Tom Collen

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Tom Collen is a nationally renowned[1] college women's basketball coach, the 1999 coach of the year, and the current head coach at the University of Arkansas.

[edit] Early life

Collen was born in 1953 in Lancaster, Ohio, and received his bachelor's degree in Physical Education from Bowling Green State University in 1977. He earned a master's degree in Health Education from Miami University (of Ohio) in 1982, and another in 1983 in Recreational Programming.[2]

[edit] Coaching career

Collen began his coaching career at Miami University in 1981, where he worked for three seasons. He was assistant coach at the University of Utah from 1984 to 1986, and at the Purdue University from 1986 to 1993.[2]

In 1993 he moved to the University of Arkansas, where he was assistant coach and recruiting coordinator until 1997. He was named assistant head coach for his last two seasons.[3] The year after he left, the Arkansas team went to the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship. Arkansas' women's athletic director Bev Lewis said "his reputation as a recruiter is among the best in the country."[4]

Collen left the University of Arkansas in 1997 to take the head coaching job at Colorado State University. Colorado State went to the NCAA Tournament four times in five seasons under his leadership.[4] In 1999, his team made it to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, and Collen was named coach of the year.[5] His winning percentage of 79.6% (129 wins and 33 losses) ranked fourth among Division I women's basketball coaches at the time.[1]

After the 2001-2002 season, Collen accepted a position at Vanderbilt University but resigned the next day over a discrepancy discovered on his resume.[4] He had listed two master's degrees from Miami University, but Miami had reported only one degree in two subjects. Miami later acknowledged its mistake.[6] By then both Vanderbilt and Colorado State had new head coaches. Collen took a year off from coaching, working as a television commentator and a consultant for the WNBA.[6]

In 2003, Collen was hired at the University of Louisville by Tom Jurich, who had been director of athletics at Colorado State when Collen was hired there. During Collen's four seasons, Louisville had an 87-37 record and made the NCAA tournament three times.[3]

In 2007, Collen became head coach of the Arkansas Ladybacks.[5] Under his leadership the team began the 2007 season with a school record 15 consecutive wins.[7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Benjamin Lampkin (March 25, 2003). Tom Collen named women's head coach. The Louisville Cardinal. Accessed 2007-12-21.
  2. ^ a b Tom Collen Named Women's Basketball Coach At Colorado State (April 20, 1997) RamLine.com. Accessed 2007-12-24.
  3. ^ a b Tom Collen Resigns as Women's Basketball Coach (March 23, 2007) UofLSports. Accessed 2007-12-21.
  4. ^ a b c Collen eyes return to national prominence for Arkansas (March 23, 2007) ESPN.com. Accessed 2007-12-21.
  5. ^ a b Collen Named Head Basketball Coach (March 23, 2007) Ladybacks.com. Accessed 2007-12-24.
  6. ^ a b Tom Weir (February 19, 2004). Collen restores his good name while building a winner USA Today. Accessed 2007-12-21.
  7. ^ #25 Lady'Backs gun down Lady Raiders (January 5, 2008) Ladybacks.com. Accessed 2008-01-06.
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Current head women's basketball coaches of the Southeastern Conference
Eastern Division
Western Division
Wendell Hudson (Alabama) · Tom Collen (Arkansas) · Nell Fortner (Auburn) · Van Chancellor (LSU) · Sharon Fanning (Mississippi State) · Renee Ladner (Ole Miss)