Ben Howland
Encyclopedia
Ben Howland is an American
college head coach
of men's basketball
.
He has been the head coach of the University of California, Los Angeles
since 2003, and in 2008 signed an extension of his contract to run through 2015. Aggressive man-to-man defense is the trademark of Ben Howland-coached teams.
, Oregon
. He first attended Dos Pueblos High School
, Goleta, California
for a year then transferred to Cerritos High School
, Cerritos
, where he earned his diploma. While at Cerritos he was a two-time All-CIF
and two-time Suburban League Most Valuable Player in basketball.
After high school Howland played college basketball at Santa Barbara City College
and Weber State University
, and later played professional basketball in Uruguay
. He was known as a defensive specialist.
He earned a degree in physical education
at Weber State and a master's degree in administration at Gonzaga University
.
. His childhood friend Jay Hillock, the new head coach, recruited Howland. At Gonzaga, one of Howland's duties was to guard future NBA player John Stockton
in practice.
After a year at Gonzaga
he got his first paid coaching job at the University of California, Santa Barbara (1982–1994) as an assistant coach to Ed DeLacy. After Jerry Pimm
replaced DeLacy in 1983, Howland helped Pimm lead the Gauchos to five post-season appearances between 1988 and 1994. Starting in 1992, Howland applied for head coaching jobs at UC Irvine and Loyola Marymount University
but was turned down both times.
(1994–99). Under Howland, Northern Arizona
captured the Big Sky Conference Championship in the 1996-97 season. He then led the Lumberjacks to the Big Sky Tournament Championship the following year, sending them to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. While at NAU, he was considered for head coaching jobs at UC Irvine again and at UCSB, but again was turned down. He later ended up replacing Ralph Willard
at the University of Pittsburgh
, a member of the Big East Conference
. While at Pittsburgh, Howland rebuilt the Panthers basketball program
and obtained an NIT bid his second season, followed by back-to-back Big East regular-season conference titles and NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances. He also took Pitt to three straight Big East Championship
games, winning the 2003 tournament title, the first in school history. In 2002, Howland also earned several national coach-of-the-year awards. Howland's win-loss record at Pitt was 89–40 (.690) with four consecutive post-season bids.
in previous years, which included an appearance in the Elite 8 and 5 Sweet 16 appearances, the program fell far short of UCLA tradition and was perceived to be deteriorating under his watch. The program had fallen behind both Stanford
and Arizona in performance and in recruiting. The highly touted athletes that Lavin recruited often left early before they could leave their mark (e.g. Baron Davis
). Even the success in the tournament belied the fact that UCLA had earned no better than a number 4 seed with the exception of the 1997 season. The 2002-03 season turned out to be the back-breaker for Lavin as the Bruins stumbled to a 10–19 record and a 6–12 record in the conference. It was the first losing season for UCLA in over five decades. Lavin was dismissed following the season.
UCLA looked to find a coach that could move the Bruins back to the elite ranks of the Pac-10 and the country. Howland's success at the University of Pittsburgh and his southern California roots made him an attractive candidate. In 2003, he accepted the only job he said he would ever contemplate leaving Pitt for: the head coaching duties at UCLA. UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero
, who declined to hire Howland at UC Irvine in 1997, felt that Howland's Big East style of basketball, characterized by a slow down offense and lock-down man on man defense, would vault the program to the top of the Pac-10. However, Howland came into a program at the bottom of the Pac-10 with a roster not suited to his style. In his first season the club finished 11-17 and 7-11 in the conference. Howland remedied this disappointment in his recruiting efforts. Howland produced a top tier recruiting class from athletes in southern California that fit his Big East style. Behind Lavin hold-over Dijon Thompson and Howland recruits Jordan Farmar
and Arron Afflalo
, UCLA produced a winning season for the first time in three years and returned to the tournament. Despite losing in the first round, the foundation had been set for future success.
