Jim Calhoun
Current position
Title	Head coach
Team	Connecticut
Conference	Big East
Record	618–233 (.726)
Biographical details
Born	(1942-05-10) May 10, 1942 (age 70) Braintree, Massachusetts
Playing career
1965–1968	American International
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1972–1986 1986–present	Northeastern Connecticut
Head coaching record
Overall	866–369 (.701)
Tournaments	50–19 (NCAA Division I) (.725)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships 3 NCAA Division I Tournament (1999, 2004, 2011) 1 National Invitation Tournament (1988) 4 NCAA Regional – Final Four (1999, 2004, 2009, 2011) 7 Big East Tournament (1990, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2011) 9 Big East regular season (1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006) 4 America East Tournament (1982, 1984, 1985, 1986)
Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2005 (profile)
College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006

James A. Calhoun (born May 10, 1942)^[1] is the head coach of the University of Connecticut's men's basketball team. His teams have won three national championships (1999, 2004, 2011), played in four Final Fours (most recently in 2011), won the 1988 NIT championship, and have won seven Big East tournament championships (in 1990, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, and 2011). In 2005 he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. On Feb 25, 2009, Jim Calhoun won his 800th game when Connecticut beat Marquette, 93–82. On April 4, 2011, Calhoun won his third NCAA Men's Championship as the Connecticut Huskies defeated the Butler Bulldogs 53–41. The victory over Butler made Calhoun, at 68, the oldest coach to win an NCAA Division I men's basketball title.^[2]

Biography[link]

A self-described Irish Catholic,^[3] Calhoun was born and raised in Braintree, Massachusetts, where he was a standout on the basketball, football, and baseball teams at Braintree High School. After his father died of a heart attack when Calhoun was 15, he was left to watch over his large family that included five siblings.

Early career and education[link]

Although he received a basketball scholarship to Lowell State (now UMass Lowell), he only attended the school for three months after which he returned home to help support his mother and siblings. He worked as a granite cutter, headstone engraver, scrapyard worker, shampoo factory worker, and gravedigger.

After a 20-month leave from higher education, Calhoun returned to college, this time at American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he was given another basketball scholarship. He was the leading scorer on the team his junior and senior seasons, and captained the team in his final year, during which AIC advanced to the Division II playoffs. At the time he graduated, he was ranked as the fourth all-time scorer at AIC. Calhoun graduated in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in sociology.^[4]

Health problems[link]

On February 3, 2003, Calhoun announced that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He took an immediate leave of absence from the team, and underwent surgery three days later to have his prostate removed. He was released from the hospital on February 9 and within days was once again involved in the day-to-day operation of the program. On February 22 Jim Calhoun returned to the sidelines for the team's match-up with St. John's at Gampel Pavilion, only 16 days after the surgery.

On May 30, 2008, UConn announced that Calhoun was undergoing treatment for squamous cell carcinoma.^[5]

On June 13, 2009, Calhoun fell during a charity bike event and broke five ribs.^[6]

On January 19, 2010, Calhoun took a leave of absence from the team again due to health reasons. Calhoun had a "serious" condition that he wanted to discuss with his family.^[7] Calhoun returned to the court to coach the Huskies on February 13.

On February 3, 2012, Calhoun took a medical leave of absence from coaching as a result of spinal stenosis.^[8] He returned on March 3, 2012, less than a week after having back surgery, to coach the team to a win over Pittsburgh in the final game of the regular season.^[9]

Personal life[link]

Calhoun and his wife, Pat, live in Pomfret, Connecticut, have been married since 1967, and have two sons and six grandchildren. They also have purchased a home on Long Island Sound in Madison, Connecticut.

