From CBI to NIT to Sweet Sixteen, head coach Dana Altman has engineered a meteoric rise for Oregon men’s basketball.

On Saturday, Altman’s hard work was recognized when the Crete, Neb., native was named the 2013 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year during an end-of-the-year awards banquet during Atlanta’s Final Four festivities.

The Ducks notched a 28-9 record this year, the program’s third under Altman, despite being picked to finish seventh in the conference’s media poll. Oregon played its best ball at the end of the season, racing to the Pac-12 title and into the NCAA Tournament as a 12 seed.

After upsetting both Oklahoma State and Saint Louis to reach the Sweet Sixteen, the Ducks lost to overall No. 1 seed Louisville. The Cardinals clinched a spot in the national championship Saturday night with a win over Wichita State.

Altman is also the first Oregon head coach to post three-straight 20-win seasons since legendary coach Howard Hobson led the “Tall Firs” to Oregon’s first and only national championship more than 70 years ago.