Jim Boeheim

On July 21, 2009, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo announced that Syracuse University Hall of Fame mentor and longtime USA Basketball coach and committee member Jim Boeheim would return to the USA sidelines as an assistant for the 2010-12 USA Basketball National Team.

In his seven years (2006-2012) as a member of USA Basketball National Team coaching staffs, the U.S. teams compiled an amazing 62-1 win-loss record (.984 winning percentage), capturing four gold medals and one bronze medal in the five international competitions the USA National teams competed in.

With Boeheim serving on Coach Krzyzewski's staff as an assistant, the Americans in 2012 rolled to an 8-0 record and the Olympic gold medal, and the USA National Team compiled a 5-0 record in its exhibition tour held prior to the London Olympic Games.

Also assisting on the USA sidelines in 2010, Boeheim aided the USA to a 9-0 record and gold medal finish in the 2010 FIBA World Championship. It was the USA’s first World Championship since 1994. Also, prior to the World Championship, the USA National Team compiled a 4-0 record in its tour.

Boeheim was also an assistant coach for the USA National Team program during the three summers between 2006-08 and assisted the program to a striking 36-1 overall win-loss record and just as importantly reestablished the USA team and its members as positive ambassadors for the United States and the sport.

The USA squad culminated the quadrennium by finishing 8-0 to reclaim the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the USA’s first gold in a major international competition since 2000. The USA National Team also won gold at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship with a 10-0 record to qualify the U.S. men for the 2008 Olympic Games. In the program’s first year, the U.S. captured the bronze medal with an 8-1 record at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan.

“One of the best basketball experiences I have ever had was working with the Olympic team and that coaching staff. To be able to have that experience again is an unbelievable thrill. Usually you only get one of those kinds of experiences, and to be able to go through and have it a second time, is unbelievable. To be able to work with the coaching staff and the best players in the world is a tremendous thrill,” commented Boeheim.

Since taking control in 1976 of the Syracuse men's basketball program, Boeheim's teams have enjoyed overwhelming success.

Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in September 2005, Boeheim was the 2006 recipient of the John R. Wooden “Legends of Coaching” honor. He follows Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, Lute Olson, Denny Crum and Jim Calhoun as the only other recipients. He also was selected the “Spirit of Jimmy V” honoree by the V Foundation for Cancer Research at its second annual Gala held April 21, 2005, in New York City.

In his 36 years (1976-77 through 2011-12), the SU has amazingly produced only winning records and has won 19 or more games in 35 of his 36 seasons, and averaged 24.7 wins a season and just 8.4 losses. His 34 20 win or better seasons ranks him first for the most ever and his teams have won 30 more games five times.

Syracuse has earned postseason berths (29 NCAA and six NIT) in all but one of Boeheim's 36 seasons. He has pushed the Orangemen to three NCAA Championship game appearances (1987, 1996 and 2003), claiming the national title in 2003. In his 29 NCAA tournament appearances his teams have compiled an impressive 48-28 (.632 winning percentage) NCAA Tournament record. He lists seventh all-time for NCAA Tournament wins.

Boeheim currently ranks third for career wins by a men's NCAA Division I coach and is second among active DI coaches, listing only behind Mike Krzyzewski. Boeheim earned his 880th win on Feb. 8, 2012, surpassing Dean Smith's 879 wins at North Carolina, for the most career wins as head coach at a single school.

In his 36 seasons as a head coach, Boeheim has a career record of 890-304 (.745).

Boeheim is also the winningest coach in Big East Conference history with a 371-203 overall record in the conference (includes regular season and conference tournament games).

He led Syracuse in 2011-12 to a 34-3 overall mark, a Big East Conference regular season championship with a 17-1 record, and to the 2012 NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen. Additionally, the Orange was ranked No. 1 during the season. Syracuse became just the second team in Big East history to go 17-1 in the league.

The ‘Cuse also set school records for most regular season victories, the most wins to start a season (20) and most home wins since the opening of the Carrier Dome (19).

Boeheim has been recognized for his outstanding coaching by being named as the 2009-10 coach of the year by The Associated Press, FoxSports.com, the National Association of Basketball Coaches, Naismith, The Sporting News, the United States Basketball Writers Association and Yahoo!Sports.

He has also been named Big East Conference Coach of the Year four times, 1983-84, 1990-91, 1999-00 and 2009-10.

In 2005-06 he directed Syracuse to a 23-12 overall record, the NCAA Tournament, and a Big East Tournament championship. In winning the 2006 Big East Tournament, Syracuse became the first team in the 27-year history of the Big East Tournament to claim the championship with four victories and the first number nine seed to win the championship.

During the 2004-05 season, Boeheim earned his 700th collegiate victory and became the 18th coach in NCAA Division I history to reach the milestone. He reached 700 wins in 939 games, the fifth-fastest tally ever in the Division I ranks.

A native of Lyons, N.Y., Boeheim enrolled at Syracuse in 1962 and was a walk-on with the basketball team. By Boeheim's senior season, he was a team captain along with the legendary Dave Bing. The Orangemen finished 22-6 overall that year and earned the team's second-ever NCAA Tournament berth. Syracuse compiled a 55-24 record (.696 winning percentage) with Boeheim a member of their teams.

After graduating with a bachelor's degree in social science, Boeheim played professionally with Scranton of the Eastern League. He was a member of two championship squads and earned all-star second-team honors.

In 1969 he turned to a career in coaching and was hired as a graduate assistant at Syracuse by head coach Roy Danforth. He was soon promoted to a full-time assistant coaching post and was part of the staff that guided the Orangemen to the program's first Final Four appearance in 1975. A year later he was appointed head coach at his alma mater. Syracuse compiled a record of 139-65 while he was an assistant.

A four-time Big East Conference Coach of the Year, Boeheim has been honored as District II Coach of the Year 11 times by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

During the 2000 Final Four he was presented with the Claire Bee Award in recognition of his contributions to the sport. In the fall of 2000, he received Syracuse University's Arents Award, the school's highest alumni honor. On Feb. 24, 2002, Syracuse University named the Carrier Dome court "Jim Boeheim Court" in recognition of his many accomplishments.

Boeheim also possesses plenty of international coaching experience, having served on 12 USA Basketball coaching staffs.

Boeheim, in addition to his USA coaching duties with the 2006-08 USA Senior National Team, led the 2001 USA Basketball Young Men's Team to the gold medal at the FIBA World Championship For Young Men in Japan, and later that fall was named the USA Basketball 2001 National Coach of the Year.

Boeheim also served as head coach of the 2000 World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Team that finished with a 4-1 record and the silver medal. In 1998 he led the USA Junior World Championship Qualifying Team to a gold medal and 6-0 finish, and in 1982 guided the U.S. Olympic Festival East Team to a 2-2 finish and the silver medal.

Boeheim also served as an assistant coach on USA Basketball coaching staffs for the 1990 World Championship Team (6-2 / bronze medal); 1990 Goodwill Games Team (3-2 / silver medal); and 1989 World University Games (6-0 / gold medal).

Boeheim has served as chair of the USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team Committee since 2005, and was a member of the 10-member committee for 2001-2004.

He and his wife, Juli, are parents of James Arthur Boeheim, III, and twins Jack and Jamie. Jim also has a daughter, Elizabeth.