Starting the 2005-06 season with the majority of the roster made over in Howland's image and with the Lavin hold-overs buying into the system (e.g., Ryan Hollins
and Cedric Bozeman
) the Bruins produced an excellent campaign. They finished the regular season 24–6, winning the Pac-10 Conference title. They then roared through the Pac-10 tournament
, winning each game by double digits en route to only the second Pac-10 tournament championship in school history. The momentum continued into the NCAA tournament as the second-seeded Bruins staged a memorable late-game comeback to defeat Gonzaga
in the Sweet Sixteen. They then upset top-seeded Memphis to reach the school's first Final Four in 11 years. The run ended against Florida
in the championship game whose imposing front-line proved to be a matchup problem for the Bruins.
At the end of the 2005–2006 season, he and UCLA football coach Karl Dorrell
received pay bonuses after coaching successful seasons.
Howland continued his success at UCLA the following year. The Bruins
finished undefeated at home for the first time in 22 years, winning the Pac-10 conference title. However they lost in their first Pac-10 tournament game
and were seeded second in the NCAA Tournament West Region. UCLA turned a tight opening into a blowout over Howland's alma mater Weber State in the first round. After a close second-round win over Indiana
, Howland led the Bruins to a win over his former team, Pitt
, coached by his former assistant, Jamie Dixon
, in the Sweet Sixteen. The Bruins then again upset the top seed in the West Region, Kansas
, in a classic matchup of two storied basketball programs and reached the second of UCLA's first consecutive Final Fours since the John Wooden
era, only to lose again to Florida
in the national semifinal.
At the start of the 2007-08 season
, expectations for UCLA
were the highest ever with the arrival of Kevin Love
, one of the best low-post prospects in the high school class of 2007 http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/news/story?id=2529652. Combined with the emergence of Russell Westbrook
and Darren Collison
in the back-court, the Bruins won their 3rd consecutive Pac-10 conference title, and their second Pac-10 tournament title
in three years. They received their first #1 seed in the NCAA tournament since 1995, and once again reached the Final Four, where they faced another top seed, the Memphis Tigers. Memphis got the better of the Bruins, who returned to Westwood without a championship once again.
Howland is among a handful of NCAA Division I coaches to take three different teams to the NCAA tournament: Northern Arizona, Pittsburgh, and UCLA. He is one of only three active coaches to compete in three consecutive Final Fours. The other two are Tom Izzo and Mike Krzyzewski.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
of men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
.
He has been the head coach of the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
since 2003, and in 2008 signed an extension of his contract to run through 2015. Aggressive man-to-man defense is the trademark of Ben Howland-coached teams.
Education
Howland was born in LebanonLebanon, Oregon
Lebanon is a city in Linn County, Oregon, United States. Lebanon is located in northwest Oregon, southeast of Salem. The population was 12,950 at the 2000 census and the 2008 census data shows the population at 15,397.-Geography:...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. He first attended Dos Pueblos High School
Dos Pueblos High School
Dos Pueblos High School is a high school located in Goleta, California, west of Santa Barbara. Located adjacent to the foothills on the edge of the Goleta Valley in an area known as El Encanto Heights, it serves a student body of approximately 2,300 in grades 9-12.Dos Pueblos, or "DP" or "DPHS", is...
, Goleta, California
Goleta, California
Goleta is a city in southern Santa Barbara County, California, USA. It was incorporated as a city in 2002, after a long period as the largest unincorporated, populated area in the county. As of the 2000 census, the Census-designated place had a total population of 55,204, however, a significant...
for a year then transferred to Cerritos High School
Cerritos High School
Cerritos High School, also called CHS, is a public high school in Cerritos, California, serving grades 9-12. It is part of the ABC Unified School District.-History:...
, Cerritos
Cerritos, California
Cerritos is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is one of several cities that constitute the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. It was incorporated on April 24, 1956...
, where he earned his diploma. While at Cerritos he was a two-time All-CIF
California Interscholastic Federation
The California Interscholastic Federation is the governing body for high school sports in the state of California. It mirrors similar governing bodies in other states; however, it differs from some of the others in that it covers most high schools in the state of California, both public and...
and two-time Suburban League Most Valuable Player in basketball.