The couple, both of whom lost parents to heart disease, are known for their philanthropy, including the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at UConn and the annual Jim Calhoun Holiday Food Drive which has raised nearly $1 million supporting food assistance agencies that serve to help families in need throughout the State of Connecticut. In 1998, a $125,000 gift from Jim Calhoun and his wife Pat established the Jim and Pat Calhoun Cardiology Research Fund at UConn Health Center. The Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic Golf Tournament was launched in 1999 and has since raised millions in support of the endowment fund. In 2003 & 2004, Coach Calhoun served as celebrity host of the black tie gala "Hoops For Hope", by Coaches vs. Cancer, a program established in 1993 by the American Cancer Society; the events raised over $400,000 for the ACS. 2007 is the first year of The Big Y Jim Calhoun Cancer Challenge Ride statewide event to benefit The Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Connecticut Health Center; the ride raised over $225,000.

^[10]

For many years Calhoun has been the Honorary Chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, which has generated over $4.5 million to fund diabetes research. Coach Calhoun has also served as an Honorary Chairperson/Director for other charitable programs including the Ronald McDonald House Kids Classic Golf Tournament, the Ray of Hope Foundation Golf Tournament, the Connecticut Children's Medical Center and Children's Miracle Network, and the "Character Counts" program in the state of Connecticut.

Recognition[link]

• 1998 – The Franciscan Sisters dedicate an outdoor basketball area, "Calhoun's Court" at the Franciscan Life Center in Meriden, CT
• 2004 – Calhoun is the first recipient of an award by the Swim Across The Sound Prostate Cancer Institute
• 2005 – "Honorary Alumni Award" from the University of Connecticut Alumni Association
• 2005 – Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Springfield MA

Coaching career[link]

High school[link]

Jim Calhoun began his coaching career at Lyme-Old Lyme High School in Old Lyme, Connecticut in the 1968–1969 season after accepting a sixth grade teaching position in that town over the summer. After finishing 1–17 that season, Calhoun returned to Massachusetts after deciding not to complete the necessary certification paperwork to renew his teaching contract (he was certified in Mass. and working in Conn. only on a temporary certificate). After one season at Westport (Mass.) High, he accepted a position at Dedham High School and began building a very strong program. He completed a 20–1 season in 1971.

In 1972 he helped his Dedham High School team have a perfect season (18–0) and win the Massachusetts High school Bay State Championship.

Northeastern[link]

Calhoun was recruited by Northeastern University in Boston to serve as their new head coach. He took the position in October 1971, and quickly built Northeastern into the dominant power in the ECAC North Atlantic Conference. He also transitioned the team from Division II to Division I.

The team advanced to the Division I tournament 4 times under Calhoun. During his final three seasons, Northeastern achieved automatic bids to the NCAA tournament and had a 72–19 record. He received six regional Coach of the Year accolades at Northeastern and remains the institution's all-time winningest coach (245–138).

Former Boston Celtics captain Reggie Lewis, who played for Calhoun at Northeastern, was a first-round pick in the 1987 NBA Draft.

Connecticut[link]

On May 14, 1986, Calhoun was named the head coach at the University of Connecticut. After completing his first season just 9–19, Calhoun led the Huskies to a 20–14 record in 1988 and a bid to National Invitation Tournament, where they defeated Ohio State to win the NIT championship. In 1990, Calhoun was named the consensus National Coach of the Year after leading the Huskies to their first Big East championship, the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight, and a 29–6 record in only his fourth year at the helm.

Calhoun won his first NCAA national championship in 1999, as he led UConn to its first-ever Final Four and national championship over favored Duke in St. Petersburg, Florida. Future NBA standout Richard "Rip" Hamilton led the team to a 77–74 victory.

Calhoun led the Huskies to another national championship in 2004, at the conclusion of a season that saw UConn start and complete the year as the number one team in the nation. UConn standouts Emeka Okafor and Ben Gordon were selected No. 2 and No. 3 in the NBA Draft, respectively. Calhoun now holds a 35–12 record with UConn in NCAA tournament play including 6–1 in the Final Four. They lost in the first round for the first time on March 21, 2008 in overtime to San Diego.

