Fran McCaffery
Encyclopedia
Fran McCaffery is an American
college basketball
coach and the current men's head basketball coach at the University of Iowa
. He is the former head of the Siena
men's basketball program. He previously served as head coach of Lehigh University
and UNC Greensboro
. McCaffery played college basketball for one season at Wake Forest
before transferring to Penn
. In his playing days, he acquired the nickname of "White Magic". He began his college coaching career with a stint at Penn as an assistant coach. McCaffery became an assistant coach at Lehigh in 1983. He was the youngest head coach in Division I when he was promoted to head coach in 1985. Following his career at Lehigh, McCaffery spent 11 years as an assistant at Notre Dame
. In 1999, he became the head coach of the UNC Greensboro Spartans
. McCaffery had a 90–87 record through six seasons. He led the Spartans to the Southern Conference
Championship and the NCAA Tournament in 2001.
At Siena he maintained a 100% graduation rate for players completing their NCAA eligibility. He was introduced as the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes
on March 29, 2010.
. However, McCaffery guided Siena to a 15–13 record. The team earned several memorable victories in the regular season, including an 82–74 win against cross-town rival Albany
, and an 82–76 triumph at eventual MAAC champion Iona. The Saints clinched a first-round bye in the MAAC tournament with a 98–92 double-overtime victory over Niagara
on the team's senior day. Siena's season ended with a 63–62 loss to St. Peter's in the MAAC quarterfinals.
McCaffery coached three consecutive rookies of the year in their respective leagues. Kyle Hines
won the award in the Southern Conference
in McCaffery's final year in UNC Greensboro. Kenny Hasbrouck
captured the MAAC rookie of the year for the 2005–06 Saints, and Edwin Ubiles shared the award with Canisius' Frank Turner for the 2006–07 season.
at the Times Union Center in Albany
. The win was Siena's first over a ranked opponent since their first-round victory against the Cardinal in the 1989 NCAA tournament. Siena finished the regular season at 19–10 and 13–5. They tied with Rider for first place in the MAAC. The Saints defeated Manhattan, Loyola and Rider on their way to winning the MAAC championship and an automatic NCAA tournament bid. It was the Siena's fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament and their first under the guidance of McCaffery. In March 2008, the 13th seeded Saints soundly defeated #4 Vanderbilt 83–62 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in the Midwest Region. Siena's season ended one game short of the sweet sixteen in an 84–72 loss to 12th seeded Villanova. Siena finished the season at 23–11. It was the most wins for a Siena team since the 1999-2000 season.
and Cornell
. However, the team lost three straight games to Tennessee
, Wichita State
and Oklahoma State in the Old Spice Classic. McCaffery regrouped his team and guided Siena to victories in 25 of their final 30 games. Siena won games against St. Joe's
, Northern Iowa
, Albany and Buffalo along the way. Siena's 16 MAAC wins tied a league record for regular season wins. Siena would go on to win the MAAC championship (and clinch a second straight NCAA tournament bid) by defeating Canisius, Fairfield and Niagara. McCaffery led the Saints to the most single season wins in their Division I history and earned the 2009 MAAC coach of the year.
In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Siena defeated Ohio State
74–72 in double overtime to reach the round of 32 for the second straight season. The Saints led #1 ranked Louisville
63–59 midway into the 2nd half before losing 79–72 to end their season at 27–8. Siena finished ranked 28th in the final ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, the school's highest ranking.
. He was introduced during a press conference and a public ceremony in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 29, 2010.
McCaffery won his first game as head coach at Iowa on November 16, 2010, when the Hawkeyes beat Louisiana Monroe, 68-40. His first conference win with the Hawkeyes came against Indiana in Iowa City on January 23. His first win versus a ranked team as the head coach of Iowa came on March 5, when Iowa defeated #6 Purdue 67-65. That win snapped a 25-game losing steak against ranked opponents for the Hawkeyes.
McCaffery’s wife, Margaret, was a standout women’s basketball player from Saint Paul, Minn., who had actually been recruited by Iowa out of high school. She had an outstanding college career playing at The University of Notre Dame
.
