George Nessman
Encyclopedia
George Nessman is an American
college basketball
coach and the current head men's basketball coach at San José State University
. Nessman coached at the high school and community college levels before becoming an assistant basketball coach for University of California, Berkeley
.
, Nessman also has two master's degrees: one from San Francisco State University
(1988, education) and another from Saint Mary's College of California
(1995, physical education and recreation). Nessman began coaching at the high school level after graduating from Berkeley: from 1981 to 1984, he coached cross country running
and track and field
at Salesian High School
in Richmond, California
. Then until 1993, he coached varsity basketball at De La Salle High School
in Concord, California
. The De La Salle basketball team under Nessman had a 155-48 record, one section and five conference championships, and four appearances in the NorCal tournament. Jon Barry
and Brent Barry
, the sons of Rick Barry
who would later play in the National Basketball Association
, played at De La Salle under Nessman.
level. From 1993 to 2001, Nessman coached basketball at Porterville College
. During his eight seasons there, the team went 183-72, including a 33-4 state championship season in 2000, when Nessman was named California Community College Coach of the Year. Porterville had a 40-game win streak from January 2000 to February 2001. Nessman left the coaching position to become an academic advisor for athletics from 2001 to 2002 and then became head basketball coach of Bakersfield College
for two years until 2004. Bakersfield went 26-32 under Nessman.
Nessman returned to his alma mater UC Berkeley for the 2004-2005 to be an assistant coach and recruiter for the basketball team. San Jose State University appointed Nessman as head coach in March 2005, and Nessman is the only WAC coach with two master's degrees. The San Jose State Spartans finished the 2004-2005 season with a 6-23 overall record under coach Phil L. Johnson
. Nessman's first season was the first time the Spartans signed a player from a San Francisco Bay Area
high school in 21 years. The Spartans finished 2005-2006, Nessman's first season, 6-25 (2-14 in Western Athletic Conference
play), and Nessman signed three more Bay Area players to the team for the following season. Although SJSU finished 2006-2007 only 5-25 (4-12 WAC), the Spartans followed up with a 13-19 (4-12) record in 2007-2008, the best team record in 14 years.
In 2008-09, Nessman led the Spartans of San Jose State University to the most WAC road victories in eight seasons.
and moved to the Bay Area when he was nine. He graduated from De La Salle High School
in Concord, California
, where he would later coach the varsity basketball team. He and his wife Nancy have four children: Joshua, Veronica, Peter, and John.
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 men's basketball coach at San José State University
San José State University
San Jose State University is a public university located in San Jose, California, United States...
. Nessman coached at the high school and community college levels before becoming an assistant basketball coach for University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
Education and high school coaching career
A 1981 graduate of University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, Nessman also has two master's degrees: one from San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
(1988, education) and another from Saint Mary's College of California
Saint Mary's College of California
Saint Mary's College of California is a private, coeducational college located in Moraga, California, United States, a small suburban community about east of Oakland and 20 miles east of San Francisco. It has a 420-acre campus in the Moraga hills. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church...
(1995, physical education and recreation). Nessman began coaching at the high school level after graduating from Berkeley: from 1981 to 1984, he coached cross country running
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
and track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
at Salesian High School
Salesian High School (Richmond, California)
Salesian High School is a coeducational Roman Catholic preparatory high school in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland. The school's patron saint is Saint John Bosco, the Italian founder of the Salesian order. The school's motto is "Loyalty - Excellence"...
in Richmond, California
Richmond, California
Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was incorporated on August 7, 1905. It is located in the East Bay, part of the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a residential inner suburb of San Francisco, as well as the site of heavy industry, which has been...
. Then until 1993, he coached varsity basketball at De La Salle High School
De La Salle High School (Concord, California)
De La Salle High School is a Roman Catholic Private school for boys in Concord, California, United States. Located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland, the school was founded in 1965 as a Lasallian institution. De La Salle currently enrolls just over 1,000 students, and roughly 99% of each...
in Concord, California
Concord, California
Concord is the largest city in Contra Costa County, California, USA. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 122,067. Originally founded in 1869 as the community of Todos Santos by Salvio Pacheco, the name was changed to Concord within months...
. The De La Salle basketball team under Nessman had a 155-48 record, one section and five conference championships, and four appearances in the NorCal tournament. Jon Barry
Jon Barry
Jon Alan Barry is an American former basketball player and current television analyst for ABC and ESPN.-Biography:Barry is the son of Hall of Famer Rick Barry, and has three brothers: Scooter, Drew, and Brent, all of whom are also basketball players. Jon played his high school basketball at De La...
and Brent Barry
Brent Barry
Brent Robert Barry is an American former professional basketball player. The , shooting guard was selected out of Oregon State University by the Denver Nuggets with the 15th overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft, but was traded shortly after to the Los Angeles Clippers.Barry played professionally...
, the sons of Rick Barry
Rick Barry
Richard Francis Dennis Barry III , better known as Rick Barry, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is considered by many veteran basketball observers to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time as a result of his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision,...
who would later play in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
, played at De La Salle under Nessman.
College coaching career
Next, Nessman coached basketball at the community collegeCommunity college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
level. From 1993 to 2001, Nessman coached basketball at Porterville College
Porterville College
Porterville College, established in 1927, is a community college located in Porterville, California.-External links:**...
. During his eight seasons there, the team went 183-72, including a 33-4 state championship season in 2000, when Nessman was named California Community College Coach of the Year. Porterville had a 40-game win streak from January 2000 to February 2001. Nessman left the coaching position to become an academic advisor for athletics from 2001 to 2002 and then became head basketball coach of Bakersfield College
Bakersfield College
Bakersfield College is a public community college located in Bakersfield, California, USA. Bakersfield College has an official Twitter account at @bcrenegades and an official...
for two years until 2004. Bakersfield went 26-32 under Nessman.
Nessman returned to his alma mater UC Berkeley for the 2004-2005 to be an assistant coach and recruiter for the basketball team. San Jose State University appointed Nessman as head coach in March 2005, and Nessman is the only WAC coach with two master's degrees. The San Jose State Spartans finished the 2004-2005 season with a 6-23 overall record under coach Phil L. Johnson
Phil L. Johnson
Phil Johnson is an American college basketball coach. He is currently an assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Southern California. He previously served as the head coach at San Jose State on two separate occasions.-References:...
. Nessman's first season was the first time the Spartans signed a player from a San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
high school in 21 years. The Spartans finished 2005-2006, Nessman's first season, 6-25 (2-14 in Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
play), and Nessman signed three more Bay Area players to the team for the following season. Although SJSU finished 2006-2007 only 5-25 (4-12 WAC), the Spartans followed up with a 13-19 (4-12) record in 2007-2008, the best team record in 14 years.
In 2008-09, Nessman led the Spartans of San Jose State University to the most WAC road victories in eight seasons.
Personal life
George Nessman was born in Stamford, ConnecticutStamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
and moved to the Bay Area when he was nine. He graduated from De La Salle High School
De La Salle High School (Concord, California)
De La Salle High School is a Roman Catholic Private school for boys in Concord, California, United States. Located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland, the school was founded in 1965 as a Lasallian institution. De La Salle currently enrolls just over 1,000 students, and roughly 99% of each...
in Concord, California
Concord, California
Concord is the largest city in Contra Costa County, California, USA. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 122,067. Originally founded in 1869 as the community of Todos Santos by Salvio Pacheco, the name was changed to Concord within months...
, where he would later coach the varsity basketball team. He and his wife Nancy have four children: Joshua, Veronica, Peter, and John.