San Miguel Beermen head coach Leo Austria will earn his third straight Coach of the Year honor. The recognition will be given by the PBA Press Corps on its 24th Awards Night on Thursday at the Gloria Maris Restaurant at the Araneta Center in Cubao.
For winning the award three straight seasons, Austria will now get to permanently keep the beautifully wood-crafted Virgilio “Baby” Dalupan trophy, named in honor of the late great Maestro of coaching.
The 59-year-old Austria is the first-ever coach achieve the feat since the group of sportswriters from various daily broadsheets, tabloids, and sports websites began handing out the award way back in 1993.
He bested veteran Barangay Ginebra San Miguel counterpart Tim Cone; TNT Katropa’s Nash Racela; and Star Hotshots’ Chito Victolero for the highest individual award, to be given during the formal gathering presented by Cignal TV.
Austria, who played nine seasons in the league from 1985 to 1993, steered San Miguel to the Philippine Cup and Commissioner’s Cup titles, and came just a title short en route to a rare grand slam in the recently-concluded 42nd PBA season.
The native of Sariaya, Quezon has also won a championship for San Miguel in each of his three seasons with the team since coming on board in 2014.
Aside from Austria, five-time Coach of the Year winner Chot Reyes and Perry Ronquillo are the only other individuals in PBA history to win the prestigious Dalupan trophy over two straight seasons or more.
Ronquillo was the first back-to-back winner in 1998 and 1999, before Reyes followed suit in 2002 and 2003.
Likewise, the San Miguel coach is one of seven multi-time winners of the award together, with Reyes (5), Cone (3), Yeng Guiao (2), Jong Uichico (2), Ryan Gregorio (2), and Ronquillo (2).
San Miguel Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer Ramon S. Ang will also have the spotlight on this special night as the recipient of the Executive of the Year award, being held in honor of the late Crispa team owner Danny Floro.
