DePaul�s Jerry Wainwright Selected To Lead 2007 USA Basketball Men�s U19 World Championship Team
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� Drexel�s Bruiser Flint, George Washington�s Karl Hobbs Tabbed As Assistants �
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 8, 2007) � DePaul University (Ill.) head coach Jerry Wainwright, who served as an assistant for the 2006 USA U18 National Team, has been called upon to lead the 2007 USA U19 World Championship Team at this summer�s FIBA U19 World Championship for Men. USA Basketball also announced today that collegiate head coaches Bruiser Flint of Drexel University (Pa.) and George Washington University�s (D.C.) Karl Hobbs will serve as assistant coaches for the USA U19 National Team. Coaching staff selections were made by the USA Basketball Men�s Collegiate Committee, chaired by USA Senior National Team assistant and Syracuse University head coach Jim Boeheim, and approved by the USA Basketball Executive Committee.
The 2007 FIBA U19 World Championship will be contested July 12-22 in Novi Sad, Serbia. The draw for the tournament was held on Feb. 27, and the United States was placed in Group B for preliminary round action along with China (FIBA Asia gold medalist), Mali (FIBA Africa silver medalist) and host Serbia (FIBA Europe fifth place finisher).
'In all honesty it�s a great honor,' said Wainwright. 'I�ve been privileged to work with two other programs in USA Basketball. Certainly after last summer where I had a wonderful experience with our under 18 team with coach Romar as the head coach, coach Hewitt and myself. It�s an incredible privilege to wear your country�s name on a uniform and represent it. At this point in my career it�s certainly a highlight. I hope I can live up to the past coaches and what they�ve accomplished.
'Bruiser Flint and Karl Hobbs are both obviously beyond being up and coming stars. They�re already stars but they�re young guys, and I was fortunate enough to know them as players. Their energy level, their commitment to excellence and the fact that they�ve always had tremendous relationships with their players will help us establish a family atmosphere. They�re also two of the most competitive people I�ve ever met. They�re winners, and I�m extremely humbled that they�re going to be co-coaches alongside me. I don�t look at them as assistant coaches, when we�re over in Serbia.'
'It�s a natural progression for Jerry, he was an assistant last summer for our very successful U18 team,' said Boeheim. 'Some of the players will return and are familiar with him, so it�s a natural progression for him to move up and take the reigns. I think he�ll do an outstanding job with the team this year. In Bruiser Flint you have a proven head coach who�s been involved with USA Basketball teams in the past, has great international experience and is coming off another tremendous coaching year at Drexel. Karl Hobbs is one of the bright young coaches in college basketball. He�s had tremendous success at George Washington and has international coaching experience. He brings a lot to the table and will be a tremendous addition to the coaching staff.'
The U.S. earned its 2007 FIBA U19 World Championship berth by claiming gold at the 2006 FIBA Americas U18 Championship. The 2007 USA squad will be comprised of males 19-years-old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1988) who are citizens of the United States.
In addition to the USA�s pool, included among the 16 national teams that qualified through their FIBA zone tournaments are Brazil (FIBA Americas bronze medalist), France (FIBA Europe gold medalist), Lebanon (FIBA Asia bronze medalist) and Lithuania (FIBA Europe silver medalist) in Group A; Group C consists of Australia (FIBA Oceania gold medalist), Canada (FIBA Americas fourth place finisher), Nigeria (FIBA Africa gold medalist) and Turkey (FIBA Europe fourth place finisher); while Group D includes Argentina (FIBA Americas silver medalist), Puerto Rico (FIBA Americas fifth place finisher), South Korea (FIBA Asia silver medalist) and Spain (FIBA Europe bronze medalist).
Though game times are still to be determined, the USA will open play against Mali on July 12, followed by China on July 13 and will cap preliminary play against host Serbia on July 14. The top three teams from each of the four preliminary round groups advance to the July 16-18 second round. The top three teams from Groups A and B will compete in round-robin play in second round Group E; while the top three teams from Groups C and D will play each other in Group F. The preliminary round results carry over to the second round standings, and teams will only face advancing squads from the opposite group in second round action. Quarterfinals will be contested on July 20, the semifinals on July 21 and the gold medal tilt is slated for July 22.
