John Beilein
Encyclopedia
John Beilein is an American
college basketball
coach and current men's basketball
head coach at the University of Michigan
. He is the 16th head coach of the Michigan Wolverines
. The 2010–11 season
was his fourth at Michigan, with whom he has a six-year contract. Following the 2010-11 season, Beilein has won 543 career games (including games that were not at the Division I level, but excluding junior college games). He has previously coached the West Virginia Mountaineers
(2002–2007), Richmond Spiders
(1997–2002), Canisius College Golden Griffins (1992–1997) in Division I as well as Le Moyne College
(1983–1992), Nazareth College
(1982–1983) and Erie Community College
(1978–1982).
Beilein is the only active collegiate coach to have achieved 20-win seasons at four different levels—junior college
, NAIA
, NCAA
Division II and NCAA Division I. He has been recognized as Coach of the Year four times: in 1981 at Erie Community College, in 1988 at LeMoyne, in 1994 at Canisius, and in 1998 at Richmond. In addition, Beilein was the seventh of only eight coaches in history (along with Lefty Driesell
, Jim Harrick
, Lon Kruger
, Rick Pitino
, Tubby Smith
, Eddie Sutton
and later Tom Penders
) to have taken four different schools to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Tournament
.
Beilein's first Division I head coaching position was at Canisius, a hometown school of which he had been a fan. He turned around the school's losing program and helped it earn two National Invitation Tournament
(NIT) and one NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Tournament invitation in five years. Then at Richmond he reached the NIT twice in five years. In five years at West Virginia, his teams twice advanced several rounds in the NCAA tournament and twice went to the NIT, including one championship. At Michigan, the school reached the NCAA tournament for the first time in over a decade. He has a 13–6 record in the NIT and a 8–6 record in the NCAA tournament.
, New York. He went on to attend Wheeling College (now Wheeling Jesuit University
) where he competed on the school's basketball team from 1971–1975 and served as team captain during the 1974–1975 season. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1975. After graduating, Beilein returned to Western New York where he began his coaching career at Newfane High School in 1975. He remained there for three years. Beilein went on to earn a Master of Science degree in education from Niagara University
in 1981.
for the 1982–1983 school year, and Le Moyne College from 1983 to 1992. Le Moyne was a Division II contestant in the Mideast Collegiate Conference (MCC). Beilein first applied to coach Division I basketball at Canisius in 1987, but he was not hired. During his time at Le Moyne, he held annual coaching clinics that welcomed coaches and athletes. Beilein was named the 1988 MCC Coach of the Year, when his team finished as Co-League Champions with a 21–5 regular season record and number 14 national ranking. The team tied with Gannon University
with an 8–2 conference record. Although it was Beilein's third 20-win team at Le Moyne, they had never gone to the NCAA tournament before. The team captured the conference post-season tournament after receiving a first round bye. As the number three seed, they faced the number one seeded California University of Pennsylvania
in the NCAA Division II Eastern Regionals. They lost their first round game to fall to a 23–6 record, but won the consolation game against Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
.
The MCC disbanded following the 1990–1991 season. In Beilein's final season at Le Moyne, the team was an independent team
unaffiliated with a conference. The team was scheduled to join the New England Collegiate Conference
for the 1992–1993 season. After his first application for the job at Canisius, Beilein had tried to land other Division I jobs at schools such as Colgate University
, where he had been a finalist in 1989. In 1992, he was finally hired to a Division I post at Canisius.
as head coach for the 1992–93 season, and was able for the first time to hire assistant coaches. A Western New York native, he had grown up a Canisius basketball fan because his uncle, Joe Niland, had been a former player and coach there. At Canisius—his first Division I coaching position—Beilein reached the NCAA Tournament once and the NIT twice in his five seasons.
In his first two seasons at Canisius, Beilein turned a last place 1991–92 squad into a 1993–94 team that recorded the first undefeated home schedule (15–0) in the school's modern era. The team entered the 1994 MAAC Tournament on a 15-game winning streak, and Beilein earned Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Coach of the Year. Beilein's number one seeded Canisius team lost in the second round semi-final contest against and thus failed to make the 1994 NCAA Tournament
. Although Canisius failed to be invited to participate in the NCAA tournament, Canisius was invited, along with two other schools from the MAAC, to the NIT tournament, and it was matched up against a taller, more experienced team. The eventual 1994 NIT
champion Villanova prevailed in a 103–79 victory over Canisius in the first round.
During the 1994–95 season, the Golden Griffins were led by the team's first MAAC Player of the Year, senior Craig Wise. In the first round of the MAAC tournament, a pair of future Michigan Wolverine coaches opposed each other when Canisius met Loyola, coached by Brian Ellerbe
. Canisius won and reached the MAAC semi-final for the fifth time in six years. The team lost in the semis for the third straight season, and it continued its record of never having won the conference tournament. Canisius earned the team's first post-season victory in 32 years against . A pair of subsequent wins enabled Canisius to earn a trip to the semifinals of the 1995 NIT
at Madison Square Garden
. Canisius lost in the semifinals against by a 71–59 despite a school postseason record 32 points from Wise. Canisius lost the consolation game against . The three wins and two losses enabled Beilein to even up his NIT career record at 3–3.
In 1995–96, the team also was led by a MAAC Player of the Year, Darrell Barley. Beilein coached the 16–10 (7–7 MAAC) team to the conference tournament championship to earn a birth in the 1996 NCAA Tournament
despite the absence of the injured Barley for the tournament. Canisius earned a thirteen seed and matchup against the fourth-seeded in the team's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1957. Utah defeated Canisius in the game, 72–43.
In Beilein's final season coaching Canisius, the Golden Griffins were the top defensive team in the MAAC. The team's season ended in the conference tournament finals. After the 1996–97 season, Beilein interviewed with the University of Richmond
.
. There, he compiled a 100–53 record in five seasons, recording a winning record each season, and again reached the NCAA tournament once, where his 14th-seeded team upset third-seeded and nationally ranked . His teams also reached the NIT twice.