During the Jim Calhoun era, the UConn Huskies have done well in the Big East Conference with an impressive 220–112 record (.665 winning percentage). The Huskies have won or shared conference titles in 1990, 1994–1996, 1998–1999, 2002, 2003 and 2005–2006. UConn has also won seven Big East Men's Basketball Tournament championships in 1990, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004, and 2011.

On March 2, 2005 he achieved his 700th win at Gampel Pavilion over Georgetown. His friend and Big East rival coach Jim Boeheim also won his 700th game during the previous week. Later in 2005, Coach Calhoun was honored by induction into the Dr. James Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame, fittingly, along with Jim Boeheim. On February 25, 2009, he achieved his 800th win at the Bradley Center over Marquette.

Calhoun was the first coach in NCAA history to have won at least 240 games at two different Division I schools.^[11] Eddie Sutton later achieved this same feat.

Calhoun has coached 23 UConn players who have moved on to professional ranks.^[12]

Calhoun signed a 5 year, $16 million contract until 2014.^[13]

On April 4, 2011, Calhoun won his 3rd NCAA Men's Championship as the Connecticut Huskies defeated the Butler Bulldogs 53–41. The victory over Butler made Calhoun, at 68, the oldest coach to win an NCAA Division I men's basketball title.[1] With the win, Calhoun joined John Wooden, Adolph Rupp, Bob Knight, and Mike Krzyzewski as the only coaches to win at least 3 national championships.

Sanctions[link]

In February 2011, Calhoun was cited by the NCAA for failing to create an atmosphere of compliance within his program and was suspended for the first three Big East games during the 2011–2012 season. The NCAA also hit UConn with scholarship reductions for three academic years, recruiting restrictions, permanent disassociation of a booster and three years' probation. As a part of the disassociation of the booster, Josh Nochimson, the university will not be able to accept financial contributions, recruiting assistance or provide him with any benefit and privileges. The recruit was Nate Miles.^[14][15]

UConn was also stripped of their victories in the 1996 NCAA Tournament, after the NCAA determined that players Kirk King and Ricky Moore accepted improper benefits.^[16]

Due to the past academic performance of Calhoun's players, UCONN may not be eligible for the 2013 NCAA tournament. "Connecticut's men's basketball scored 826 for the 2009–10 school year. A UConn official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the number isn't official until next May, said the score for the 2010–11 school year would be approximately 975. That would not be high enough. It would give Connecticut a two-year score of 900.5 and a four-year average of 888.5."^[17]

Former players[link]

27 of Coach Calhoun's former players moved on to professional careers in the National Basketball Association, the Continental Basketball Association, as well as other national and international leagues: (with draft team from earliest to most recent)

1. 1987: Reggie Lewis – Boston Celtics captain
2. 1989: Clifford Robinson – Portland Trail Blazers
3. 1990: Tate George – New Jersey Nets
4. 1992: Chris Smith – Minnesota Timberwolves
5. 1993: Scott Burrell – Charlotte Hornets
6. 1994: Donyell Marshall – Minnesota Timberwolves
7. 1995: Kevin Ollie – Connecticut Pride, CBA; Dallas Mavericks
8. 1995: Donny Marshall – Cleveland Cavaliers
9. 1996: Ray Allen – Milwaukee Bucks, Seattle SuperSonics, Boston Celtics
10. 1996: Travis Knight – Chicago Bulls
11. 1996: Doron Sheffer – Los Angeles Clippers, Maccabi Tel Aviv
12. 1999: Richard Hamilton – Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls
13. 2000: Khalid El-Amin – Chicago Bulls
14. 2000: Jake Voskuhl – Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls
15. 2002: Caron Butler – Miami Heat, Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks
16. 2004: Emeka Okafor – Charlotte Bobcats, New Orleans Hornets
17. 2004: Ben Gordon – Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons
18. 2005: Charlie Villanueva – Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons
19. 2006: Hilton Armstrong – New Orleans Hornets
20. 2006: Josh Boone – New Jersey Nets
21. 2006: Denham Brown – Seattle SuperSonics
22. 2006: Rudy Gay – Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies
23. 2006: Marcus Williams – New Jersey Nets
24. 2009: A. J. Price – Indiana Pacers
25. 2009: Hasheem Thabeet – Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets
26. 2010: Jeff Adrien – Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets
27. 2011: Kemba Walker – Charlotte Bobcats

Head coaching record[link]

As of April 5, 2011, Jim Calhoun has a 50–19 (.725) record in the NCAA Tournament, going 2–5 (.286) while at Northeastern and 48–14 (.774) at the University of Connecticut.

