Chuck Driesell
Encyclopedia
Chuck Driesell is an American
college basketball
coach and the current head coach for The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. Driesell previously served as an assistant coach under Gary Williams
at the University of Maryland
and spent six seasons as head coach at Marymount University
. He is the son of former Maryland
coach Lefty Driesell
, and played for his father's team in college.
, the son of college basketball coach Charles "Lefty" Driesell
. As a child, Chuck was a water boy
and ball boy
while his father served as the long-time head basketball coach at Maryland
. Lefty Driesell coach there from 1969 to 1986 and invented the "Midnight Madness
" rally.
Chuck attended the University of Maryland
himself, and played on the basketball team coached by his father as a shooting guard
from 1981 to 1985. Driesell participated in four postseason tournaments (one NIT and three NCAA) and was also a member of the 1984 Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC) championship team. Driesell received Academic All-American honors and made the ACC Honor Roll three years. He graduated in 1985 with a bachelor's degree
in business marketing
.
and attained the rank of lieutenant. He coached the Naval Academy Preparatory School
(NAPS) from 1985 to 1988 and compiled a 40–29 record. In 1989, he joined his father, Lefty, as the associate head coach at . He coached there until 1994, and during that time, the Dukes won five consecutive outright or shared Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) regular-season championships, which was a NCAA record at the time. James Madison participated in the 1994 NCAA tournament
, where they were eliminated in the first round by third-seeded Florida
, an eventual semifinalist team.
From 1997 to 2003, Driesell was the head coach at Marymount University
, a Division III basketball team in Arlington, Virginia. In 1999, he also assumed the role of assistant athletic director
. During his six-year tenure as head coach, the Saints compiled an 88–72 record, and secured the 2000 Capital Athletic Conference
tournament championship and the team's first-ever bid to the NCAA Division III tournament. During the 2003–04 season, he worked at Georgetown as the Hoyas' recruiting coordinator and an assistant coach. From 2004 to 2006, he was the head coach of the Bishop Ireton High School
basketball team.
In 2006, Driesell was hired by Gary Williams
as an assistant coach at the University of Maryland, the alma mater of both men. Williams said Driesell was hired strictly on his merits, and said, "Chuck was hired based on what he was as a basketball coach. Naturally genes don't hurt, but I wouldn't hire someone just because he is someone's son if I didn't think he was a very good basketball coach." Driesell replaced Rob Moxley who left for a position at the UNC Charlotte
. Driesell served as Maryland's lead recruiting coordinator and was the assistant coach responsible for "advance scouting, player development, and game preparation."
On April 28, 2010, Driesell was hired as head coach of The Citadel
. He replaced Ed Conroy, who had left for Tulane
.
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 head coach for The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. Driesell previously served as an assistant coach under Gary Williams
Gary Williams
Gary B. Williams is an American university administrator and former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland, Ohio State University, Boston College, and American University. In 2002, he led Maryland to the NCAA Tournament Championship...
at the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
and spent six seasons as head coach at Marymount University
Marymount University
Marymount University is a coeducational, four-year Catholic university that has its main campus located in Arlington, Virginia. Marymount offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in a wide range of disciplines and has a diverse and welcoming academic community with approximately 3,600...
. He is the son of former Maryland
Maryland Terrapins men's basketball
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
coach Lefty Driesell
Lefty Driesell
Charles Grice "Lefty" Driesell is an American former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland, Davidson College, James Madison University, and Georgia State University. During his 41-year coaching career, Driesell led teams from each school to the NCAA...
, and played for his father's team in college.
Early life and college
Driesell was born and raised in Silver Spring, MarylandSilver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
, the son of college basketball coach Charles "Lefty" Driesell
Lefty Driesell
Charles Grice "Lefty" Driesell is an American former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland, Davidson College, James Madison University, and Georgia State University. During his 41-year coaching career, Driesell led teams from each school to the NCAA...
. As a child, Chuck was a water boy
Water boy
In the USA, a water boy is someone who works on the sidelines and provides water or other drinks to athletes. Also known to wear number 00....
and ball boy
Ball Boy
Ball Boy is a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano and also the name of the main character. It first appeared in issue 1735, dated 18 October 1975. It features a five-a-side football team that includes:* Ball Boy - the captain of the team, Ball Boy bears resemblances to The Dandy's Owen Goal...
while his father served as the long-time head basketball coach at Maryland
Maryland Terrapins men's basketball
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
. Lefty Driesell coach there from 1969 to 1986 and invented the "Midnight Madness
Midnight Madness (basketball)
Midnight Madness is an annual event on college campuses that celebrates the first day in mid-October that the National Collegiate Athletic Association permits formal basketball practices each college basketball season. In some cases, the name has literal meaning since an event is scheduled...
