Billy Lange
Encyclopedia
Billy Lange is an American
college basketball
coach and the current associate head men's basketball
coach at Villanova University
. He was formally head coach at the United States Naval Academy
. He is the son of William Lange, Sr., a history teacher and recently-retired head boys' basketball coach for Lenape High School
in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.
in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey
and then played collegiately at Rowan University
. He started his coaching career with a single season at his alma mater, Bishop Eustace, replacing his father in the role.
at Philadelphia University
. After two seasons with Magee, Lange moved on to Division I ball, going crosstown and earning an assistant coaching job at La Salle University
in 1998. While at La Salle, Lange helped the Explorers earn a 13–15 record during the 1998–99 season before being offered the head job at the United States Merchant Marine Academy
in Kings Point, New York
.
Lange's first two years of collegiate head coaching were extremely successful. In his first season, Lange guided his Mariners to a 1999–2000 Skyline Conference
regular season title and came up a game short in making the Division III NCAA Tournament, losing in the Skyline Conference tournament. However, the squad earned a record of 17–11, including a 13–3 mark in conference. Lange's second year at USMMA, however, would prove to be historic, as his team compiled a 22–8 record, including 15–1 in-conference. The 2000–01 Mariners won both the regular season and conference tournament championships, and made it all the way to the Division III Sweet 16, the first time a USMMA team had ever advanced beyond the first round of the tournament.
Despite his success at the Merchant Marine Academy, Lange was called back to Division I ball when he earned an assistant coaching position at Villanova University
, where he worked from 2001 to 2004. While under head coach Jay Wright
, Lange learned the intangibles of how to win at college basketball's highest level. About Lange, Jay Wright was quoted as saying, "Billy Lange is one of the great young basketball coaches in the country."
Wright was not the only one to notice Lange's talent. Lange earned his first Division I head coaching assignment in 2004 as he became the coach at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland
. Lange inherited a team that had had success in the Patriot League
during the late '90s, but that had gone only 5–23 the previous year. Since beginning at Navy, his teams have consistently earned as many or more wins each consecutive season than the season preceding it. This streak includes the school's first winning season, a 16–14 showing in 2007–08, in seven years.
Along with his coaching duties, Lange has a wife, Alicia, and four sons.
Lange left his post at Navy to rejoin Jay Wright as his associate head coach on May 9, 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach and the current associate head men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach at Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
. He was formally head coach at the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. He is the son of William Lange, Sr., a history teacher and recently-retired head boys' basketball coach for Lenape High School
Lenape High School
Lenape High School is a four-year regional public high school located in Medford Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. It is the oldest of the four high schools that comprise the Lenape Regional High School District, which serves students from Evesham Township, Medford Lakes,...
in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.
High School
Lange played high school basketball at Bishop Eustace Preparatory SchoolBishop Eustace Preparatory School
Bishop Eustace Preparatory School is a coeducational private high school in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey, which was founded in 1954 by the priests and brothers of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate . The school was named after Bishop Bartholomew J...
in Pennsauken Township, New Jersey
Pennsauken Township, New Jersey
Pennsauken Township is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, USA, and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 census, the township population was 35,885....
and then played collegiately at Rowan University
Rowan University
Rowan University is a public university in Glassboro, New Jersey, USA with a satellite campus in Camden, New Jersey. The school was founded in 1923 as Glassboro Normal School on a twenty-five acre tract of land donated by the town...
. He started his coaching career with a single season at his alma mater, Bishop Eustace, replacing his father in the role.
Coaching career
In 1996, Lange began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant under the legendary Division II coach Herb MageeHerb Magee
Herb Magee , commonly referred to as the Shot Doctor, is a Division II men's college basketball coach at his alma mater, Philadelphia University, known as Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science until 1999. He will be entering his 45th year as head coach and 52nd year as both a player and a...
at Philadelphia University
Philadelphia University
Philadelphia University, founded in 1884, is a private university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Philadelphia University's student body consists of about 3,500 individuals from all 50 states and over 50 countries...
. After two seasons with Magee, Lange moved on to Division I ball, going crosstown and earning an assistant coaching job at La Salle University
La Salle University
La Salle University is a private, co-educational, Roman Catholic university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Named for St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, the school was founded in 1863 by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. As of 2008 the school has approximately 7,554...
in 1998. While at La Salle, Lange helped the Explorers earn a 13–15 record during the 1998–99 season before being offered the head job at the United States Merchant Marine Academy
United States Merchant Marine Academy
The United States Merchant Marine Academy is one of the five United States Service academies...
in Kings Point, New York
Kings Point, New York
Kings Point is a village and a part of Great Neck in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the village population was 5,005.The Village of Kings Point is in the Town of North Hempstead...
.
Lange's first two years of collegiate head coaching were extremely successful. In his first season, Lange guided his Mariners to a 1999–2000 Skyline Conference
Skyline Conference
The Mountain States Conference, also known as the Skyline Conference, was a college athletic conference based in the Western United States. The league was established in 1938 when the seven charter members pulled out of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.From 1938 to 1946, the conference was...
regular season title and came up a game short in making the Division III NCAA Tournament, losing in the Skyline Conference tournament. However, the squad earned a record of 17–11, including a 13–3 mark in conference. Lange's second year at USMMA, however, would prove to be historic, as his team compiled a 22–8 record, including 15–1 in-conference. The 2000–01 Mariners won both the regular season and conference tournament championships, and made it all the way to the Division III Sweet 16, the first time a USMMA team had ever advanced beyond the first round of the tournament.
Despite his success at the Merchant Marine Academy, Lange was called back to Division I ball when he earned an assistant coaching position at Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, where he worked from 2001 to 2004. While under head coach Jay Wright
Jay Wright (coach)
Jerold Taylor "Jay" Wright, Jr. is an American basketball coach. He is currently the men's coach at Villanova University. He was born in Churchville, Pennsylvania, U.S., and is married to a former Villanova cheerleader...
, Lange learned the intangibles of how to win at college basketball's highest level. About Lange, Jay Wright was quoted as saying, "Billy Lange is one of the great young basketball coaches in the country."
Wright was not the only one to notice Lange's talent. Lange earned his first Division I head coaching assignment in 2004 as he became the coach at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
. Lange inherited a team that had had success in the Patriot League
Patriot League
The Patriot League is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I) for a number of sports; in football, it participates in the Football Championship Subdivision...
during the late '90s, but that had gone only 5–23 the previous year. Since beginning at Navy, his teams have consistently earned as many or more wins each consecutive season than the season preceding it. This streak includes the school's first winning season, a 16–14 showing in 2007–08, in seven years.
Along with his coaching duties, Lange has a wife, Alicia, and four sons.
Lange left his post at Navy to rejoin Jay Wright as his associate head coach on May 9, 2011.