April 2, 2026

OAKLAND’S GREG KAMPE RECIPIENT OF 2026 GENE BARTOW AWARD
Presented annually to a current or former coach for his contributions to the game.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- Oakland’s Greg Kampe is the recipient of the 2026 Gene Bartow award, which is presented annually to a current or former coach for his contributions to the game. It measures a coach’s win-loss record but also the impact he’s made on his players, school, and community.

Greg Kampe just finished his 42nd season at the helm of the Oakland's men's basketball program. He's won 469 games, five regular season championships and made four trips to the NCAA Tournament.

“If Greg Kampe was coaching at a power school, he would be a household name,” said Angela Lento, Vice President of College Insider, Inc. and member of the Gene Bartow award voting panel. “He’s has been one of the best coaches in college basketball for a long time, but beyond the recruiting, player development and in-game adjustments – Coach Kampe is one of the best people in the profession. Greg Kampe is the genuine article.”

Kampe’s 40th season was one of his most successful to date. In 2023-24, he won the first outright Horizon League regular season title in program history. In the Horizon League Tournament, Kampe guided the Golden Grizzlies to victories against Purdue Fort Wayne, Cleveland State and Milwaukee to capture the team’s first Horizon League Tournament Title. In the NCAA Tournament, the No. 14 ranked Golden Grizzlies knocked off the No. 3 ranked Wildcats 80-76.

Kampe has coached dozens of All-League players and is the only coach to produce two Lou Henson National Player of the Year award winners. The award, which is presented annually to the top player in mid-major college basketball, was given to Trey Townsend in 2024 after he helped lead OU to the win over Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament. The inaugural award was presented to Keith Benson in 2011 after he helped lead the Golden Grizz to a second straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

He guided Kay Felder to one of the greatest individual seasons in program history in 2015-16. Felder led the nation in assists (9.3) and ranked fourth in scoring (24.4) en route to being named an AP All-American selection. Kampe also guided NCAA record holder Travis Bader (2010-14) to one of the finest seasons in school history in 2013-14. Bader made a school record 147 3-pointers and finished with an NCAA-best 504 threes made. At the time, he was the NCAA's all-time leader in made three-point field goals

During his lengthy career, Kampe has coached over 30 players who went on to play professionally in the NBA and overseas. Rawle Marshall became the first Oakland player to compete in the NBA, playing with the Dallas Mavericks (2005-06) and Indiana Pacers (2006-07). Keith Benson became the first-ever Golden Grizzly to be drafted as he was selected 48th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2011 NBA Draft and Kendrick Nunn scored 112 points in his first five games to break the record for the most points scored in as many games by an undrafted player.

Off the court, Kampe has dedicated a lot of his free time to charity and non-profit organizations throughout the community. He has helped the American Cancer Society raise over $500,000, spent time as a volunteer coach for eight days at Camp Arifjan-Kuwait leading a military team, helped with Boys and Girls Club of America, raised awareness for the Oakland County Shelter for Women in Need, and spends countless hours with Beyond Basics, education of inner city kids.

For his efforts in the local community, Coach Kampe was named the 2016 Sparky Anderson Community Excellence Award by the CATCH organization. This award, named after the late CATCH Founder Sparky Anderson, is presented to an individual who has excelled in their professional field, while making a significant impact with charities throughout the community.

Kampe joined the Oakland University team in 1984 after spending six seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Toledo. Oakland had only six winning seasons in 16 years of competition before his arrival. In his third season Oakland went 20-8. He went on to lead the program to four consecutive NCAA Regionals, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen in 1997, ending with a then school record 24-7 mark.

After a successful run at the Division II level, Oakland made the jump to division I for the 1999-2000 season. In his first season he led the Golden Grizz to the Mid-Continent Conference regular season title, which broke Valparaiso's run of five straight championships.

At the conclusion of the season he was named the CollegeInsider.com National Coach of the Year.

The Gene Bartow award is named in honor of a legendary coach who compiled a 647-353 record, and is one of only 17 coaches in division I college basketball history to take multiple teams to the Final Four.

In four seasons at Memphis State, Bartow averaged over 20 wins per season and led the Tigers to the 1973 national title game.

After a one-year stint at Illinois, Bartow was given the unenviable task of following the legendary Coach John Wooden at UCLA. In his first season he guided the Bruins to the Final Four. After just two seasons in Westwood, Bartow left to literally start a new program at the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB).

Seemingly unheard of today, Bartow built the program from scratch and built it into a perennial player in March. He won four Sun Belt tournament and three regular season titles during his 17 years at UAB, leading the program to a 350-193 record and seven consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.

Coach Bartow passed away in 2012 at age 81, following a two-year battle with stomach cancer.

PREVIOUS AWARD WINNERS
Tony Bennett, Virginia (2025); Jim Larranaga, Miami (2024); Jerry Wainwright, UNCW (2023); Roy Williams, North Carolina (2022); Anthony Stewart, UT Martin (2021); Tim Cluess, Iona (2020); Fran Dunphy, Temple (2019); Ron Hunter, Georgia State (2018); Pat Skerry, Towson (2017); Phil Martelli, Saint Joseph's (2016); Fran O'Hanlon, Lafayette (2015); Cliff Ellis, Coastal Carolina (2014); Bob Thomason, Pacific (2013).

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NOTE: Portions of the press release came from Oakland University releases.