The USA U19 National Team Trials, featuring approximately 35 of the nation�s top 19-and-unders, will begin June 28 in Dallas, Texas.
Jerry Wainwright
In 13 seasons of coaching (1984-85 to present), Wainwright has amassed a career record of 369-306 (.547 winning percentage). This selection marks his third tour with USA Basketball as he also served as a court coach during the 2004 USA Basketball Men�s U20 National Team Trials.
'I think we�re talking about two different variables added to the mix,' said Wainwright. 'We had the comfort level last year of playing on our home soil, minimal travel and the food were things we were use to, and that gives you a little bit more relaxed atmosphere. It allows your kids, especially the young kids, to be able to focus on the task at hand, which is winning the tournament. Now you�re throwing in the fact that we�re not going to be the home team. In every game we�re going to be looked at as the team to pull against as far as the crowd is thinking. Because of that we�re going to have to be at a different level than we were last summer and especially as it pertains to our mental toughness and our togetherness. The challenge of that, plus the fact that instead of it just being a tournament against the Americas we�re bringing in teams from all over the world that have probably stayed together for at least a year. Whereas our team probably won�t be the same that we had last summer. You now have a worldwide event and as we know, on foreign soil, it�s going to be a tremendous challenge for our kids. Hopefully we look at that as not only a challenge, but something we really want to be a part of. Hopefully the kids that ultimately try out and make the team will have a great sense of conviction and also believe that they�re doing something not only for themselves but for USA Basketball.'
In his first season (2005-06) as the head coach of DePaul University, Wainwright helped the school�s youngest team in seven years through the program�s first year in the Big East Conference. The Blue Demons� schedule included 11 teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament, and they finished Wainwright�s inaugural season 12-15.
The 2006-07 season saw remarkable improvement as Wainwright piloted DePaul to a 20-14 record and an NIT bid
. The Blue Demons reached the NIT quarterfinals before losing on the road 52-51 at the U.S. Air Force Academy (Colo.).
In three seasons (2002-03 through 2004-05) as head coach at the University of Richmond (Va.), Wainwright was 50-41 (.549 winning percentage). In 2003-04, he directed the Spiders to their seventh consecutive winning season and a fourth straight postseason berth, earning the program its second at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. With the nation�s ninth-ranked defense, his team completed the most successful road trip in program history, defeating Temple, Xavier and Kansas.
Wainwright led the 2002-03 Spiders to the Atlantic 10 Conference�s second-best defense allowing just 62.4 points per game, which ranked 26th nationally. They also set a program record for fewest turnovers in a season and advanced to the NIT.
Prior to his arrival in Richmond, Wainwright was the head coach at the University of North Carolina Wilmington for eight seasons (1995-96 through 2002-03). While with the Seahawks he accumulated an overall record of 136-103 (.569 winning percentage). Helping his team earn two trips to the NIT (1998 and 2001) and two trips to the NCAA Tournament (2000 and 2002), he also collected the program�s first 20-win season (1998), the first NCAA Tournament berth (2000) and the first NCAA Tournament win (2002). Wainwright also led the school to three Colonial Athletic Association Tournament (CAA) championships (2000, 2002 and 2003) and three conference regular season titles (1998, 2002 and 2003).
After UNC Wilimington won 15 of its final 21 games during the 2000-01 season, Wainwright was named the CAA Coach of the Year for the second time (1997 and 2001). Averaging nearly 17 wins per season, the Seahawks defense was nationally ranked in all eight seasons under Wainwright.
His collegiate coaching career began in 1984-85 as an assistant at Xavier University (Ohio) where he saw the team finish 16-13. Following Xavier he had a nine-year stay (1985-86 through 1993-94) as an assistant at Wake Forest University (N.C.). With Wainwright on the sidelines the Deacons had an overall record of 150-129 (.537). He helped the school acquire a record four straight NCAA Tournament appearances (1991-94) and consecutive 20-win seasons (1992-93 and 1993-94) for the first time in a decade.
Wainwright also was a success at the high school level, first coaching at Montrose High School in Denver, Colo., where he led his team to the state tournament and was named Colorado District Coach of the Year in 1975. He then returned to Illinois as an assistant coach at East Leyden High School where he compiled a 104-4 record in his four seasons. He also served as the head coach at Illinois� Highland Park High School, directing the program to the state�s 'Sweet Sixteen' in 1982 and twice being named the district Coach of the Year.
