Jim Boeheim Biography

Beginning the 2003-04' season, Jim Boeheim has coached Syracuse basketball for the past 27 seasons. If history is any indicator this season will be another success for Boeheim and the Orangemen, culminating in a trip to a postseason tournament. Boeheim has coached Syracuse to a 653-226 (.743) overall record in 27 seasons at the helm and postseason invites to either the NCAA or NIT Tournament an astounding 26 of 27 seasons, talk about consistency! He and the Orangemen reached the pinnacle of success last season when they brought home the NCAA Championship crown.

Boeheim had coached Syracuse to 22 appearances in the NCAA tournament in previous seasons including a run of 10 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, the fourth-longest streak of all-time. Boeheim had twelve teams in the NCAA "Sweet 16" and three clubs in the championship game.

Despite this outstanding track record the "big one" had eluded Boeheim and the Orangemen, until 2003 when they brought home the first NCAA men's basketball championship in Syracuse illustrious basketball history.

Performance, tenacity and the drive to perform at your best consistently are hallmarks of Boeheim's strategy. Witness: 13 seasons with at least 26 victories, twenty-five years of 20-win seasons, winning teams in 27 years at the Syracuse helm, most coaching victories in Big East Conference history, named Big East Coach of the Year three times, only Division I head coach in NCAA history to win 100 games in his first four years, 15th all-time in Division I winning percentage, fourth among active Division I coaches in NCAA Tournament victories and seventh overall.

In addition to all this, as you might expect, Boeheim won his 350th and 400th game quicker than any coach in college basketball history and the eighth-fastest Division I coach to reach 600 wins and ranks second among active NCAA Division I basketball coaches in winning percentage with an off the charts (.743).

Boeheim was a 4-year player for the Orangemen. He started his career at Syracuse as a walk on but by his senior year he was co-captain averaging 14 plus points per game. He became only the 10th player in the Orangemen's history to score more than 400 points in a season. Boeheim had a.519 shooting percentage from the field and a .695 percentage from the charity stripe.

Boeheim played professionally for four years with Scranton of the Eastern League and was a member of two championship teams.

Syracuse coach Roy Danforth appointed Boeheim a graduate assistant coach in 1969. He earned his master's degree and coached the freshman team to a 16-2 record. By 1972 he had been rewarded by being promoted to a full-time assistant coach, a job he held for the next four years. He was named head basketball coach at the end of the 1976 season.

Boeheim immediately coached his first team to a remarkable 26-4 record and an appearance in the NCCA Tournament. His first four years at the helm saw him coach the Orangemen to an incredible 100-18 (.847) record and four consecutive NCAA play-offs.

The Big East Conference began play in the 1979-80 season. Boeheim and his Syracuse Orangemen promptly won the first-ever regular season championship title. Since then his teams have won a conference record eight Big East titles, three tournament championships and have enjoyed a league record 11 appearances in the Big East championship game. Boeheim holds the record for winning more games in Big East history with a 286-155 conference record.

Boeheim was chosen a Syracuse University Letterwinner of Distinction in 1988. In 1991 he joined the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame.

In 2000 Boeheim was honored with the prestigious Claire Bee Award which annually goes to an active Division I basketball coach who has made the most significant positive contribution to the sport. He also received the distinguished Arents Award, Syracuse University's most prestigious alumni honor.

In 2001, Boeheim was a finalist for the Naismith College Men's Basketball Coach of the Year Award.

The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC)has chosen Boeheim nine times as District II Coach of the Year while the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) has tapped him as Coach of the Year three times.

"Jim Boeheim Court" became a reality when Syracuse, in 2002, elected to honor Boeheim by naming the basketball court at the Carrier Dome after him, perhaps the greatest honor a coach can receive.

Syracuse University and the Orange basketball program under Boeheim's tutelage have blossomed into a national power and contributed significantly to the NBA. Twelve Orangemen have been chosen in the first round of the NBA draft, the most recent being Carmelo Anthony in 2003.

Boeheim has a bachelor's and master's degree in Social Science from Syracuse University. He and his wife Juli have three children: five-year old James III, and three-year old twins Jack and Jamie. Jim also is the father of a daughter, Elizabeth, who is a freshman in college.

Some of his accomplishments are:

Coached Syracuse basketball for the past 27 seasons
Coached Syracuse to a 653-226 (.743) overall record
NCAA or NIT Tournament appearances 26 of 27 seasons
Won an NCAA Championship
10 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances fourth-longest streak of all-time
Twelve teams in the NCAA "Sweet 16"
13 seasons minimum 26 victories
Twenty-five years of 20-win seasons
Winning teams in 27 years at Syracuse
Most coaching victories in Big East Conference history
Only Division I head coach in NCAA history to win 100 games in his first four years
15th all-time in Division I winning percentage
Fourth among active Division I coaches in NCAA Tournament victories/seventh overall
Won 350th and 400th game quicker than any coach in college basketball history
Eighth-fastest Division I coach to reach 600 wins
Ranks second active NCAA Division I coaches winning percentage (.743)
Named Big East Coach of the Year three times
Won a conference record eight Big East titles and three tournament championships
League record 11 appearances in the Big East championship game
Holds the record for winning most conference games in Big East history
Syracuse University Letterwinner of Distinction
Elected to Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame
Honored with the prestigious Claire Bee Award
Received the distinguished Arents Award Syracuse
Finalist for the Naismith College Men's Basketball Coach of the Year Award
Chosen nine times by National Association of Basketball Coaches District II Coach of the Year
Chosen three times by U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) as Coach of the Year
Honored by SU naming their basketball court after him
Twelve Orangemen have been chosen in the first round of the NBA draft
Bachelors and Masters degree(s)from Syracuse University