During the 1997–98 season, A third Beilein player was named conference player of the year in six seasons when Jarod Stevenson was named Colonial Athletic Association
(CAA) Player of the Year. The posted its first winning season since 1993. The Spiders entered the 1998 CAA tournament as the third seed in the nine-team conference. The team won the tournament, earning the school a 1998 NCAA Tournament
selection, its first NCAA tournament birth since 1991. Beilein won his fourth Coach of the Year award that season. This one was for the Richmond Times-Dispatch
Virginia Coach of the Year. Beilein was selected for the award over Charlie Woollum of William and Mary who beat Beilein for the CAA coach of the year award. During the NCAA Tournament, Richmond, which was seeded 14th upset the South Carolina team in the first round of the tournament. The Spiders lost their second game in the tournament to the team. Beilein's career NCAA tournament record was 1–2.
Beilein relied on a nucleus that included two freshmen and two sophomores after two returning starters were removed from the team for disciplinary reason during the 1998–99 season
. The team finished third in the CAA with a 15-11 (10-6 CAA) record. However, they were upset in the 1999 CAA conference tournament by sixth-seeded cross-town rival .
Richmond again earned the third seed in the conference tournament over the course of the 1999–2000 season. In the 2000 CAA Conference tournament they ousted number-six and number-two . Then with the CAA conference's automatic bid to the 2000 NCAA Tournament
at stake, Richmond lost to fourth seeded in the championship game.
During the 2000–01 season
, Richmond finished the regular season with a 21–6 record, finishing first in the CAA with a 12–4 record. The Spiders won ten of their final eleven games. However, since Richmond was going to change its athletic affiliation from the CAA to the Atlantic 10 the following season, it was ineligible for the 2001 CAA conference tournament. Only one team from the CAA had ever earned an at large bid to the NCAA tournament. The Spiders wound up playing in the 2001 NIT
, where they defeated West Virginia
before losing to Dayton
. With one win and one loss Beilein stayed at .500 in the NIT, at 4–4. At the end of the season, Beilein declined an offer to coach at Rutgers
.
The following year during the 2001–02 season
, Richmond finished in second place of the West Division of the 12-team Atlantic 10 Conference to earn a first-round bye in the 2002 Atlantic 10 Tournament
. In the tournament Richmond won its first two games to advance to the finals where it lost to . During the 2002 NIT
, Richmond defeated , , and before losing to Syracuse in the quarterfinals. This improved Beilein's record to 7–5 in the NIT.
(WVU) of the Big East Conference
. At WVU he posted a 104–60 record over five seasons. In the 2004–05 season
, went 24–11 and reached the "Elite Eight" (fourth round) of the NCAA tournament. The following year, went 22–11 and reached the "Sweet Sixteen" (third round). In 2006–07, Beilein's , despite losing about 80% of their scoring from the previous season, went 27–9 and won the NIT championship.
Prior to 2009, the Big East Tournament
only included the top 12 teams. During the 2002–03 season
, West Virginia qualified for the tournament in their final conference game of the season by beating team to secure 6th place in the western division. The team had improved from 8–20 to finish the regular season at 14–14 (5–11 Big East) under Beilein. The team lost in the first round of the 2003 Big East Tournament
to by a 73–50 margin to end their season.
Following the 2003–04 regular season
, West Virginia qualified for the 2004 Big East Tournament
as the number 10 seed. The team lost its first round match against team by a 65–64 margin on a three point shot with 15 seconds remaining. The team's 15–13 record earned it an invitation to the 2004 NIT
. In the first round of the tournament, the team traveled to play a 22–8 . Despite early foul trouble the team won 65–54 to advance to the second round.
West Virginia defeated in the second game of the tournament by a 79–72 margin. The season ended with a 74–53 loss to in the following game. Beilein's career record in the NIT tournament was 8–6 after this tournament.
In 2004–05
, Beilein's team entered the 2005 Big East Tournament
with a 18–9 record as the eighth seed and as a team on the bubble for the 2005 NCAA Tournament
. The team won its opening-round game against number nine seed Providence 82–59, its second-round game against number one seed 78–72, and its third-round game against number four 78–72. West Virginia lost the conference tournament finals to Syracuse 68–59, but it earned a seven seed in the NCAA tournament against number ten seed of the Missouri Valley Conference
. The loss gave Beilein his fifth loss in as many games against his mentor Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim
, who had helped him acquire each of his first three Division I coaching positions. In the NCAA tournament, West Virginia beat Creighton 63–61 with a defensive stop and fast break dunk in the final five seconds. West Virginia then defeated the number two seed team led by Chris Paul
in double overtime 111–105. In the Sweet Sixteen round, West Virginia defeated Bobby Knight
's number six seeded Texas Tech
65–60. In the elite eight round, they lost in overtime to Rick Pitino's number four seeded , who were led by Taquan Dean
and Larry O'Bannon
93–85. with the three wins Beilein raised his career NCAA record to 4–3.
During the 2005–06 season
, West Virginia won its first eight Big East conference games and entered the top ten in the 2005–06 national rankings in February. It was the first time West Virginia had ranked in the top ten in the Coaches' Poll which had been created in 1993. They were the final unbeaten team in conference play. After the good start, the team lost four of its next five games to fall to 9–4 in conference play. They won their next two games to clinch a first-round bye in the 2006 Big East Tournament
. With seemingly little to play for, they lost their regular season finale to finish with a 20–9 (11–5 Big East) regular season record. West Virginia lost its quarterfinal round game in the conference tournament to , and it earned a number six seed in the 2006 NCAA Tournament
. West Virginia won its opening weekend games against number eleven seed team and the number fourteen seed basketball team by 64–46 and 67–54 margins, respectively. The team then West Virginia lost in the Sweet Sixteen round to the number two seed Texas Longhorns
in a wild finish that saw West Virginia erase a five point deficit in the final fourteen seconds only to lose the game on a buzzerbeater. The two wins helped Beilein raise his NCAA tournament record to 6–4.
During the 2006–07 season, WVU finished the regular season with a 21–8 (9–7 Big East) record to earn the number seven seed in the 2007 Big East Tournament
. In the first round of the tournament, they defeated the number ten seed 92–79 making a Big East Tournament record 17 three point shots. They lost to the second-seeded , 82–71, in double overtime. Their 22–9 record earned them a top seed in the 32-team 2007 NIT
. As the number one seed, West Virginia was able to play its first three games at home where it defeated the 74–50, team 90–77, and 71–60. Before West Virginia started play in the semifinals in New York, rumors started that Beilein would take the Michigan job after the season ended. In the semifinal contest against , they won 63–62 on a last-minute shot by Darris Nichols after recovering from a 14-point second-half deficit. The day before the championship game, Beilein was announced as one of three finalists (along with Kevin Stallings
and Chris Lowery
) for the Michigan Wolverines' head coaching job. In the championship game, WVU defeated 78–73. The five wins raised Beilein's NIT career record to 13–6.
