This is a great gesture by the university. Wonder if they will use his signature on the court or put it in Arial bold like Larry Blakeney Field?

TROY, Ala. – Legendary Troy University men’s basketball head coach Don Maestri will be bestowed with one of the highest honors in the coaching profession when the playing surface in the new Trojan Arena will be named “Court Maestri” prior to Troy’s game against ULM on Jan. 10; the resolution to name the court was voted on by the Troy University Board of Trustees.

“I was really caught off guard and very surprised when they told me,” Maestri said. “It is a very nice honor and it’s also very humbling. It is an honor that I share with so many people that have helped make Troy basketball a success. In a team sport like this, there are so many people that made us successful.”

Maestri, who was inducted in the inaugural Troy University Sports Hall of Fame class this past summer, has amassed 493 victories over his 30-plus seasons as the head coach of the Trojans. Troy has reached the 20-win plateau eight times during Maestri’s illustrious career and has won seven conference titles.

“Coach Maestri enjoys a rich legacy at Troy University,” Troy Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., said. “He is a ‘player’s coach’ and a wonderful human being. I value him as a colleague and friend. ‘Court Maestri’ is a fitting and lasting tribute to him and reflects the value we place upon his unprecedented contributions to the basketball program at Troy University.”

Maestri took over a struggling NCAA Division II program in 1981 and quickly turned the Trojans into a powerhouse. Troy averaged 23 wins a year over its final six seasons as a Division II member, including a 72-19 record from 1990-93.

Maestri and his longtime partner, associate head coach David Felix, form the nation’s longest tenured head coach-assistant coach duo as Felix has been on the Troy sideline for 32 seasons and Maestri for 31.

Over that span, the Trojans have led the nation in scoring three times (1991, 1992, 1996) and led the country in 3-point shooting seven different times (1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2004, 2005, 2006). Troy became the first team in NCAA history to score 200 points in a game when they torched DeVry 258-141 in 1992. The Trojans drained 51 3-pointers in the game, which is still an NCAA record.

“This recognition is well deserved for the extraordinary coaching achievements of Don Maestri over the last 31 years as the head coach at Troy,” Athletic Director John Hartwell said. “The wins speak for themselves, but the outstanding job he has done in developing young men off the court is equally impressive. He is also a great ambassador for Troy University.”

Maestri has seven times been named conference coach of the year and has earned the honor in five different leagues; only West Virginia’s Bob Huggins can claim that distinction among active coaches.

The game between Troy and ULM is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be televised live by the Sun Belt Network. For tickets, call 1-877-878-WINS or visit TroyTrojans.com.