Each year, the top-ranked team in the season’s final NABC Division I Coaches Poll is awarded the coveted NABC National Championship Trophy. The one-of-a-kind Waterford Crystal trophy is presented to the winning head coach following the Division I National Championship Game. Each national champion proudly displays the NABC National Championship Trophy on campus as a reminder of its place in college basketball history.
The NABC National Championship Trophy was first awarded in the 1990-91 season. Since its inception, the trophy has been produced by the Blackdog Group. The hand-blown trophy, which is cut and polished in Waterford, Ireland, is individually made and takes three months to create. The base of the trophy is a propriety material, Foxite, made by Bruce Fox, Inc. The trophy is three pieces: crystal ball, crystal support and base.