On April 3, 2007, the University of Michigan
announced that it had hired Beilein to fill its coaching vacancy. He replaced Tommy Amaker
, who was fired after failing to reach the NCAA Tournament in his six seasons. Beilein inherited a Big Ten Conference
team that was in the final year of a scholarship reduction due to the involvement of former players in the Ed Martin scandal
, in which NCAA rules had been violated. The team struggled to a 10–22 (5–13) record during the 2007–08 season.
During the 2008–09 season
, Beilein's second at Michigan, the 2008–09 Wolverines
enjoyed several important victories. On November 20, the unranked Wolverines upset #4-ranked UCLA
, recording their first win over a top-five team in eleven years. On December 6, Michigan posted its second consecutive win over a top-five opponent in a rematch against #4 ranked Duke. As a result of the major victories and continuing team success the Wolverines reached the top 25
in the national rankings on December 22, its first appearance since the February 6, 2006. On February 26, Michigan defeated the #16-ranked Purdue
team 87–78, raising its record to 3–4 against ranked opponents on the season. At the conclusion of the 2008–09 Big Ten season
, Michigan was given a seven seed in the 2009 Big Ten Tournament
. A win over Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament on March 12 was the Wolverines' twentieth of the season. With that win, Beilein had achieved a 20-win season at seven different schools, including four at the Division I level (Canisius, Richmond, West Virginia, Michigan). Three days later, Beilein's Wolverines earned a bid to the 2009 NCAA Tournament
, the school's first appearance in 11 years. There, tenth-seeded Michigan defeated the seventh-seeded Clemson Tigers 62–59 in the first round of the South Regional on March 19. In the second round, Michigan lost to the Oklahoma Sooners 73–63. After the tournament Beilein's career record in the NCAA tournament was 7–5.
During the 2009–10 season
, Michigan
earned its first win against a ranked non-conference opponent and its second consecutive win against a ranked opponent on January 17 when it defeated #15 Connecticut
. Michigan finished 15-17 and did not appear in the postseason.
The 2010–11 team
, which did not have a senior on the roster, was not expected to be very successful, projected by the Detroit News to finish 10th in the 11-team conference. The team proved more competitive than anticipated, though it struggled to defeat ranked opponents, defeating only one in eight regular-season attempts. The victory came against Michigan State
who was ranked 25 in one poll and unranked in the other. It was Michigan's first victory at Michigan State's Breslin Center since 1997. All but one loss against a ranked opponent was by single digits. In its first three games against top 10 teams, Michigan lost to #10 Syracuse
by three points on November 26, to #3 Kansas
in overtime
on January 9, and to #2 Ohio State by 4 on January 12. By week 11's poll, which was released on January 17, these were the top three ranked teams in the country in both national polls
and accounted for all the first place votes in the ESPN
/USA Today
Coaches' Poll. Michigan later had a one-point loss against #12 Wisconsin
on February 23. They also had a second single-digit loss to #1 Ohio State in a game where they led at the half. After starting the conference schedule with a 1–6 record the team won 8 of its last 11 games including a pair of games against in-state rival Michigan State to earn its first season sweep against them in 14 years and to finish tied for fourth in the conference with a 9–9 record. The team earned the number four seed in the 2011 Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
, based on the Big Ten tiebreaker. With a win over Illinois in the quarterfinal on March 11, Beilein recorded his second 20-win season at Michigan. It was also his 1,000th game as a head coach.
Michigan earned a #8 seed in the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
, where they deafeated Tennessee
by a 75–45 margin in the first round. During the victory, they established two NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
records: The largest victory margin by an eight seed, and the first team to ever win a tournament game without making a free throw
. Michigan won by its third-largest margin in its NCAA tournament history (second-most if vacated games are excluded), and the game marked the ninth straight time that John Bielien led a team victory in its first game of a postseason tournament (5 NCAA and 4 NIT). The Wolverines advanced to face #1-seeded Duke. Though they trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half, they rallied before falling, 73-71, missing a potential game-tying shot in the final seconds.
Beilein is known for his offensive system, which emphasizes constant motion, passing, back-door cuts, disciplined teamwork, and precision shooting. The offense usually starts out with four players outside the three-point arc, and one player at the top of the key (though at times a post player may operate closer to the basket). From this formation, Beilein's teams not only try to open up space for players to cut to the basket, but also are known for their high number of three-point attempts. On defense, Beilen has become known for employing the 1–3–1 halfcourt zone defense
, which is considered to be an unconventional zone defense
.
When Patrick was a highly recruited high school basketball player, John was restricted by NCAA rules from some normal behaviors regarding his son, such as giving his son's teammates a ride home from practice, talking with his son at a basketball camp or discussing his son's abilities with news media, because the interactions of college coaches with recruits are restricted. The relevant NCAA rules for recruiting (Bylaw article 13) are quite extensive. Beilein had to follow recruiting rules when visiting his son at a basketball camp. According to rule 13.12.1.3 coaches wishing to attend a camp as observers must comply with appropriate recruiting contact and evaluation periods. According to 13.02.3, a contact includes any face-to-face encounter between a prospective student-athlete . . . and an institutional staff member or athletics representative during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting. In short, talking to coaches not employed by a camp is not allowed during the camp, which left Beilein unable to offer his son milk money.
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 current 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...
head coach at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He is the 16th head coach of the Michigan Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines men's basketball
The Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Michigan. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Wolverines play home basketball games at the...
. The 2010–11 season
2010–11 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team represents the University of Michigan during the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team played its home games in Ann Arbor, Michigan at the Crisler Arena, which has a capacity of 13,751, for the forty-fourth consecutive year...
was his fourth at Michigan, with whom he has a six-year contract. Following the 2010-11 season, Beilein has won 543 career games (including games that were not at the Division I level, but excluding junior college games). He has previously coached the West Virginia Mountaineers
West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball
The West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represents West Virginia University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. It is a member of the Big East Conference. West Virginia most recently reached the Final Four of the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, led by...
(2002–2007), Richmond Spiders
Richmond Spiders men's basketball
The Richmond Spiders men's basketball team represents the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia and currently competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference...