After high school Howland played college basketball at Santa Barbara City College
Santa Barbara City College
Santa Barbara City College is a two-year community college founded in 1909. It is located on a campus right over the beach in the city of Santa Barbara, California, USA. SBCC offers associate degrees in English, Social Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, and occupational and...
and Weber State University
Weber State University
Weber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees...
, and later played professional basketball in Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. He was known as a defensive specialist.
He earned a degree in physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
at Weber State and a master's degree in administration at Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
.
Career background
Howland wanted to be a coach since his teenage years living in Santa Barbara. At the age of twenty-four, he became a graduate assistant at Gonzaga UniversityGonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
. His childhood friend Jay Hillock, the new head coach, recruited Howland. At Gonzaga, one of Howland's duties was to guard future NBA player John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
in practice.
After a year at Gonzaga
Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball
The Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Gonzaga University. The school competes in the West Coast Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
he got his first paid coaching job at the University of California, Santa Barbara (1982–1994) as an assistant coach to Ed DeLacy. After Jerry Pimm
Jerry Pimm
Jerry Pimm is a men's basketball coach who is best remembered for coaching at the University of Utah from 1974–1983 and the University of California, Santa Barbara from 1983-1998....
replaced DeLacy in 1983, Howland helped Pimm lead the Gauchos to five post-season appearances between 1988 and 1994. Starting in 1992, Howland applied for head coaching jobs at UC Irvine and Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
but was turned down both times.
Early head coaching career
Howland's first head coaching job was at Northern Arizona UniversityNorthern Arizona University
Northern Arizona University is a public university located in Flagstaff, Arizona, United States. It is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and has 39 satellite campuses in the state of Arizona. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees.As of...
(1994–99). Under Howland, Northern Arizona
Northern Arizona Lumberjacks men's basketball
The Northern Arizona Lumberjacks men's basketball team represents Northern Arizona University, located in Flagstaff, Arizona, in NCAA Division I men's competition. The school's team currently competes in the Big Sky Conference. The team's most recent appearance in the NCAA Division I Men's...
captured the Big Sky Conference Championship in the 1996-97 season. He then led the Lumberjacks to the Big Sky Tournament Championship the following year, sending them to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history. While at NAU, he was considered for head coaching jobs at UC Irvine again and at UCSB, but again was turned down. He later ended up replacing Ralph Willard
Ralph Willard
Ralph Willard is the former men's head basketball coach at the College of the Holy Cross, a member of the NCAA Patriot League in Worcester, Massachusetts. He held this position from 1999 to 2009 and was the 14th head coach in the 88-year history of Holy Cross basketball. Willard was also an...
at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, a member of the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
. While at Pittsburgh, Howland rebuilt the Panthers basketball program
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in...
and obtained an NIT bid his second season, followed by back-to-back Big East regular-season conference titles and NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances. He also took Pitt to three straight Big East Championship
Big East Men's Basketball Tournament
The Big East Men's Basketball Tournament is the conference championship tournament in men's basketball for the Big East Conference. The winner receives the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship. Since 1983, the tournament has been held in Madison Square...
games, winning the 2003 tournament title, the first in school history. In 2002, Howland also earned several national coach-of-the-year awards. Howland's win-loss record at Pitt was 89–40 (.690) with four consecutive post-season bids.
UCLA head coach
Despite the relative success of Steve LavinSteve Lavin
Steve Lavin is an American basketball coach and former player. He is currently the head men's basketball coach at St. John's University in Queens, New York. Lavin previously served as the head coach for UCLA....
in previous years, which included an appearance in the Elite 8 and 5 Sweet 16 appearances, the program fell far short of UCLA tradition and was perceived to be deteriorating under his watch. The program had fallen behind both Stanford
Stanford Cardinal men's basketball
The Stanford Cardinal Men's Basketball team represents Stanford University, located in Stanford, California, United States. The school's team currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference. The team has won 13 conference championships , the last in 2004, and one NCAA championship, in 1942...
and Arizona in performance and in recruiting. The highly touted athletes that Lavin recruited often left early before they could leave their mark (e.g. Baron Davis
Baron Davis
Baron Walter Louis Davis is an American professional basketball player with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. Drafted as the third pick in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, Davis was a star at Crossroads School and UCLA....