A graduate of Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Wainwright earned a graduate degree form the University of Denver in 1971.
Bruiser Flint
Returning for his third USA Basketball assignment, the Philadelphia native previously aided the red, white and blue as an assistant coach for the 2005 USA World Championship For Young Men (U21) Team that finished 7-1 and also served as a court coach at the 2003 USA Basketball Men�s National Team Trials.
'I hope this time around I help the USA come away with a gold medal,' Flint said. 'As long as the kids work hard, the USA has always had the necessary talent to win these championships. It�s a matter of the guys coming together in a short period of time and really working hard. I imagine we will have some of the same kids from the U18 squad that won gold this past summer, and they understand what it takes.'
The two-time Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Coach of the Year (2002, 2004), Flint recently concluded his sixth season (2001-02 to present) at the head of the Drexel basketball program.
The 2006-07 Dragons ended the season at 23-9, the best win total since 1995-96, with a first-round loss in the NIT. For his efforts, Flint was recognized as the 2007 NABC District 3 Coach of the Year.
Flint owns a 192-146 career record (.568 winning percentage) and a 106-74 (.589 winning percentage) at the helm of the Dragons. With Flint on the sidelines, Drexel�s rosters have featured four CAA Defensive Players of the Year, 10 All-CAA selections and nine members of the conference�s All-Defensive team.
Flint�s Dragons strung together three consecutive NIT appearances from 2003 to 2005. In just his second season, the 2002-03 squad finished with 19 wins, a 12-6 conference record and advanced to the CAA Tournament championship game. The 2003 NIT bid marked Drexel�s first return to postseason play since the 1997 NIT. The Dragons reached an 18-11 mark in 2003-04 and a 17-12 record in 2004-05.
In his first year Drexel was projected to finish ninth in the CAA, however, the Dragons went on to earn an 11-7 conference mark to finish fourth in the standings, and Flint was rewarded with his first CAA Coach of the Year honor.
Flint took over the Drexel program after serving 12 years (1989-90 through 2000-01) at the University of Massachusetts. He was an assistant coach for the first seven seasons (1989-90 through 1995-96) under John Calipari and took over as head coach for the 1996-97 season after Calipari exited for the NBA. During his five years as head coach at Massachusetts, Flint�s teams went 86-72 (.544 winning percentage), including a 52-28 (.650 winning percentage) record in Atlantic 10 play.
Flint led three of his five Massachusetts teams to postseason competition and was the 1998 NABC District I Co-Coach of the Year. He became the fastest coach in UMass history to reach 30 wins and was the winningest first-year coach in the history of the program after the Minutemen finished 19-14 in 1997.
Flint began his coaching career as a two-year (1987-88 and 1988-89) assistant at Coppin State University (Md.). He aided that program to a 32-26 record during his stint in Baltimore.
A 1987 Saint Joseph�s University (Pa.) graduate, Flint was a four-year letterwinner (1984-87) while helping the Hawks to an 81-40 record, one Atlantic 10 Tournament crown, the 1986 NCAA Tournament second round and NIT showings in 1984 and 1985. The 1998 St. Joe�s Men�s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee was named to the 1987 All-Atlantic 10 second team after averaging 14.6 ppg. and a conference-leading 6.1 apg.
Karl Hobbs
The 2006 Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year, Hobbs returns to USA Basketball for his second stint with the red, white and blue as he previously served as a court coach for the 2005 USA World University Games Team Trials.
'It�s an incredible honor and it comes with a great deal of responsibility and excitement,' said Hobbs. 'I�m unbelievably enthusiastic about this rare opportunity. Not everybody gets a chance to coach and be a part of such a meaningful event.
'It�s an honor to work with Jerry. He and I coached against each other when he was at Richmond, we�ve been terrific friends and I�ve been a big fan of his from afar. I go back to the days when he was coaching at the Five Star Camp. He�s an incredible teacher and motivator, and I think that the players are going to be really enthused about playing for him. Honestly, Bruiser and I have been friends for many years, and I�m excited about working with Bruiser. All the success he�s had as a basketball coach, he had an opportunity at a very young age to be a coach and he�s been very successful. We�re all going to work together in this to help the USA come away with the gold medal.'