(1997–2002), Canisius College Golden Griffins (1992–1997) in Division I as well as Le Moyne College
Le Moyne College
Le Moyne College, named after Simon Le Moyne, is a private, Jesuit college enrolling over 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1946, Le Moyne is the first Jesuit college to be founded as a co-educational institution...
(1983–1992), Nazareth College
Nazareth College (New York)
Nazareth College of Rochester, NY, is a private liberal arts college in Pittsford, New York, a suburb of Rochester.-History:Nazareth was founded in 1924 by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The first class, comprising 25 young women, began their studies in a large mansion on Lake Avenue in Rochester, New...
(1982–1983) and Erie Community College
Erie Community College
Erie Community College is a two-year community college that is part of the 64-campus SUNY system. It is the fourth-largest community college in New York State....
(1978–1982).
Beilein is the only active collegiate coach to have achieved 20-win seasons at four different levels—junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
, NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
, NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division II and NCAA Division I. He has been recognized as Coach of the Year four times: in 1981 at Erie Community College, in 1988 at LeMoyne, in 1994 at Canisius, and in 1998 at Richmond. In addition, Beilein was the seventh of only eight coaches in history (along with 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...
, Jim Harrick
Jim Harrick
Jim Harrick is an American former basketball coach who coached at Pepperdine University, UCLA, the University of Rhode Island and the University of Georgia over a combined total of 23 seasons.-Biography:...
, Lon Kruger
Lon Kruger
Lon Kruger is an American college and professional basketball coach who is currently the men's basketball head coach of the University of Oklahoma. Kruger played college basketball for Kansas State University...
, Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino is an American basketball coach. Since 2001, he has been the head coach at the University of Louisville. He has also served as head coach at Boston University, Providence College and the University of Kentucky, leading that program to the NCAA championship in 1996...
, Tubby Smith
Tubby Smith
Orlando "Tubby" Smith is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the men's basketball head coach at the University of Minnesota...
, Eddie Sutton
Eddie Sutton
Eddie Sutton is an American former college head coach with 36 years of Division I basketball coaching experience at Creighton, Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma State , and the University of San Francisco...
and later Tom Penders
Tom Penders
Tom Penders is a retired college basketball head coach, who last coached from 2004 through 2010 at the University of Houston. He is from Stratford, Connecticut and has a 648-438 career record...
) to have taken four different schools to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
.
Beilein's first Division I head coaching position was at Canisius, a hometown school of which he had been a fan. He turned around the school's losing program and helped it earn two National Invitation Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
(NIT) and one NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship Tournament invitation in five years. Then at Richmond he reached the NIT twice in five years. In five years at West Virginia, his teams twice advanced several rounds in the NCAA tournament and twice went to the NIT, including one championship. At Michigan, the school reached the NCAA tournament for the first time in over a decade. He has a 13–6 record in the NIT and a 8–6 record in the NCAA tournament.
Education
Beilein attended DeSales High School in LockportLockport (city), New York
Lockport is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 21,165 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a set of Erie canal locks within the city. Lockport is the county seat of Niagara County and is surrounded by the town of Lockport...
, New York. He went on to attend Wheeling College (now Wheeling Jesuit University
Wheeling Jesuit University
Wheeling Jesuit University is a private, co-educational Roman Catholic university in the United States. Located in Wheeling, West Virginia, it was founded as Wheeling College in 1954 by the Society of Jesus . Today, Wheeling Jesuit University is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of...
) where he competed on the school's basketball team from 1971–1975 and served as team captain during the 1974–1975 season. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1975. After graduating, Beilein returned to Western New York where he began his coaching career at Newfane High School in 1975. He remained there for three years. Beilein went on to earn a Master of Science degree in education from Niagara University
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...
in 1981.
Early college coaching career
Beilein has never served as an assistant coach; he has held head-coaching positions throughout his career. He served as the coach of Erie Community College from 1978 to 1982, Division III Western New York's Nazareth College in Rochester, New YorkRochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
for the 1982–1983 school year, and Le Moyne College from 1983 to 1992. Le Moyne was a Division II contestant in the Mideast Collegiate Conference (MCC). Beilein first applied to coach Division I basketball at Canisius in 1987, but he was not hired. During his time at Le Moyne, he held annual coaching clinics that welcomed coaches and athletes. Beilein was named the 1988 MCC Coach of the Year, when his team finished as Co-League Champions with a 21–5 regular season record and number 14 national ranking. The team tied with Gannon University
Gannon University
Gannon University is a private, co-educational Catholic university offering associate's, bachelor's, and master's degrees, certificates and doctoral degrees and is located in Erie, Pennsylvania. Gannon University has an alumni base numbering around 31,500. Current enrollment is 4,238.Gannon's...
with an 8–2 conference record. Although it was Beilein's third 20-win team at Le Moyne, they had never gone to the NCAA tournament before. The team captured the conference post-season tournament after receiving a first round bye. As the number three seed, they faced the number one seeded California University of Pennsylvania
California Vulcans
California University of Pennsylvania's intercollegiate sports teams and players are called the "Vulcans" , and participate in the NCAA's Division II in all sports and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference in most sports. The school colors are Red, Black, and White...
in the NCAA Division II Eastern Regionals. They lost their first round game to fall to a 23–6 record, but won the consolation game against Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania , is an American public university located in rural Kutztown, Berks County, Pennsylvania and is one of fourteen schools that comprise the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary...
.
The MCC disbanded following the 1990–1991 season. In Beilein's final season at Le Moyne, the team was an independent team
NCAA Division II independent schools
NCAA Division II independent schools are four-year institutions that field intercollegiate teams in football and other sports, but which are not formally affiliated with any athletic conference.-Full Division II member:...
unaffiliated with a conference. The team was scheduled to join the New England Collegiate Conference
New England Collegiate Conference
The New England Collegiate Conference has been the name of two incarnations of collegiate athletic conferences.-Former Division II conference:...
for the 1992–1993 season. After his first application for the job at Canisius, Beilein had tried to land other Division I jobs at schools such as Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
, where he had been a finalist in 1989. In 1992, he was finally hired to a Division I post at Canisius.
Canisius
During the 1991–92 NCAA Division I season, Canisius compiled an 8–22 record prior to Beilein's arrival. In 1992, Beilein arrived at Canisius CollegeCanisius College
Canisius College is a private Roman Catholic college in Buffalo, New York, United States. The college was founded in 1870 by members of the Society of Jesus from Germany and is named after St. Peter Canisius. The college is one of 28 institutions in the Association of Jesuit Colleges and...
as head coach for the 1992–93 season, and was able for the first time to hire assistant coaches. A Western New York native, he had grown up a Canisius basketball fan because his uncle, Joe Niland, had been a former player and coach there. At Canisius—his first Division I coaching position—Beilein reached the NCAA Tournament once and the NIT twice in his five seasons.