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 men's head basketball coach at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
. He is the former head of the Siena
Siena College
Siena College is an independent Roman Catholic liberal arts college in Loudonville, in the town of Colonie, New York, United States. Siena is a four-year, coeducational, independent college in the Franciscan tradition, founded by the Franciscan Friars in 1937. It has 3,000 full-time students and...
men's basketball program. He previously served as head coach of Lehigh University
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
and UNC Greensboro
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , also known as UNC Greensboro, is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate, 61 master's and 26...
. McCaffery played college basketball for one season at Wake Forest
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
before transferring to Penn
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. In his playing days, he acquired the nickname of "White Magic". He began his college coaching career with a stint at Penn as an assistant coach. McCaffery became an assistant coach at Lehigh in 1983. He was the youngest head coach in Division I when he was promoted to head coach in 1985. Following his career at Lehigh, McCaffery spent 11 years as an assistant at Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. In 1999, he became the head coach of the UNC Greensboro Spartans
UNC Greensboro Spartans
The intercollegiate athletics program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro reaches as far back as the late 1940s during the days of the WCUNC, with students participating in national golf tournaments in 1948 and the school hosting the national tournaments for women's golf and tennis...
. McCaffery had a 90–87 record through six seasons. He led the Spartans to the Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
Championship and the NCAA Tournament in 2001.
At Siena he maintained a 100% graduation rate for players completing their NCAA eligibility. He was introduced as the head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa Hawkeyes
The Iowa Hawkeyes are the athletics teams that represent the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. The Hawkeyes have varsity teams in 24 sports, 11 for men and 13 for women. The teams participate in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and are members of the...
on March 29, 2010.
2005–2006
In 2005, the Siena Saints were picked to finish last in preseason polls for the Metro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
. However, McCaffery guided Siena to a 15–13 record. The team earned several memorable victories in the regular season, including an 82–74 win against cross-town rival Albany
University at Albany, SUNY
The State University of New York at Albany, also known as University at Albany, State University of New York, SUNY Albany or simply UAlbany, is a public university located in Albany, Guilderland, and East Greenbush, New York, United States; is the senior campus of the State University of New York ...
, and an 82–76 triumph at eventual MAAC champion Iona. The Saints clinched a first-round bye in the MAAC tournament with a 98–92 double-overtime victory over Niagara
Niagara University
Niagara University is a Catholic university in the Vincentian tradition, located in the Town of Lewiston in Niagara County, New York. Originally founded by the Congregation of the Mission in 1856 as Our Lady of Angels Seminary, it became Niagara University in 1883. The University is still run by...
on the team's senior day. Siena's season ended with a 63–62 loss to St. Peter's in the MAAC quarterfinals.
2006–2007
McCaffery guided Siena to a 20–12 record in 2007. The Saints began the season with an 11-10 record. However, the team went on a late-season winning streak and won 9 of 10 games. Season highlights included a 76–75 double-overtime victory over rival Albany. Siena was one of the youngest teams in the conference with five underclassmen. The Saints reached the 2007 MAAC championship game and lost to Niagara 83–79.McCaffery coached three consecutive rookies of the year in their respective leagues. Kyle Hines
Kyle Hines
Kyle Tyrrell Hines is an American former college basketball player for the University of North Carolina Greensboro Spartans and current professional player internationally.-Personal:...
won the award in the Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
in McCaffery's final year in UNC Greensboro. Kenny Hasbrouck
Kenny Hasbrouck
Kenny Hasbrouck is an American basketball player who currently plays for EWE Baskets Oldenburg in Germany. He formerly played at Siena College. The six-foot-three Hasbrouck played point guard, shooting guard, and small forward for the Saints. He was named a co-captain at the start of his junior...
captured the MAAC rookie of the year for the 2005–06 Saints, and Edwin Ubiles shared the award with Canisius' Frank Turner for the 2006–07 season.
