COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic Committee today announced the finalists for its National, Developmental, Volunteer and Paralympic Coach of the Year honors. Finalists were also named for the “Doc” Counsilman Science Award.

U.S. Olympic and Pan American sports organizations selected their 2006 Coaches of the Year as part of the USOC Coach of the Year Recognition Program. The finalists in each category were selected by a panel of former coaches and officials.

Finalists for the USOC National Coach of the Year are Steve Fraser (Colorado Springs, Colo./USA Wrestling), Clyde Hart (Waco, Texas/USA Track & Field), Bud Keene (Stowe, Vt./U.S. Ski and Snowboard), Ryan Shimabukuro (Layton, Utah/U.S. Speedskating) and Andy Sparks (Temecula, Calif./USA Cycling).

The Developmental Coach of the Year finalists are John Hynes (Ann Arbor, Mich./USA Hockey), Frank Madden (Colts Neck, N.J./U.S. Equestrian), Mark Mitchell and Peter Johansson (Wellesley, Mass./U.S. Figure Skating), Jhonny Prado (Coral Springs, Fla./USA Judo) and Bill Rose (Mission Viejo, Calif./USA Swimming).

Finalists for the title of Volunteer Coach of the Year are Tom Barker (Victoria, Texas/USA Archery), Jack Kelly (Westport, Conn./U.S. Field Hockey), Patrick Barry (Las Vegas, Nev./USA Boxing), Chuck Slaughter (Amarillo, Texas/U.S. Fencing) and Booker Woods (Los Angeles, Calif./USA Track & Field).

The three finalists for Paralympic Coach of the Year are James Gumbert (Austin, Texas/wheelchair rugby), Ron Lykins (Stillwater, Minn./wheelchair basketball) and Julie O’Neill (Colorado Springs, Colo./swimming).

The "Doc" Counsilman Award recognizes those coaches that utilize scientific techniques and/or equipment as an integral part of his or her coaching methods, or has created innovative ways to use sport science. This year's finalists include: Brian Shimer (Naples, Fla./U.S. Bobsled & Skeleton), Dr. Andrew Coggan (Ballwin, Mo./USA Cycling), Kat Arbour (Philadelphia, Pa./U.S. Figure Skating), Wolfgang Schaedler (Lake Placid, N.Y./USA Luge), and Dave Ellis (Colorado Springs, Colo./USA Hockey).

USOC National Coach of the Year Finalist Bios

As National Greco-Roman Coach, Steve Fraser coached the U.S. to its best-ever performance at the 2006 World Championships in Guangzhou, China. The team placed third in the final standings, with three medalists, matching the best effort of any previous U.S. World Team. Included was only the fifth Greco-Roman World champion ever, Joe Warren, plus bronze medalists Lindsey Durlacher and Harry Lester. All seven wrestlers placed in the top 12 of their weight class. Fraser won a gold medal at 90 kg (198 lbs.) at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, becoming the first U.S. wrestler to ever win an Olympic gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Clyde Hart coached Sanya Richards and Jeremy Wariner to undefeated seasons in 2006 in the women’s and men’s 400 meters, respectively, as his athletes dominated the world. Both athletes won a share of the IAAF Golden League Jackpot for winning all six prestigious Golden League meets and were named the Jesse Owens Award winners by USATF as the top track athletes of the year. In 43 years as coach at Baylor University, Hart has coached 29 national champions (14 individual and 15 relay) and 475 All-America performances and 118 women's All-Americans. His men's 4x400-meter relay teams have earned outdoor All-America status for 25 consecutive years and captured 14 NCAA titles. Hart's teams have turned in 10 World-record performances (nine individual and one relay) and nine NCAA record efforts.

Bud Keene has been the head coach of the U.S. Snowboarding Halfpipe program since 2003 and has continued to build on the success and domination that U.S. riders established during the 2002 Olympic Games. Under his direction, U.S. Snowboarders captured