In his first two seasons at Canisius, Beilein turned a last place 1991–92 squad into a 1993–94 team that recorded the first undefeated home schedule (15–0) in the school's modern era. The team entered the 1994 MAAC Tournament on a 15-game winning streak, and Beilein earned Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Metro 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...
Coach of the Year. Beilein's number one seeded Canisius team lost in the second round semi-final contest against and thus failed to make 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...
. Although Canisius failed to be invited to participate in the NCAA tournament, Canisius was invited, along with two other schools from the MAAC, to the NIT tournament, and it was matched up against a taller, more experienced team. The eventual 1994 NIT
1994 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Siena 92, Kansas State 79...
champion Villanova prevailed in a 103–79 victory over Canisius in the first round.
During the 1994–95 season, the Golden Griffins were led by the team's first MAAC Player of the Year, senior Craig Wise. In the first round of the MAAC tournament, a pair of future Michigan Wolverine coaches opposed each other when Canisius met Loyola, coached by Brian Ellerbe
Brian Ellerbe
Brian Hersholt Ellerbe is an American basketball coach, currently an assistant at DePaul.The Seat Pleasant, Maryland native served as head men's basketball coach at Loyola-Maryland from 1994 to 1997, and then at the University of Michigan from 1997 to 2001, where he posted a 62-60 record...
. Canisius won and reached the MAAC semi-final for the fifth time in six years. The team lost in the semis for the third straight season, and it continued its record of never having won the conference tournament. Canisius earned the team's first post-season victory in 32 years against . A pair of subsequent wins enabled Canisius to earn a trip to the semifinals of the 1995 NIT
1995 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Penn State 66, Canisius 62...
at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. Canisius lost in the semifinals against by a 71–59 despite a school postseason record 32 points from Wise. Canisius lost the consolation game against . The three wins and two losses enabled Beilein to even up his NIT career record at 3–3.
In 1995–96, the team also was led by a MAAC Player of the Year, Darrell Barley. Beilein coached the 16–10 (7–7 MAAC) team to the conference tournament championship to earn a birth in the 1996 NCAA Tournament
1996 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1996 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 14, 1996, and ended with the championship game on April 1 at Continental Airlines Arena in...
despite the absence of the injured Barley for the tournament. Canisius earned a thirteen seed and matchup against the fourth-seeded in the team's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1957. Utah defeated Canisius in the game, 72–43.
In Beilein's final season coaching Canisius, the Golden Griffins were the top defensive team in the MAAC. The team's season ended in the conference tournament finals. After the 1996–97 season, Beilein interviewed with the University of Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
.
Richmond
In 1997, Beilein moved to become the coach of the Richmond SpidersRichmond Spiders men's basketball
The Richmond Spiders men's basketball team represents the University of Richmond in Richmond, Virginia and currently competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference...
. There, he compiled a 100–53 record in five seasons, recording a winning record each season, and again reached the NCAA tournament once, where his 14th-seeded team upset third-seeded and nationally ranked . His teams also reached the NIT twice.
During the 1997–98 season, A third Beilein player was named conference player of the year in six seasons when Jarod Stevenson was named Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
(CAA) Player of the Year. The posted its first winning season since 1993. The Spiders entered the 1998 CAA tournament as the third seed in the nine-team conference. The team won the tournament, earning the school a 1998 NCAA Tournament
1998 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1998 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 12, 1998, and ended with the championship game on March 30 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
selection, its first NCAA tournament birth since 1991. Beilein won his fourth Coach of the Year award that season. This one was for the Richmond Times-Dispatch
Richmond Times-Dispatch
The Richmond Times-Dispatch is the primary daily newspaper in Richmond the capital of Virginia, United States, and is commonly considered the "newspaper of record" for events occurring in much of the state...
Virginia Coach of the Year. Beilein was selected for the award over Charlie Woollum of William and Mary who beat Beilein for the CAA coach of the year award. During the NCAA Tournament, Richmond, which was seeded 14th upset the South Carolina team in the first round of the tournament. The Spiders lost their second game in the tournament to the team. Beilein's career NCAA tournament record was 1–2.
Beilein relied on a nucleus that included two freshmen and two sophomores after two returning starters were removed from the team for disciplinary reason during the 1998–99 season
1998–99 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 1998–99 NCAA Division I men's basketball season concluded in the 64-team 1999 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament whose finals were held at Tropicana Field in . The Connecticut Huskies earned their first national championship by defeating the Duke Blue Devils 77–74 on March 29, 1999...
. The team finished third in the CAA with a 15-11 (10-6 CAA) record. However, they were upset in the 1999 CAA conference tournament by sixth-seeded cross-town rival .
Richmond again earned the third seed in the conference tournament over the course of the 1999–2000 season. In the 2000 CAA Conference tournament they ousted number-six and number-two . Then with the CAA conference's automatic bid to the 2000 NCAA Tournament
2000 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2000 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 16, 2000, and ended with the championship game on April 3 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
at stake, Richmond lost to fourth seeded in the championship game.
During the 2000–01 season
2000–01 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2000–01 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 8, 2000, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2001 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 2, 2001 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in...
, Richmond finished the regular season with a 21–6 record, finishing first in the CAA with a 12–4 record. The Spiders won ten of their final eleven games. However, since Richmond was going to change its athletic affiliation from the CAA to the Atlantic 10 the following season, it was ineligible for the 2001 CAA conference tournament. Only one team from the CAA had ever earned an at large bid to the NCAA tournament. The Spiders wound up playing in the 2001 NIT
2001 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Memphis 86, Detroit 71...
, where they defeated West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball
The West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represents West Virginia University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. It is a member of the Big East Conference. West Virginia most recently reached the Final Four of the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, led by...
before losing to Dayton
Dayton Flyers men's basketball
The Dayton Flyers men's basketball team is a college basketball program that competes in NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Ten Conference representing the University of Dayton. They are known for a rivalry with Xavier University, playing for the Blackburn/McCafferty Trophy each year.-History:The...