See also[link]

• List of college men's basketball coaches with 600 wins
• List of NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coach
• List of NCAA Men's Division I Elite Eight appearances by coach

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Calhoun, Jim. Dare To Dream: Connecticut Basketball's Remarkable March to the National Championship ISBN 0-7679-0475-3
• Calhoun, Jim. A passion to lead: seven leadership secrets for success in business, sports, and life ISBN 0-312-36271-4

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jim Calhoun

• Official website
• Connecticut profile
• Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center
• Excerpt from Dare to Dream from the Library of Congress

Ed Cooley (born September 10, 1969) is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach of the Providence College Friars men's basketball team. Previously, Cooley had held the same position at Fairfield University from 2006–2011. He received the inaugural 2010 Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year Award, presented annually to the top minority men's college basketball coach in the nation.^[1]

Early years[link]

Cooley was born on September 10, 1969 in Providence, Rhode Island to Jane Cooley and Edward Smith.^[2] He was one of nine children in a family on welfare, living in the low-income South Providence neighborhood.^[3] However, he would later be taken in by neighbors Gloria and Eddie Searight, who provided Cooley with meals and a place to sleep.^[2]

At Providence's Central High School, Cooley played basketball and twice earned Rhode Island Player of the Year honors. After graduating in 1988, Cooley attended the New Hampton School in New Hampton, New Hampshire for a post-graduate year in 1988–1989. Matriculating to Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts, Cooley was required to take the SATs four times before the NCAA allowed him to play basketball there. He did not score high enough on his first two attempts, scored a 900 but was accused of cheating on his third test, and finally scored a 1390 on his fourth, supervised test.^[3]

Cooley was a three-year team captain at Stonehill, and was named to the Northeast-10 Conference academic honor roll. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in history from Stonehill in 1994.

Coaching career[link]

Following college, Cooley taught history at Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School in Massachusetts from 1994–1996. Meanwhile, Cooley began his coaching career at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, spending the 1994–1995 season as an assistant men's basketball coach before returning to Stonehill as an assistant coach in 1995–1996.

In 1996, Cooley joined Al Skinner's staff as an assistant coach for URI, before following Skinner to Boston College in 1997. In nine seasons as an assistant at BC, Cooley helped the Eagles post a 175–108 overall record, which included five 20-win seasons. The team captured the 2000–01 Big East Conference championship, five NCAA tournament berths, and one National Invitation Tournament, giving the team six post-season berths in nine seasons.

Cooley earned his first head coaching position in 2006 for Fairfield University of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. In five seasons, Cooley's teams posted a 92–69 overall record and 58–32 conference record. In 2009–10, with a 23–11 record, Fairfield advanced to postseason play, setting an NCAA Division I postseason record by overcoming a 27-point halftime deficit to win in overtime over George Mason in the 2010 CollegeInsider.com Tournament. The Stags were defeated in the quarterfinals of the tournament by Creighton.

In 2010–11, Cooley's Fairfield squad captured the MAAC regular season championship before falling in the semifinals of the 2011 MAAC Men's Basketball Tournament. They were defeated by Kent State in the second round of the 2011 NIT, finishing with a school-record 25–8 record. Cooley was named MAAC Men's Basketball Coach of the Year and was the USBWA District 1 Coach of the Year.

Cooley returned to his hometown and the Big East Conference in March 2011, replacing Keno Davis as head coach at Providence College.^[4]

Head coaching record[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Providence Friars bio
• Boston College Eagles bio