). Even the success in the tournament belied the fact that UCLA had earned no better than a number 4 seed with the exception of the 1997 season. The 2002-03 season turned out to be the back-breaker for Lavin as the Bruins stumbled to a 10–19 record and a 6–12 record in the conference. It was the first losing season for UCLA in over five decades. Lavin was dismissed following the season.
UCLA looked to find a coach that could move the Bruins back to the elite ranks of the Pac-10 and the country. Howland's success at the University of Pittsburgh and his southern California roots made him an attractive candidate. In 2003, he accepted the only job he said he would ever contemplate leaving Pitt for: the head coaching duties at UCLA. UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero
Dan Guerrero
Dan Guerrero is the athletic director for the University of California, Los Angeles . He is currently serving on the Selection Committee for the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, and will take over as chairman in 2010.-Work history:Prior to his current position, Guerrero was athletic...
, who declined to hire Howland at UC Irvine in 1997, felt that Howland's Big East style of basketball, characterized by a slow down offense and lock-down man on man defense, would vault the program to the top of the Pac-10. However, Howland came into a program at the bottom of the Pac-10 with a roster not suited to his style. In his first season the club finished 11-17 and 7-11 in the conference. Howland remedied this disappointment in his recruiting efforts. Howland produced a top tier recruiting class from athletes in southern California that fit his Big East style. Behind Lavin hold-over Dijon Thompson and Howland recruits Jordan Farmar
Jordan Farmar
Jordan Robert Farmar is an American professional basketball point guard for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Super League and Euroleague. He is also under contract with the New Jersey Nets, and is expected to return to the team after the 2011 NBA lockout ends.In high school, he was the...
and Arron Afflalo
Arron Afflalo
Arron Agustin Afflalo is an American professional basketball player, currently with the Denver Nuggets of the NBA. He completed a three-year career at University of California, Los Angeles in the Pacific-10 Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association as the starting shooting...
, UCLA produced a winning season for the first time in three years and returned to the tournament. Despite losing in the first round, the foundation had been set for future success.
Starting the 2005-06 season with the majority of the roster made over in Howland's image and with the Lavin hold-overs buying into the system (e.g., Ryan Hollins
Ryan Hollins
Ryan Kenwood Hollins is an American professional basketball player who is currently a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. He is a 7-foot center who played collegiately for the UCLA Bruins.-High school:...
and Cedric Bozeman
Cedric Bozeman
Cedric R. Bozeman is an American professional basketball player.-Professional career:Bozeman attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana alongside Jamal Sampson and USC Heisman Trophy winner, Matt Leinart. He was a member of the high school's top-ranked Mater Dei Monarchs basketball team and...
) the Bruins produced an excellent campaign. They finished the regular season 24–6, winning the Pac-10 Conference title. They then roared through the Pac-10 tournament
2006 Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
-All Tournament Team:* Leon Powe, California – Tournament MVP* Brandon Roy, Washington* Chamberlain Oguchi, Oregon* Ayinde Ubaka, California* Jordan Farmar, UCLA* Arron Afflalo, UCLA-References:...
, winning each game by double digits en route to only the second Pac-10 tournament championship in school history. The momentum continued into the NCAA tournament as the second-seeded Bruins staged a memorable late-game comeback to defeat Gonzaga
Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball
The Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Gonzaga University. The school competes in the West Coast Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
in the Sweet Sixteen. They then upset top-seeded Memphis to reach the school's first Final Four in 11 years. The run ended against Florida
2005-06 Florida Gators men's basketball team
The 2005–06 Florida Gators men's basketball team represented the University of Florida in the sport of basketball during the 2005–06 college basketball season. The Gators competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern...
in the championship game whose imposing front-line proved to be a matchup problem for the Bruins.
At the end of the 2005–2006 season, he and UCLA football coach Karl Dorrell
Karl Dorrell
Karl Dorrell is a football coach, currently an assistant coach with the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. He was previously the head coach of the UCLA Bruins, the first African American head football coach in the school's history...
received pay bonuses after coaching successful seasons.