. With one win and one loss Beilein stayed at .500 in the NIT, at 4–4. At the end of the season, Beilein declined an offer to coach at Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights Men's Basketball team represents Rutgers University and is a NCAA Division I college basketball team, which competes in the Big East Conference...
.
The following year during the 2001–02 season
2001–02 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2001–02 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 9, 2001, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 1, 2002 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia...
, Richmond finished in second place of the West Division of the 12-team Atlantic 10 Conference to earn a first-round bye in the 2002 Atlantic 10 Tournament
2002 Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2002 Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Tournament was played from March 6 to March 9, 2002. The tournament was played at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The winner was named champion of the Atlantic 10 Conference and received an automatic bid to the 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball...
. In the tournament Richmond won its first two games to advance to the finals where it lost to . During the 2002 NIT
2002 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Temple 65, Syracuse 64...
, Richmond defeated , , and before losing to Syracuse in the quarterfinals. This improved Beilein's record to 7–5 in the NIT.
West Virginia
In April 2002, Beilein accepted the head coaching position at West VirginiaWest Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
(WVU) of the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
. At WVU he posted a 104–60 record over five seasons. In the 2004–05 season
2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2004, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 2, 2005 at the Edward Jones Dome in Saint Louis,...
, went 24–11 and reached the "Elite Eight" (fourth round) of the NCAA tournament. The following year, went 22–11 and reached the "Sweet Sixteen" (third round). In 2006–07, Beilein's , despite losing about 80% of their scoring from the previous season, went 27–9 and won the NIT championship.
Prior to 2009, the Big East Tournament
Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
The Big East Men's Basketball Tournament is the conference championship tournament in men's basketball for the Big East Conference. The winner receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. Since 1983, the tournament has been held in Madison Square...
only included the top 12 teams. During the 2002–03 season
2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2002, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2003 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 7, 2003 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans,...
, West Virginia qualified for the tournament in their final conference game of the season by beating team to secure 6th place in the western division. The team had improved from 8–20 to finish the regular season at 14–14 (5–11 Big East) under Beilein. The team lost in the first round of the 2003 Big East Tournament
2003 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
-Championship Game:On March 15, Pittsburgh won their first-ever Big East Tournament, defeating Connecticut 74–56. They led by one at half-time, but quickly extended their lead in the second half. Jaron Brown led the Panthers with a career-high 19 points. Brown converted all six of his free throw...
to by a 73–50 margin to end their season.
Following the 2003–04 regular season
2003–04 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2003–04 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2003, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 5, 2004 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas...
, West Virginia qualified for the 2004 Big East Tournament
2004 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
-Games:*1st round: Wednesday, March 10Noon2PM7PM9PM*Quarterfinals: Thursday, March 11Noon2 PM7 PM9 PM*Semifinals: Friday, March 127 PM9 PM...
as the number 10 seed. The team lost its first round match against team by a 65–64 margin on a three point shot with 15 seconds remaining. The team's 15–13 record earned it an invitation to the 2004 NIT
2004 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals & Finals:...
. In the first round of the tournament, the team traveled to play a 22–8 . Despite early foul trouble the team won 65–54 to advance to the second round.
West Virginia defeated in the second game of the tournament by a 79–72 margin. The season ended with a 74–53 loss to in the following game. Beilein's career record in the NIT tournament was 8–6 after this tournament.
In 2004–05
2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2004, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 2, 2005 at the Edward Jones Dome in Saint Louis,...
, Beilein's team entered the 2005 Big East Tournament
2005 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
-Games:*1st round: Wednesday, March 9Noon2PM7PM*Quarterfinals: Thursday, March 10Noon2 PM7 PM9 PM*Semifinals: Friday, March 117 PM9 PM*Finals: Saturday, March 12...
with a 18–9 record as the eighth seed and as a team on the bubble for the 2005 NCAA Tournament
2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2005 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 15, 2005, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at the Edward Jones Dome in St...
. The team won its opening-round game against number nine seed Providence 82–59, its second-round game against number one seed 78–72, and its third-round game against number four 78–72. West Virginia lost the conference tournament finals to Syracuse 68–59, but it earned a seven seed in the NCAA tournament against number ten seed of the Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
. The loss gave Beilein his fifth loss in as many games against his mentor Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim
Jim Boeheim
James Arthur "Jim" Boeheim is the head coach of the men's basketball team at Syracuse University. Boeheim has guided the Orange to eight Big East regular season championships, five Big East Tournament championships, and 28 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three appearances in the national...
, who had helped him acquire each of his first three Division I coaching positions. In the NCAA tournament, West Virginia beat Creighton 63–61 with a defensive stop and fast break dunk in the final five seconds. West Virginia then defeated the number two seed team led by Chris Paul
Chris Paul
Christopher Emmanuel Paul is an American professional basketball point guard for the New Orleans Hornets.Paul was born and raised in North Carolina. Despite only playing two varsity basketball seasons in high school, he was a McDonald's All-American and accepted a scholarship with nearby Wake...
in double overtime 111–105. In the Sweet Sixteen round, West Virginia defeated Bobby Knight
Bobby Knight
-Indiana:When Indiana University was seeking a new coach in 1971, they turned to Knight. Knight was given the nickname "The General" by former University of Detroit and Detroit Pistons coach-turned-broadcaster Dick Vitale....
's number six seeded Texas Tech
2004–05 Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball team
The 2004–05 Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball team represented Texas Tech University in the Big 12 Conference during the 2004–05 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Head Coach was Bob Knight, his 4th year with the team. The Red Raiders played their home games in the United Spirit...
65–60. In the elite eight round, they lost in overtime to Rick Pitino's number four seeded , who were led by Taquan Dean
Taquan Dean
Taquan Dean is an American professional basketball player.-Amateur career:He was born in Red Bank, New Jersey and attended Neptune High School in Neptune Township, New Jersey....
and Larry O'Bannon
Larry O'Bannon
Larry O'Bannon is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays with the club Boca Juniors. He stands 1.94 m tall and he plays at the shooting guard position.-Early life:...
93–85. with the three wins Beilein raised his career NCAA record to 4–3.
During the 2005–06 season
2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 6, 2005, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 3, 2006 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, West Virginia won its first eight Big East conference games and entered the top ten in the 2005–06 national rankings in February. It was the first time West Virginia had ranked in the top ten in the Coaches' Poll which had been created in 1993. They were the final unbeaten team in conference play. After the good start, the team lost four of its next five games to fall to 9–4 in conference play. They won their next two games to clinch a first-round bye in the 2006 Big East Tournament
2006 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
-Games:*1st round: Wednesday, March 8Noon2PM7PM9PM*Quarterfinals: Thursday, March 9Noon2 PM7 PM9 PM*Semifinals: Friday, March 107 PM9 PM...
