New York University women's basketball head coach Meg Barber has been named the 2021-22 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division III Coach of the Year, announced this morning. This is the first WBCA Coach of the Year award in program history.

"I want to thank the WBCA for this honor," Barber said. "I am humbled from this recognition by my peers in the WBCA. The magic of team sports are the people, and I'm surrounded by the very, very best. I'm honored to share this award with my staff, Nettie, Audrey and Emi, with our players, our support staff, and the NYU senior leadership team."

Junior captain Jenny Walker was also honored, landing on the WBCA Division III Coaches' All-America team. Walker was previously selected Fifth Team All-America by D3hoops.com over the weekend.

Barber, who just finished her fourth season at the helm (including 2020-21), led a young Violets' team to one of the best seasons in program history. NYU won its first outright University Athletic Association (UAA) title since 1997 and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007 and sixth overall. The team's high-intensity defense and fast-paced offense produced a single-season program record in field goal percentage (44.9) and the second-highest scoring average ever (77.6).

The Violets finished 25-2 overall and 13-1 in Association play. They opened the year with 14 straight victories and followed with an 11-game winning streak after their lone regular-season loss.

Most impressively, Barber's squad accomplished all of this with three rookies among her top four in minutes per game. She coached the UAA Player of the Year (Walker), D3hoops.com National Rookie of the Year (Belle Pellecchia), UAA Sophomore Rookie of the Year (Natalie Bruns), two First Team All-UAA selections (Walker, Pellecchia) and a pair of Second Team All-UAA honorees (Bruns, Jordan Janowski).

"In the two-year shadow of a pandemic that ravaged New York City, I am very proud that our team mirrored the resiliency and togetherness of our NYU community and that of all New Yorkers," Barber added.

Barber now holds a 63-18 overall record across three full seasons of competition. 

Walker provided consistent leadership and post play for NYU throughout the campaign, averaging 11.9 points and 7.9 rebounds while finishing second in the UAA in both total rebounds (212) and blocks per game (1.8) and fourth in free throw percentage (78.4). She posted six double-doubles and had at least three blocks nine times.

Barber, Walker and the Violets finished 2021-22 ranked sixth nationally by the WBCA and seventh by D3hoops.com.