Howland continued his success at UCLA the following year. The Bruins
2006-07 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team
The 2006–07 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team represented the University of California, Los Angeles in the 2006–07 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Bruins finished first in the Pacific-10 Conference standings...
finished undefeated at home for the first time in 22 years, winning the Pac-10 conference title. However they lost in their first Pac-10 tournament game
2007 Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
-All Tournament Team:* Tajuan Porter, Oregon – Tournament MVP* Bryce Taylor, Oregon* Aaron Brooks, Oregon* Gabe Pruitt, USC* Taj Gibson, USC* Ryan Anderson, California-References:...
and were seeded second in the NCAA Tournament West Region. UCLA turned a tight opening into a blowout over Howland's alma mater Weber State in the first round. After a close second-round win over Indiana
Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball
The Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing Indiana University . The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the NCAA. The Hoosiers play on Branch McCracken Court at the Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana on the IU...
, Howland led the Bruins to a win over his former team, Pitt
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in...
, coached by his former assistant, Jamie Dixon
Jamie Dixon
Jamie Dixon is an American basketball head coach. He has served as the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh men's basketball team since 2003. In 2009 he was the head coach for the FIBA Under-19 2009 gold-medal winning United States national basketball team for which he was named the 2009 USA...
, in the Sweet Sixteen. The Bruins then again upset the top seed in the West Region, Kansas
2006-07 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team
The 2006–07 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team represented the University of Kansas Jayhawks for the NCAA Division I men's intercollegiate basketball season of 2006–2007. The team was led by Bill Self in his fourth season as head coach...
, in a classic matchup of two storied basketball programs and reached the second of UCLA's first consecutive Final Fours since the John Wooden
John Wooden
John Robert Wooden was an American basketball player and coach. Nicknamed the "Wizard of Westwood", he won ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period — seven in a row — as head coach at UCLA, an unprecedented feat. Within this period, his teams won a record 88 consecutive games...
era, only to lose again to Florida
2006-07 Florida Gators men's basketball team
The 2006–07 Florida Gators men's basketball team represented the University of Florida in the sport of basketball during the 2006–07 college basketball season. The Gators competed in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern...
in the national semifinal.
At the start of the 2007-08 season
2007-08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
The 2007–08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 5, 2007 ended with the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament's championship game on April 7, 2008 in the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.-Season headlines:...
, expectations for UCLA
2007-08 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team
The 2007–08 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team was a college sports team representing the University of California, Los Angeles in the Pacific-10 Conference for the 2007–08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. In his fifth year as head coach, Ben Howland led the team to its third straight Final...
were the highest ever with the arrival of Kevin Love
Kevin Love
Kevin Love, born in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former NASCAR driver. He ran five races in the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series season, all for Fiddleback Racing....
, one of the best low-post prospects in the high school class of 2007 http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/recruiting/news/story?id=2529652. Combined with the emergence of Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He was drafted by the Thunder's former incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics, which relocated from Seattle, Washington to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
and Darren Collison
Darren Collison
Darren Michael Collison is an American professional basketball point guard for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted 21st overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by New Orleans. He is a right-hander and a native of Rancho Cucamonga, California...
in the back-court, the Bruins won their 3rd consecutive Pac-10 conference title, and their second Pac-10 tournament title
2008 Pacific-10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
* Denotes a vacated win, as the result of a January 3, 2010 announcement that USC has vacated all wins during the 2007–2008 season, including its Pac-10 Conference Tournament victory over Arizona State ....
in three years. They received their first #1 seed in the NCAA tournament since 1995, and once again reached the Final Four, where they faced another top seed, the Memphis Tigers. Memphis got the better of the Bruins, who returned to Westwood without a championship once again.
Howland is among a handful of NCAA Division I coaches to take three different teams to the NCAA tournament: Northern Arizona, Pittsburgh, and UCLA. He is one of only three active coaches to compete in three consecutive Final Fours. The other two are Tom Izzo and Mike Krzyzewski.