. With seemingly little to play for, they lost their regular season finale to finish with a 20–9 (11–5 Big East) regular season record. West Virginia lost its quarterfinal round game in the conference tournament to , and it earned a number six seed in the 2006 NCAA Tournament
2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2005–06 basketball season...
. West Virginia won its opening weekend games against number eleven seed team and the number fourteen seed basketball team by 64–46 and 67–54 margins, respectively. The team then West Virginia lost in the Sweet Sixteen round to the number two seed Texas Longhorns
2005–06 Texas Longhorns men's basketball team
- Roster :- Recruiting :- Schedule :-See also:*2005-06 Big 12 Conference men's basketball season*2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament*2005-06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season*2005-06 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings...
in a wild finish that saw West Virginia erase a five point deficit in the final fourteen seconds only to lose the game on a buzzerbeater. The two wins helped Beilein raise his NCAA tournament record to 6–4.
During the 2006–07 season, WVU finished the regular season with a 21–8 (9–7 Big East) record to earn the number seven seed in the 2007 Big East Tournament
2007 Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
-Games:*1st round: Wednesday, March 7Noon2PM7PM9PM*Quarterfinals: Thursday, March 8Noon2 PM7 PM9 PM*Semifinals: Friday, March 97 PM9 PM...
. In the first round of the tournament, they defeated the number ten seed 92–79 making a Big East Tournament record 17 three point shots. They lost to the second-seeded , 82–71, in double overtime. Their 22–9 record earned them a top seed in the 32-team 2007 NIT
2007 National Invitation Tournament
The 2007 National Invitation Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 32 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams which did not participate in the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
. As the number one seed, West Virginia was able to play its first three games at home where it defeated the 74–50, team 90–77, and 71–60. Before West Virginia started play in the semifinals in New York, rumors started that Beilein would take the Michigan job after the season ended. In the semifinal contest against , they won 63–62 on a last-minute shot by Darris Nichols after recovering from a 14-point second-half deficit. The day before the championship game, Beilein was announced as one of three finalists (along with Kevin Stallings
Kevin Stallings
Kevin Stallings is currently in his 11th season as the head men’s basketball coach at Vanderbilt University. Previously, he served as head coach at Illinois State University and was an assistant coach at Purdue University and the University of Kansas.-High school & college:Stallings was born in...
and Chris Lowery
Chris Lowery
-External links:**...
) for the Michigan Wolverines' head coaching job. In the championship game, WVU defeated 78–73. The five wins raised Beilein's NIT career record to 13–6.
Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
announced that it had hired Beilein to fill its coaching vacancy. He replaced Tommy Amaker
Tommy Amaker
Harold Tommy Amaker is the current head coach of the Harvard University men's basketball team. He has also served as head basketball coach for the University of Michigan men's basketball team and at Seton Hall University. He played point guard and later served as an assistant coach at Duke...
, who was fired after failing to reach the NCAA Tournament in his six seasons. Beilein inherited a Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
team that was in the final year of a scholarship reduction due to the involvement of former players in the Ed Martin scandal
University of Michigan basketball scandal
The University of Michigan basketball scandal or Ed Martin scandal was a six-year investigation of the relationship between the University of Michigan, its men's basketball teams and basketball team booster Ed Martin...
, in which NCAA rules had been violated. The team struggled to a 10–22 (5–13) record during the 2007–08 season.
During the 2008–09 season
2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2008 and ended with the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament's championship game on April 6, 2009 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. The season saw six different teams achieve the AP #1 ranking during the...
, Beilein's second at Michigan, the 2008–09 Wolverines
2008–09 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team
The 2008–09 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team represented the University of Michigan in competitive college basketball during the 2008–09 NCAA Division I season. The 2008–09 season marked the team's ninety-second consecutive season as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic...
enjoyed several important victories. On November 20, the unranked Wolverines upset #4-ranked UCLA
2008–09 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team
The 2008–09 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team opened the season on November 3 when it took on Cal Baptist in an exhibition game in Pauley Pavilion. The Bruins participated in the 2K Sports Classic, Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series, and the John R...
, recording their first win over a top-five team in eleven years. On December 6, Michigan posted its second consecutive win over a top-five opponent in a rematch against #4 ranked Duke. As a result of the major victories and continuing team success the Wolverines reached the top 25
2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings
Two human polls made up the 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls.-Legend:-AP poll:...
in the national rankings on December 22, its first appearance since the February 6, 2006. On February 26, Michigan defeated the #16-ranked Purdue
2008–09 Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball team
The 2008–09 Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball team represented Purdue University. The Head Coach was Matt Painter, then in his 4th season with the Boilers. The team played its home games in Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana, and is a member of the Big Ten Conference...
team 87–78, raising its record to 3–4 against ranked opponents on the season. At the conclusion of the 2008–09 Big Ten season
2008–09 Big Ten Conference men's basketball season
The 2008–09 Big Ten Conference men's basketball season marked the continuation of the annual tradition of competitive basketball among Big Ten Conference members that began in 1904. It was the 104th season of Big Ten Conference basketball play...
, Michigan was given a seven seed in the 2009 Big Ten Tournament
2009 Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2009 Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament was played during Championship Week between March 12 and March 15, 2009 at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The winner, the Purdue Boilermakers, received an automatic bid to the 2009 NCAA Tournament. Purdue defeated Ohio State...
. A win over Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament on March 12 was the Wolverines' twentieth of the season. With that win, Beilein had achieved a 20-win season at seven different schools, including four at the Division I level (Canisius, Richmond, West Virginia, Michigan). Three days later, Beilein's Wolverines earned a bid to the 2009 NCAA Tournament
2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:First and Second Rounds: Thursday and Saturday, March 19 and 21, 2009-Qualifying teams:-Brackets:Results to date * – Denotes overtime periodAll times in U.S. EDT....
, the school's first appearance in 11 years. There, tenth-seeded Michigan defeated the seventh-seeded Clemson Tigers 62–59 in the first round of the South Regional on March 19. In the second round, Michigan lost to the Oklahoma Sooners 73–63. After the tournament Beilein's career record in the NCAA tournament was 7–5.
