HOPEWELL, N.J. – Suzie Glazer Burt Head Coach Allison Pohlman has landed a position on the 2025 Kathy Delaney-Smith Mid-Major Coach of the Year Preseason Watch List, presented by Her Hoop Stats.
 
A longtime member of the Drake women's basketball coaching staff, Pohlman is entering her fourth season at the helm of the Bulldogs program in 2024-25. In her tenure, Drake has compiled a 71-30 overall record and 42-16 ledger during league play. Under the direction of Pohlman, the Bulldogs have made two NCAA Tournament appearances, and a postseason run in the WNIT. Drake has earned one MVC regular-season title (2023-24) and a pair of tournament titles (2022-23, 2023-24) with Pohlman at the helm. 
 
Pohlman was joined by Belmont head coach Bart Brooks as the only two Missouri Valley Conference representatives.
 
To be eligible for the award, coaches must compete in one of the 26 conferences deemed to be "mid-major." The following conferences are considered high-major for the purposes of this award and thus ineligible: ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, and SEC. Additionally, Oregon State and Washington State are ineligible this year as membership in the Pac-12 Conference evolves. Interim head coaches are eligible, although total games coached will be taken into consideration.
 
The 10-person midseason watch list will be announced in January. The five finalists for the award will be announced in March, with the winner being named around the Final Four. Coaches will be assessed across the entire season, including postseason play. Beyond on-court success, other factors such as recruiting, preseason expectations, injuries, and tactical coaching will also be weighed when assessing each candidate. Inclusion on previous watch lists is not a requirement to be considered for future watch lists.
 
Pohlman and the Bulldogs will host two exhibition contests against Omaha (Oct. 27) and Grand View (Oct. 31) before tipping off their season on Nov. 4 at North Dakota State. Drake will hold their home opener on Nov. 7 against Saint Louis.