U-M Selects Beilein to Guide Men's Basketball Program
4/3/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Press Conference (April 4): Quotes | Photos
First Practice (April 4): Photos
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan director of athletics Bill Martin announced Tuesday (April 3) that John Beilein has signed a multi-year contract to coach the University of Michigan men's basketball team. Beilein becomes the 16th coach in the program's 90-year history.
"I am very pleased to announce John Beilein as our new head coach for the men's basketball program," said Martin. "He is an individual with a great knowledge of the game. He is a proven winner. He is an extraordinary teacher of the game. He is a great basketball coach. We welcome John and his family to Michigan."
"This is an exciting opportunity for me and my family to join the University of Michigan basketball program," said Beilein. "I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead and getting to know the University and Ann Arbor community. I am anxious to meet the team, visit with the recruits and all the Wolverine basketball alumni and fans. This is a great opportunity to build Michigan as one of the elite programs in the country."
Beilein will be introduced to the media at a noon EDT press conference Wednesday, April 4. Live video of the press conference will be available free through Michigan All-Access (registration is required) and will be archived for on-demand viewing. A Mac-friendly Quicktime stream of the live press conference also will be available.
Beilein, 54, has amassed a 551-318 career record in his 29 years as a collegiate head coach. He has produced 26 winning seasons and 14 20-win campaigns at four different levels: junior college, NAIA, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division I.
Beilein has taken 10 different teams to a postseason tournament -- four NCAA and six NIT. He has compiled a 20-10 all-time record during postseason play and is 6-4 in NCAA play with two Sweet 16 appearances (2005, '06) and an Elite Eight appearance (2005). He is 14-6 in NIT play, winning the 2007 NIT crown with West Virginia.
Beilein arrives at Michigan after serving as head coach at West Virginia for the past five seasons (2003-07). He compiled a 104-60 record at the helm of the Mountaineers, posting three straight 20-win seasons in his final three years. He has made four straight postseason appearances with West Virginia, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2005 followed by a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2006. Most recently, Beilein's Mountaineers won the 2007 NIT title with a 78-73 win over Clemson at Madison Square Garden. It marked the first NIT championship for West Virginia in 65 years.
Prior to his stint at West Virginia, Beilein was the head coach at Richmond for five seasons (1998-2002) where he tallied a 100-53 record. He led the Spiders to three postseason tournaments -- NCAA (1998) and NIT (2001, '02) -- as well as the Colonial Athletic Association title in 2001 with a 12-4 record.
Prior to arriving at Richmond, Beilein spent five seasons as the head coach at Canisius (1993-97). Beilein compiled an 89-62 overall record during his tenure with the Golden Griffins, leading the team to three consecutive postseason appearances, including the 1996 NCAA tournament.
Before assuming the coaching responsibilities at Canisius, Beilein turned a struggling LeMoyne squad into a Division II contender. In 1987-88, LeMoyne won a school-record 24 games, was crowned Mideast Conference champion and earned a berth in the Division II tournament. In his nine seasons at LeMoyne (1984-92), Beilein compiled a 163-94 record.
Beilein served a one-year stint (1982-83) at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y., leading the program to a 20-6 record. He accepted his first collegiate head coaching position in 1978 at Erie Community College in Buffalo, N.Y., posting a 75-43 record in four seasons. Beilein began his coaching career at Newfane Central High in Newfane, N.Y., for three seasons before heading to Erie CC.
Beilein played college basketball at Wheeling College (now Wheeling Jesuit University) from 1971-75 and served as team captain his junior season. He received a bachelor's degree from Wheeling in 1975, majoring in history, and earned a master's degree in education from Niagara in 1981.
The John Beilein File
Birthday: February 5, 1953
Hometown: Burt, N.Y.
High School: DeSales Catholic (Lockport, N.Y.)
College: Wheeling Jesuit, 1975 (B.A. History), Niagara, 1981 (M.S. Education)
Family: Married, wife Kathleen; children Seana (26), Patrick (23), Mark (22), Andrew (16)
Pronunciation: "BEE-line"
Head Coaching Career Breakdown
| Season | School | W-L | Conf. | Place | Conference | Postseason |
| 1978-79 | Erie CC | 20-15 | ||||
| 1979-80 | Erie CC | 17-8 | ||||
| 1980-81 | Erie CC | 21-8 | ||||
| 1981-82 | Erie CC | 17-12 | ||||
| 1982-83 | Nazareth | 20-6 | ||||
| 1983-84 | LeMoyne | 20-8 | ||||
| 1984-85 | LeMoyne | 19-10 | ||||
| 1985-86 | LeMoyne | 14-15 | ||||
| 1986-87 | LeMoyne | 20-10 | ||||
| 1987-88 | LeMoyne | 24-6 | NCAA Division II | |||
| 1988-89 | LeMoyne | 15-12 | ||||
| 1989-90 | LeMoyne | 17-12 | ||||
| 1990-91 | LeMoyne | 19-10 | ||||
| 1991-92 | LeMoyne | 15-11 | ||||
| 1992-93 | Canisius | 10-18 | 5-9 | 6th | MAAC | |
| 1993-94 | Canisius | 22-7 | 12-2 | 1st | MAAC | NIT First Round |
| 1994-95 | Canisius | 21-14 | 10-4 | 2nd | MAAC | NIT Semifinal |
| 1995-96 | Canisius | 19-11 | 7-7 | 5th | MAAC | NCAA First Round |
| 1996-97 | Canisius | 17-12 | 10-4 | t-2nd | MAAC | |
| 1997-98 | Richmond | 23-8 | 12-4 | 3rd | CAA | NCAA Second Round |
| 1998-99 | Richmond | 15-12 | 10-6 | 3rd | CAA | |
| 1999-00 | Richmond | 18-12 | 11-5 | 3rd | CAA | |
| 2000-01 | Richmond | 22-7 | 12-4 | 1st | CAA | NIT Second Round |
| 2001-02 | Richmond | 22-14 | 11-5 | 2nd | Atlantic 10 | NIT Quarterfinal |
| 2002-03 | West Virginia | 14-15 | 5-11 | 6th-West | Big East | |
| 2003-04 | West Virginia | 17-14 | 7-9 | t-8th | Big East | NIT Second Round |
| 2004-05 | West Virginia | 24-11 | 8-8 | t-7th | Big East | NCAA Elite Eight |
| 2005-06 | West Virginia | 22-11 | 11-5 | 3rd | Big East | NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 2006-07 | West Virginia | 27-9 | 9-7 | t-7th | Big East | NIT Champions |
| Years | School | Overall | Conf. |
| 1979-82 | Erie CC (4 seasons) | 75-43 | |
| 1983 | Nazareth (1 season) | 20-6 | |
| 1984-92 | LeMoyne (9 seasons) | 163-94 | |
| 1993-97 | Canisius (5 seasons) | 89-62 | 44-26 |
| 1998-2002 | Richmond (5 seasons) | 100-53 | 56-24 |
| 2003-07 | West Virginia (5 seasons) | 104-60 | 40-40 |
| Career Totals (29 Seasons) | 551-318 | 140-90 | |
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