2007–2008
On November 17, 2007, McCaffery guided Siena to a 79–67 victory over #20 ranked StanfordStanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
at the Times Union Center in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. The win was Siena's first over a ranked opponent since their first-round victory against the Cardinal in the 1989 NCAA tournament. Siena finished the regular season at 19–10 and 13–5. They tied with Rider for first place in the MAAC. The Saints defeated Manhattan, Loyola and Rider on their way to winning the MAAC championship and an automatic NCAA tournament bid. It was the Siena's fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament and their first under the guidance of McCaffery. In March 2008, the 13th seeded Saints soundly defeated #4 Vanderbilt 83–62 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in the Midwest Region. Siena's season ended one game short of the sweet sixteen in an 84–72 loss to 12th seeded Villanova. Siena finished the season at 23–11. It was the most wins for a Siena team since the 1999-2000 season.
2008–2009
Siena was ranked highly in preseason publications entering the 2008–09 season. The Saints convincingly won their first two games against Boise StateBoise State University
Boise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...
and Cornell
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. However, the team lost three straight games to Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, Wichita State
Wichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
and Oklahoma State in the Old Spice Classic. McCaffery regrouped his team and guided Siena to victories in 25 of their final 30 games. Siena won games against St. Joe's
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
, Northern Iowa
University of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa is a college located in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 120 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral sciences, and graduate college.UNI has...
, Albany and Buffalo along the way. Siena's 16 MAAC wins tied a league record for regular season wins. Siena would go on to win the MAAC championship (and clinch a second straight NCAA tournament bid) by defeating Canisius, Fairfield and Niagara. McCaffery led the Saints to the most single season wins in their Division I history and earned the 2009 MAAC coach of the year.
In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Siena defeated Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
74–72 in double overtime to reach the round of 32 for the second straight season. The Saints led #1 ranked Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
63–59 midway into the 2nd half before losing 79–72 to end their season at 27–8. Siena finished ranked 28th in the final ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, the school's highest ranking.
2009–2010
Siena entered the 2009–10 with the highest expectations in program history. After a slow start, the Saints won 15 straight games and 21 of 23 games to capture the school's third consecutive MAAC tournament championship, defeating Fairfield in overtime 72–65. Siena lost to Purdue 72–64 in the first round of the NCAA tournament to end their season at 27–7. McCaffery was also honored by the national coaches' association as an all-district coach.2010-2011
McCaffery was hired by the University of Iowa on March 28, 2010 to replace Todd LickliterTodd Lickliter
Todd Lickliter is a basketball coach. He was the head coach of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and Butler University Bulldogs men's basketball team. In 2011 he became an assistant coach at Miami .-Early years:...
. He was introduced during a press conference and a public ceremony in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on March 29, 2010.
McCaffery won his first game as head coach at Iowa on November 16, 2010, when the Hawkeyes beat Louisiana Monroe, 68-40. His first conference win with the Hawkeyes came against Indiana in Iowa City on January 23. His first win versus a ranked team as the head coach of Iowa came on March 5, when Iowa defeated #6 Purdue 67-65. That win snapped a 25-game losing steak against ranked opponents for the Hawkeyes.
Head coaching record
Accomplishments
- BCANY (Basketball Coaches Association of New York) Coach of the Year sponsored by New Balance for 2008–09 season.
- 2001 SoConSouthern ConferenceThe Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
Tournament Championship - 2008, 2009 and 2010 MAACMetro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceThe Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the northeastern United States. MAAC teams compete in the NCAA's Division I. Most of the members are Catholic or formerly Catholic institutions; the only exception is the private but secular Rider...
Tournament Championships - 2008, 2009 and 2010 MAAC Regular Season Championships
Personal
McCaffery and his wife Margaret have four children: Sons Connor, Patrick and Jonathan, and a daughter, Marit. McCaffery is actively involved with Coaches vs. Cancer in the Capital Region. The McCafferys are also involved with the Johnson County (Iowa City) Relay For Life. His brother Jack is a sports columnist for the Delaware County (Pa.) Daily Times.McCaffery’s wife, Margaret, was a standout women’s basketball player from Saint Paul, Minn., who had actually been recruited by Iowa out of high school. She had an outstanding college career playing at The University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
.