Phil Woolpert
Encyclopedia
Phil Woolpert was an American college basketball
coach. He is best known for coaching the University of San Francisco
Dons to two straight national championships in 1955 and 1956.
Born in Danville, Kentucky
, Woolpert attended high school in Los Angeles
. He subsequently attended Los Angeles Junior College and Loyola University, Los Angeles
, where he played basketball for three years and was initiated into the Alpha Delta Gamma
National Fraternity.
In 1946, Woolpert was hired as basketball coach for St. Ignatius High School in San Francisco, California
where he posted a 63-29 record in his four years as coach. Upon Pete Newell
's departure for Michigan State University
, the University of San Francisco hired Woolpert to succeed Newell. He assumed both the posts of men's basketball coach and athletic director.
During his tenure at USF, Woolpert posted a 153-78 record, including a 60-game win streak that at the time was the longest in college basketball (surpassed later by John Wooden
's 88 straight wins at UCLA.). His teams, anchored by Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, Eugene Brown and Mike Farmer, were known for their defense and held opponents below 60 points on 47 different occasions. USF won the national championship in 1955 and 1956, and finished third in 1957. At the time the youngest college basketball coach to win a national championship, Woolpert also won Coach of the Year honors in 1955 and 1956.
After briefly coaching the San Francisco Saints
of the American Basketball League, Woolpert returned to the college ranks in 1962, this time with the University of San Diego
. While in San Diego, Woolpert posted a 90-90 record and served as both men's basketball coach and athletic director.
Phil Woolpert retired from coaching in 1969. He later settled down in Sequim, Washington
and became a school bus
driver. Woolpert died of cancer in 1987.
His son Paul was the head coach of the D-League Tulsa 66ers, but was fired on April 18, 2009.
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. He is best known for coaching the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
Dons to two straight national championships in 1955 and 1956.
Born in Danville, Kentucky
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
, Woolpert attended high school in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. He subsequently attended Los Angeles Junior College and Loyola University, Los Angeles
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
, where he played basketball for three years and was initiated into the Alpha Delta Gamma
Alpha Delta Gamma
Alpha Delta Gamma National Fraternity is an American Greek-letter social fraternity and one of 74 members of the North-American Interfraternity Conference...
National Fraternity.
In 1946, Woolpert was hired as basketball coach for St. Ignatius High School in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
where he posted a 63-29 record in his four years as coach. Upon Pete Newell
Pete Newell
Peter Francis Newell was an American college men's basketball coach and basketball instructional coach. He coached for 15 years at the University of San Francisco, Michigan State University and the University of California, Berkeley, compiling an overall record of 234 wins and 123 losses...
's departure for Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
, the University of San Francisco hired Woolpert to succeed Newell. He assumed both the posts of men's basketball coach and athletic director.
During his tenure at USF, Woolpert posted a 153-78 record, including a 60-game win streak that at the time was the longest in college basketball (surpassed later by John Wooden
John Wooden
John Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games...
's 88 straight wins at UCLA.). His teams, anchored by Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, Eugene Brown and Mike Farmer, were known for their defense and held opponents below 60 points on 47 different occasions. USF won the national championship in 1955 and 1956, and finished third in 1957. At the time the youngest college basketball coach to win a national championship, Woolpert also won Coach of the Year honors in 1955 and 1956.
After briefly coaching the San Francisco Saints
San Francisco Saints
The San Francisco Saints were a traveling basketball team composed of Chinese Americans that was formed in the 1950s. The team was founded by Father Donal F. Forrester, who was serving as pastor and director of St. Mary's Chinese Catholic Center/Holy Family Parish in San Francisco's Chinatown.The...
of the American Basketball League, Woolpert returned to the college ranks in 1962, this time with the University of San Diego
University of San Diego
The University of San Diego is a Roman Catholic university in San Diego, California. USD offers more than sixty bachelor's, master’s, and doctoral programs...
. While in San Diego, Woolpert posted a 90-90 record and served as both men's basketball coach and athletic director.
Phil Woolpert retired from coaching in 1969. He later settled down in Sequim, Washington
Sequim, Washington
Sequim is a city in Clallam County, Washington, United States. The 2010 US Census counted a population of 6,606. Sequim is located along the Dungeness River near the base of the Olympic Mountains...
and became a school bus
School bus
A school bus is a type of bus designed and manufactured for student transport: carrying children and teenagers to and from school and school events...
driver. Woolpert died of cancer in 1987.
His son Paul was the head coach of the D-League Tulsa 66ers, but was fired on April 18, 2009.
See also
- NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coachesNCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coachesThis is a list of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Regional Championships by coach. The current names of the NCAA Tournament regions are the East, Southeast, Southwest, and West...
- List of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Final Four participants