Rick Majerus
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| Rick Majerus | ||
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| Title | Head coach | |
| College | Saint Louis | |
| Sport | Basketball | |
| Born | February 17, 1948 | |
| Place of birth |  Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin |
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| Career highlights | ||
| Championships | ||
| MWC Regular Season Championship (2003) WAC Tournament Championship (1995, 1997, 1999) WAC Regular Season Championship (1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999) MAC Tournament Championship (1989) MAC Regular Season Championship (1989) |
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| Awards | ||
| WAC Coach of the Year (1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999) | ||
| Playing career | ||
| 1967–1968 | Marquette | |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | ||
| 1971–1983 1983–1986 1986–1987 1987–1989 1989–2004 2007–present |
Marquette (asst.) Marquette Milwaukee Bucks (asst.) Ball State Utah Saint Louis |
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Rick Majerus (born February 17, 1948 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin) is the men's basketball head coach at Saint Louis University. He has coached at Marquette University from 1983 to 1986, Ball State University from 1987 to 1989, and University of Utah from 1989-2004.
Majerus graduated from Marquette University High School in 1966 and then attended Marquette, where he tried-out as a walk-on in the 1967 season. He did not play for Marquette, but stayed on as a student assistant. He graduated in 1970 with a degree in History. He began coaching eighth-graders at St. Sebastian Grade School in Milwaukee, then coached Freshmen high schoolers at Marquette University High School. He was an assistant coach with the Marquette Warriors for 12 years, under mentor Al McGuire until 1977, and under Hank Raymonds until taking over as head coach himself in 1983. After three years as head coach at Marquette, and a 56-35 record, he became an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Bucks for the 1986-87 season. He coached at Ball State during the 1987-88 and 88-89 seasons, finishing with a record of 43-17.
He was an assistant coach under Don Nelson for the US national team in the 1994 FIBA World Championship, winning the gold medal.[1]
He led Utah to the Final Four in 1998, eventually losing to Kentucky in the National Championship Game.
In 2004, Majerus was hired as coach of the University of Southern California basketball team. However, just days after being hired, he changed his mind. He worked as a commentator for ESPN from 2004-2007.
Majerus is something of a fan favorite and cult figure around college basketball, known for his rotund figure and his quirky, jovial personality[2]. He has had a history of heart trouble which led to his resignation from Utah.
On April 27, 2007, Majerus accepted the head coaching position at Saint Louis University. His contract is for six years.[3]
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[edit] Controversy
While at a rally supporting Hillary Clinton for President, Majerus made pro-choice comments on abortion, leading to condemnation by Roman Catholic Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke, who suggested that officials at Saint Louis University (where Majerus currently coaches) take "appropriate action" against him.[4]
Majerus developed a reputation for being verbally abusive toward players. He reportedly called Lance Allred, a backup center who was 75% deaf, "a disgrace to cripples" who had "weaseled [his] way through life using [his poor] hearing as an excuse. Allred transferred to another school, as did 59% of the recruits Majerus signed with the Utes."[5]
[edit] Head Coaching Record
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Tournament | Finish | Rank# |
| Marquette Warriors (1983-1986) | |||||||
| 1983-84 | Marquette | 17-13 | NIT | Second Round | |||
| 1984-85 | Marquette | 20-11 | NIT | Third Round | |||
| 1985-86 | Marquette | 19-11 | NIT | Second Round | |||
| At Marquette | 56-35 | ||||||
| Ball State Cardinals (Mid-American Conference) (1987-1989) | |||||||
| 1987-88 | Ball State | 14-14 | 8-8 | ||||
| 1988-89 | Ball State | 29-3 | 14-2 | 1 | NCAA | Second Round | |
| At Ball State | 43-17 | ||||||
| Utah Utes (Western Athletic Conference) (1989-1999) | |||||||
| 1989-90 | Utah* | 4-2 | |||||
| 1990-91 | Utah | 30-4 | 15-1 | 1 | NCAA | Sweet Sixteen | #10 |
| 1991-92 | Utah | 24-11 | 9-7 | 4-T | NIT | Third Place | |
| 1992-93 | Utah | 24-7 | 15-3 | 1-T | NCAA | Second Round | #16 |
| 1993-94 | Utah | 14-14 | 8-10 | 5-T | |||
| 1994-95 | Utah | 28-6 | 15-3 | 1 | NCAA | Second Round | #22 |
| 1995-96 | Utah | 27-7 | 15-3 | 1 | NCAA | Sweet Sixteen | #12 |
| 1996-97 | Utah | 29-4 | 15-1 | 1 | NCAA | Elite Eight | #6 |
| 1997-98 | Utah | 30-4 | 12-2 | 1 Mountain Division | NCAA | Runner Up | #2 |
| 1998-99 | Utah | 28-5 | 14-0 | 1 | NCAA | Second Round | #10 |
| Utah Utes (Mountain West Conference) (1999-2004) | |||||||
| 1999-00 | Utah | 23-9 | 10-4 | 1-T | NCAA | Second Round | |
| 2000-01 | Utah** | 1-0 | |||||
| 2001-02 | Utah | 21-9 | 10-4 | 2 | NCAA | First Round | |
| 2002-03 | Utah | 25-8 | 11-3 | 1-T | NCAA | Second Round | |
| 2003-04 | Utah*** | 15-5 | 3-2 | ||||
| At Utah | 323-95 | ||||||
| Saint Louis Billikens (Atlantic 10 Conference) (2007- Present) | |||||||
| 2007-08 | St. Louis | 16-15 | 7-9 | 9-T | |||
| At St. Louis | 16-15 | ||||||
| Career | 438-162 | ||||||
| National Championship Conference Tournament Championship | |||||||
| #Rankings from final Coaches Poll of the season. *Coached the first six games before undergoing heart surgery. Assistant Joe Cravens coached the rest of the season. **Coached the first game before taking a personal leave of absence. Assistant Dick Hunsaker coached the rest of the season. ***Coached the first 20 games before retiring due to health concerns. Assistant Kerry Rupp coached the rest of the season. |
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[edit] Coaching Awards
- WAC Coach of the Year: 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997 (media), 1999
- District Coach of the Year (1991, 1993, 1995, 1996)
- Playboy Magazine Coach of the Year (1992, 1998)
- UPI National Coach of the Year (1991)
- Basketball Times National Coach of the Year (1991)
- Utah Sports Person of the Year (1992 and 1997)
- John Wooden Award (National Coach of the Year) 1998
[edit] Published works
In 2000, he released an autobiography My Life On a Napkin : Pillow Mints, Playground Dreams and Coaching the Runnin' Utes (ISBN 0-7868-8445-2), co-written by Gene Wojciechowski.
[edit] References
- ^ 1994 USA Basketball
- ^ Rick Majerus Quotes.
- ^ Forbes.com Saint Louis Hires Coach Rick Majerus
- ^ Archbishop condemns Majerus' abortion comment
- ^ The Life and Times of Rick Majerus
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