" rally.
Chuck attended the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
himself, and played on the basketball team coached by his father as a shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
from 1981 to 1985. Driesell participated in four postseason tournaments (one NIT and three NCAA) and was also a member of the 1984 Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
(ACC) championship team. Driesell received Academic All-American honors and made the ACC Honor Roll three years. He graduated in 1985 with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in business marketing
Business marketing
Business Marketing is the practice of individuals, or organizations, including commercial businesses, governments and institutions, facilitating the sale of their products or services to other companies or organizations that in turn resell them, use them as components in products or services they...
.
Coaching career
After college, Driesell served three years in the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and attained the rank of lieutenant. He coached the Naval Academy Preparatory School
Naval Academy Preparatory School
The Naval Academy Preparatory School, or NAPS is the preparatory school for the United States Naval Academy. NAPS is located on a hill at Naval Station Newport, RI. The mission of the school is "To enhance Midshipman Candidates' moral, mental, and physical foundations to prepare them for success...
(NAPS) from 1985 to 1988 and compiled a 40–29 record. In 1989, he joined his father, Lefty, as the associate head coach at . He coached there until 1994, and during that time, the Dukes won five consecutive outright or shared Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) regular-season championships, which was a NCAA record at the time. James Madison participated in the 1994 NCAA tournament
1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1994 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1994, and ended with the championship game on April 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, where they were eliminated in the first round by third-seeded Florida
Florida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
, an eventual semifinalist team.
From 1997 to 2003, Driesell was the head coach at Marymount University
Marymount University
Marymount University is a coeducational, four-year Catholic university that has its main campus located in Arlington, Virginia. Marymount offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in a wide range of disciplines and has a diverse and welcoming academic community with approximately 3,600...
, a Division III basketball team in Arlington, Virginia. In 1999, he also assumed the role of assistant athletic director
Athletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
. During his six-year tenure as head coach, the Saints compiled an 88–72 record, and secured the 2000 Capital Athletic Conference
Capital Athletic Conference
The Capital Athletic Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Member institutions are located in the eastern United States in the states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Delaware....
tournament championship and the team's first-ever bid to the NCAA Division III tournament. During the 2003–04 season, he worked at Georgetown as the Hoyas' recruiting coordinator and an assistant coach. From 2004 to 2006, he was the head coach of the Bishop Ireton High School
Bishop Ireton High School
Bishop Ireton High School is a Roman Catholic High School located in Alexandria, Virginia. The school was founded in 1964 by the Oblates of St. Francis DeSales, an order of Catholic priests sometimes called Salesians, and originally admitted only male students...
basketball team.
In 2006, Driesell was hired by Gary Williams
Gary Williams
Gary B. Williams is an American university administrator and former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Maryland, Ohio State University, Boston College, and American University. In 2002, he led Maryland to the NCAA Tournament Championship...
as an assistant coach at the University of Maryland, the alma mater of both men. Williams said Driesell was hired strictly on his merits, and said, "Chuck was hired based on what he was as a basketball coach. Naturally genes don't hurt, but I wouldn't hire someone just because he is someone's son if I didn't think he was a very good basketball coach." Driesell replaced Rob Moxley who left for a position at the UNC Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte , also known as UNC Charlotte or simply Charlotte, is a public research university located in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States...
. Driesell served as Maryland's lead recruiting coordinator and was the assistant coach responsible for "advance scouting, player development, and game preparation."
On April 28, 2010, Driesell was hired as head coach of The Citadel
The Citadel Bulldogs
The Citadel Bulldogs are the athletic teams that represent The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. All sports participate in the NCAA Division I. Varsity sports compete primarily in the Southern Conference, although the Rifle teams compete in the South Eastern Air Rifle Conference...
. He replaced Ed Conroy, who had left for Tulane
Tulane Green Wave
Green Wave, the nickname of the sports teams of Tulane University, was adopted during the 1920 season, after a song titled The Rolling Green Wave was published in Tulane's student newspaper in 1920. From 1893 to 1919, the athletic teams of Tulane were known as the Olive and Blue for the official...
.