In 2006-07, George Washington secured a 23-9 record, a third consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament and the school�s second A-10 Tournament championship in the past three years. Holding opponents to just 52.3 ppg. during the
A-10 Tournament, the Colonials entered the 2007 NCAA Tournament riding an eight-game win streak before falling to Vanderbilt in the first round.
The 2005-06 season was a monumental year for George Washington, and as a result Hobbs was one of four finalists for the Naismith Men�s College Coach of the Year Award. Hobbs helped GW finish with a 27-3 record, the best tally in the 92-season history of the program, capture the A-10 regular season title with a perfect 16-0 mark in conference play and reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Colonials ranked in every Associated Press Top 25 Poll, twice rising as high as No. 6�the program�s highest ranking in 50 years. Hobbs� squad also compiled a school record
18-game winning streak that, at the time, was the longest streak in the nation. In addition, the school�s No. 8 seed into the NCAA Tournament was it�s highest ever.
In 2004-05 Hobbs led a program that was 24-33 in his first two seasons to an 18-12 mark and an NIT appearance, and he hasn�t missed the postseason since. He was honored as the 2004 District 4 Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Overall, Hobbs has collected a record of 114-65 (.637 winning percentage) in six seasons (2001-02 to present) with the Colonials.
Prior to accepting the head coaching position at George Washington, Hobbs spent eight seasons (1993-94 through 2000-01) as an assistant coach at the University of Connecticut. In Hobbs� eight years there, UConn rolled up a 216-56 record (.794 winning percentage), reached two NITs, including a third-place finish in 1997, and six NCAA Tournaments, including the national championship in 1999. UConn also advanced as far as the second round in 2000, the Sweet Sixteen in 1994 and 1996 and the Elite Eight in 1995 and 1998.
Hobbs began his coaching career with six seasons (1987-88 through 1992-93) as an assistant on the sidelines of Boston University, during which time BU tallied a 101-77 mark (.567 winning percentage) and reached two NCAA Tournaments (1989 and 1991).
Hobbs was a four-year (1980-81 through 1983-84) starting point guard for the University of Connecticut and was captain of the team as a senior in 1983-84. Starting in 104 of 113 games played and averaging 8.0 ppg. and 30.0 mpg. for his career, Hobbs led the Huskies in assists in all four of his seasons, dishing a total of 534 to rank fourth on UConn�s career assists list.
A Massachusetts native, Hobbs played high school basketball at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, capturing a state title, and was named the 1980 Massachusetts Schoolboy Player of the Year.
FIBA U19 World Championship for Men
Originally known as the FIBA Junior World Championship, the tournament has been held every four years since 1979 and will now be contested every other year beginning in 2009. USA men�s teams are 45-10 in the U19/Junior World Championships and have won three gold and two silver medals in seven U19/Junior Worlds, while placing fifth with a 7-1 record most recently in 2003.
Some of the athletes who have represented the United States at the U19/Junior World Championships include: Stacey Augmon (1987); Vin Baker (1991); Dee Brown (2003); Vince Carter (1995); Nick Collison (1999); Paul Davis (2003); Eric Floyd (1979); Larry Johnson (1987); Stephon Marbury (1995); Gary Payton (1987); Sam Perkins (1979); Wesley Person (1991); Kevin Pittsnogle (2003); J.J. Redick (2003); Bobby Simmons (1999); Scott Skiles (1983); Deron Williams (2003); and James Worthy (1979).
USA Basketball
The USA Basketball Men's Collegiate Committee, in addition to chair Boeheim, consists of: NCAA appointees Fran Dunphy (head coach, Temple University, Pa.); Tom Izzo (head coach, Michigan State University); Ernie Kent (head coach, University of Oregon) and Tubby Smith (head coach, University of Minnesota); NABC appointee Bill Self (head coach, University of Kansas); NAIA appointee Bob Burchard (head coach, Columbia College, Mo.); NJCAA appointee Scott Schumacher (head coach, Kilgore C.C., Texas); and athlete representatives Steve Wojciechowski (1995 Junior World Championship team / assistant coach, Duke University, N.C.) and A.J. Wynder (1995 Pan American Games team / head coach, Nassau Community College, N.Y.).
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