Remy Simpson of St. Lawrence College has been named national women’s college basketball coach of the year. He received the award Wednesday night on the eve of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association championship tournament in Nanaimo, B.C.

Simpson has taken the Vikings to the Ontario tournament three of his four years as varsity coach. The team had its best campaign this year, a 15-1 regular season that left them in first place in the OCAA’s East division and a No. 3 national ranking by the end of the year.

At the provincial tournament, the Vikings finished fourth for the third year in a row.

St. Lawrence athletics director Herb Steacy said Simpson dedicates countless hours to the women’s basketball program. “Between the practices, meetings, road trips and recruiting, he has elevated the program to a new height and we are very proud of his accomplishment,” Steacy wrote, in a release.

Mireille Beland, national women’s basketball convenor, wrote that under Simpson’s leadership, the Vikings program could soon grow into a national contender.

“Under coach Simpson, the Vikings have made great progress,” she wrote on the national association’s web site.

Simpson is the first St. Lawrence coach in more than 20 years to receive national recognition. Diana Drury was named CCAA women’s soccer coach of the year in 1992.