During the 2009–10 season
2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2009–10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 9, 2009, and ended with the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament's championship game on April 5, 2010 on the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The opening round occurred on Tuesday, March 16, 2010, followed by first...
, Michigan
2009–10 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team
The 2009–10 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team represented the University of Michigan during the 2009-10 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team played its home games in Ann Arbor, Michigan at the Crisler Arena, which has a capacity of 13,751, for the forty-third consecutive year...
earned its first win against a ranked non-conference opponent and its second consecutive win against a ranked opponent on January 17 when it defeated #15 Connecticut
2009–10 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team
The 2009–10 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2009–2010 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Huskies were coached by Jim Calhoun and played their home games at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, and on campus at the Harry A. Gampel...
. Michigan finished 15-17 and did not appear in the postseason.
The 2010–11 team
2010–11 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team represents the University of Michigan during the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team played its home games in Ann Arbor, Michigan at the Crisler Arena, which has a capacity of 13,751, for the forty-fourth consecutive year...
, which did not have a senior on the roster, was not expected to be very successful, projected by the Detroit News to finish 10th in the 11-team conference. The team proved more competitive than anticipated, though it struggled to defeat ranked opponents, defeating only one in eight regular-season attempts. The victory came against Michigan State
2010–11 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team represented Michigan State University in the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Their head coach was Tom Izzo who was in his 16th year at Michigan State. The team played their home games at the Breslin Center in East Lansing,...
who was ranked 25 in one poll and unranked in the other. It was Michigan's first victory at Michigan State's Breslin Center since 1997. All but one loss against a ranked opponent was by single digits. In its first three games against top 10 teams, Michigan lost to #10 Syracuse
2010–11 Syracuse Orange men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Syracuse Orange men's basketball team represented Syracuse University in the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The head coach was Jim Boeheim, serving for his 35th year. The team played its home games at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York and are members of the Big...
by three points on November 26, to #3 Kansas
2010–11 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team represented the University of Kansas in the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season, which was the Jayhawks' 113th basketball season. The head coach was Bill Self, who was serving his 8th year. The team played its home games in Allen...
in overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
on January 9, and to #2 Ohio State by 4 on January 12. By week 11's poll, which was released on January 17, these were the top three ranked teams in the country in both national polls
2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings
Two human polls make up the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings, the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, in addition to various publications' preseason polls.-Legend:-AP poll:...
and accounted for all the first place votes in the ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
/USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
Coaches' Poll. Michigan later had a one-point loss against #12 Wisconsin
2010–11 Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team represented University of Wisconsin at Madison in the 2010–11 college basketball season. This was coach Bo Ryan's tenth season at the University of Wisconsin. They played their home games at the Kohl Center and are members of the Big Ten Conference...
on February 23. They also had a second single-digit loss to #1 Ohio State in a game where they led at the half. After starting the conference schedule with a 1–6 record the team won 8 of its last 11 games including a pair of games against in-state rival Michigan State to earn its first season sweep against them in 14 years and to finish tied for fourth in the conference with a 9–9 record. The team earned the number four seed in the 2011 Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
2011 Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
The 2011 Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament was held from March 10 through March 13 at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. All 10 games were aired nationally on ESPN, ESPN2, the Big Ten Network and CBS Sports. ESPN2 carried the first two games on Thursday and the Big Ten Network aired...
, based on the Big Ten tiebreaker. With a win over Illinois in the quarterfinal on March 11, Beilein recorded his second 20-win season at Michigan. It was also his 1,000th game as a head coach.
Michigan earned a #8 seed in the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The following sites were selected to host each round of the 2011 tournament:First Four*March 15 and 16**University of Dayton Arena, Dayton, OhioSecond and third rounds*March 17 and 19**Verizon Center, Washington, D.C....
, where they deafeated Tennessee
2010–11 Tennessee Volunteers basketball team
The 2010–11 Tennessee Volunteers basketball team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. This was the sixth season for Bruce Pearl as the Volunteers' head coach. The team, a member of the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference, played...
by a 75–45 margin in the first round. During the victory, they established two NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
records: The largest victory margin by an eight seed, and the first team to ever win a tournament game without making a free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
. Michigan won by its third-largest margin in its NCAA tournament history (second-most if vacated games are excluded), and the game marked the ninth straight time that John Bielien led a team victory in its first game of a postseason tournament (5 NCAA and 4 NIT). The Wolverines advanced to face #1-seeded Duke. Though they trailed by as many as 15 points in the second half, they rallied before falling, 73-71, missing a potential game-tying shot in the final seconds.
Coaching style
1-3-1 defense/offense
The 1-3-1 defense and offense is a popular strategy used in basketball.The 1-3-1 zone defense is a defensive basketball formation. It was originally utilized by Hall of Fame coach Clair Bee. This defense is named for its formation since there is one defender at the point, three defenders at the...
, which is considered to be an unconventional zone defense
Zone defense
Zone defense is a type of defense, used in team sports, which is the alternative to man-to-man defense; instead of each player guarding a corresponding player on the other team, each defensive player is given an area known as a "zone" to cover....
.
Personal life
Beilein has been married to Kathleen Beilein for 31 years. They have three sons (Patrick, who played for his father at WVU; Mark, a former football player at Richmond and WVU grad; and Andy, who is enrolled in the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan) and a daughter (Seana Hendricks). Patrick, who was the 2002 Virginia Independent Schools Division I Player of the Year, had intended to play at Richmond with his father, and instead went to West Virginia when his father moved there. Patrick was a 2008–2009 season graduate assistant coach at University of Michigan, and he continues to serve in that role.When Patrick was a highly recruited high school basketball player, John was restricted by NCAA rules from some normal behaviors regarding his son, such as giving his son's teammates a ride home from practice, talking with his son at a basketball camp or discussing his son's abilities with news media, because the interactions of college coaches with recruits are restricted. The relevant NCAA rules for recruiting (Bylaw article 13) are quite extensive. Beilein had to follow recruiting rules when visiting his son at a basketball camp. According to rule 13.12.1.3 coaches wishing to attend a camp as observers must comply with appropriate recruiting contact and evaluation periods. According to 13.02.3, a contact includes any face-to-face encounter between a prospective student-athlete . . . and an institutional staff member or athletics representative during which any dialogue occurs in excess of an exchange of a greeting. In short, talking to coaches not employed by a camp is not allowed during the camp, which left Beilein unable to offer his son milk money.