ATLANTA, Ga. - Wendie Austin-Robinson of Centre College was named the 2012 RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA Division III Region 5 Coach-of-the-Year, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association office announced today.

Austin-Robinson earned SCAC Coach-of-the-Year honors following No. 23 Centre's conference championship victory and 24-3 regular season record – the highest winning percentage in the program's history. In her 12th year as head coach of her alma mater, Austin-Robinson took her team to the third round of the 2012 NCAA DIII National Tournament.

Austin-Robinson, along with the other seven regional winners and the head coaches of this weekend's Final Four teams, are finalists for the 2012 RUSSELL ATHLETIC/WBCA NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year award. The winner will be announced during the second annual WBCA Awards Show on Monday, April 2, in Denver. This event is part of the WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women's Final Four®.

"The WBCA congratulates these coaches on being named finalists for this year's Division III Coach of the Year award," said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. "Each coach was selected by their peers and is deserving of this honor for their terrific seasons. On behalf of the WBCA and its members, I wish all five of these finalists the best of luck at the WBCA Awards Show in Denver."

"Russell Athletic believes in the 'Power of Team' and no team can be successful without a powerful leader," said Executive Vice President Gary Barfield. "Russell Athletic is pleased to honor the coaches nominated for Coach of the Year and applaud their successes."

RUSSELL ATHLETIC and the WBCA present the national coach of the year award annually in each of the five WBCA membership divisions (NCAA Divisions I, II and III; NAIA; junior/community college and high school). This marks the 30th year the award has been presented, which has been selected by the WBCA since 1985.