, a graduate of Arizona State, is the 2018-19 winner of the Frank Kush Award.
"We have world-class head coaches at ASU, and to be recognized by them is an honor words can't do justice," said Powers. "To take it a step further, Frank Kush is the standard here and is synonymous with Sun Devil Athletics. To receive an award with his name on it is any true Sun Devils' dream. Lastly, any head coach is only as good as those he surrounds himself with, and I have surrounded myself with the best staff and group of players imaginable. This award is every bit as much theirs as it is mine."
The 2018-19 Spencer Penrose Award finalist, which is annually awarded to Division I hockey's Coach of the Year, helped lead the hockey program to its first NCAA Tournament appearance after a 13-win turnaround (21-13-1) in 2018-19. The historical season under coach Powers is highlighted by becoming the fastest start-up NCAA Division I program to qualify for the postseason.
Hockey broke a number of records, including first 20-win season, first victory over a top-10 opponent, first time being ranked in the USCHO or USA Hockey Magazine/USA Today poll, and highest ever ranking at No. 11 at one point during the season. Junior goaltender Joey Daccord also became the program's first CCM/AHCA All-American selection and Mike Richter Finalist after a remarkable season between the pipes. He ended up becoming the first Sun Devil to sign an NHL entry-level contract on April 1, and three days later became the first player in program history to play in an NHL game on April 4 for the Ottawa Senators.7?? bachelors
— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) May 7, 2019
4?? masters degrees
4?? Founding Fathers
1?? Historical year in 2018-19#SunDevilsGraduate ?? pic.twitter.com/SmtF6XCYgg
LINK: Incredible rise of Arizona State's hockey team (by Scott Billeck, NBC Sports/Feb. 17, 2019)
LINK: Led by ASU, collegiate hockey flexes its muscles in Arizona (by AZ Big Media/May 26, 2019)
The honor follows the tradition set by outstanding Sun Devil Club members Carl and Cher Maltese, who in spring of 2018 worked with several members within Sun Devil Athletics and the Wings of Gold Committee to create, establish and award the inaugural Linda Vollstedt Coach of the Year award. The Vollstedt Award was designed to be given to the ASU coach who best represents the temperaments, talents and convictions fostered by Coach Linda Vollstedt and who continually strives to ensure that the young women entrusted to him/her achieve overall excellence as students, athletes and citizens.The inaugural award was presented to Sun Devil Women's Golf head coach Missy Farr-Kaye.
By making the NCAA Tournament this season, @SunDevilHockey is making huge strides since joining the @NCAAIceHockey Division I field in 2015-16.
— USA Hockey Magazine (@USAHMagazine) June 4, 2019
On the turning point of the program, the team's mantra, the group's upcoming trip to China and more.
??? https://t.co/YLxU4HPClv pic.twitter.com/QDp5rE53I8
ABOUT FRANK KUSH
Frank Kush led the Sun Devils to six victories in seven bowl games, including the 1970 Peach Bowl and 1975 Fiesta Bowl where the team capped off two undefeated seasons. The Peach Bowl marked ASU's first bowl game in 19 years and the Fiesta Bowl win pushed the Sun Devils to second in the national rankings, the highest ever under Kush. With Kush's 1975 team finishing second in the national rankings, he was named the National Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association and the Walter Camp Foundation. Aside from producing winning teams, Kush coached nearly 40 All-Americans and more than 125 NFL players, including 10 first-round draft picks and 17 Pro Bowlers.