Playing career
- 1972-73: Dos Pueblos High SchoolDos Pueblos High SchoolDos Pueblos High School is a high school located in Goleta, California, west of Santa Barbara. Located adjacent to the foothills on the edge of the Goleta Valley in an area known as El Encanto Heights, it serves a student body of approximately 2,300 in grades 9-12.Dos Pueblos, or "DP" or "DPHS", is...
, Goleta, CaliforniaGoleta, CaliforniaGoleta is a city in southern Santa Barbara County, California, USA. It was incorporated as a city in 2002, after a long period as the largest unincorporated, populated area in the county. As of the 2000 census, the Census-designated place had a total population of 55,204, however, a significant... - 1973-76: Cerritos High SchoolCerritos High SchoolCerritos High School, also called CHS, is a public high school in Cerritos, California, serving grades 9-12. It is part of the ABC Unified School District.-History:...
, CerritosCerritos, CaliforniaCerritos is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is one of several cities that constitute the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. It was incorporated on April 24, 1956...
, California - 1976-78: Santa Barbara City CollegeSanta Barbara City CollegeSanta Barbara City College is a two-year community college founded in 1909. It is located on a campus right over the beach in the city of Santa Barbara, California, USA. SBCC offers associate degrees in English, Social Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, and occupational and...
, led the Vaqueros to California State finals in 1978. - 1978-80: Weber State UniversityWeber State UniversityWeber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees...
, named WSU's defensive MVP on two occasions; led Wildcats to two Big SkyBig Sky ConferenceThe Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
Championships and two NCAA Tournament Appearances. - 1980: Played professionally in Bohemios First Division Uruguay, South AmericaSouth AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
Players in the NBA
Ben Howland has coached a number of players who eventually were drafted into the NBA. Some of these players were not highly rated in high school and Howland has been praised for developing them for professional basketball.- Trevor ArizaTrevor ArizaTrevor Anthony Ariza is an American basketball player in the National Basketball Association who plays for the New Orleans Hornets. Primarily a small forward, he is listed at tall and 210 pounds.-Biography:...
- Ryan HollinsRyan HollinsRyan Kenwood Hollins is an American professional basketball player who is currently a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA. He is a 7-foot center who played collegiately for the UCLA Bruins.-High school:...
- Jordan FarmarJordan FarmarJordan Robert Farmar is an American professional basketball point guard for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Super League and Euroleague. He is also under contract with the New Jersey Nets, and is expected to return to the team after the 2011 NBA lockout ends.In high school, he was the...
- Arron AfflaloArron AfflaloArron Agustin Afflalo is an American professional basketball player, currently with the Denver Nuggets of the NBA. He completed a three-year career at University of California, Los Angeles in the Pacific-10 Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association as the starting shooting...
- Russell WestbrookRussell WestbrookRussell Westbrook is an American professional basketball player currently playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA. He was drafted by the Thunder's former incarnation, the Seattle SuperSonics, which relocated from Seattle, Washington to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma...
- Luc Richard Mbah a MouteLuc Richard Mbah a MouteLuc Richard Mbah a Moute is a Cameroonian professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association . Mbah a Mouté is a prince in his native village of Bia Messe , as he is a son of the elected village chief, Camille Mouté à Bidias...
- Kevin LoveKevin LoveKevin Love, born in Des Moines, Iowa, is a former NASCAR driver. He ran five races in the 2004 Craftsman Truck Series season, all for Fiddleback Racing....
- Jrue HolidayJrue HolidayJrue Randall Holiday is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA. He is the first player born in the 1990s to play in the NBA. He played his only college basketball season for the UCLA Bruins before jumping to the pros...
- Darren CollisonDarren CollisonDarren Michael Collison is an American professional basketball point guard for the Indiana Pacers. He was drafted 21st overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by New Orleans. He is a right-hander and a native of Rancho Cucamonga, California...
- Malcolm LeeMalcolm LeeMalcolm Lee is an American basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft...
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Awards
- 1997: Big Sky ConferenceBig Sky ConferenceThe Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
Coach of the Year. - 2001-02:
- Big East Coach of the Year.
- National Coach of the Year: APAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, Naismith, USBWA, ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
Magazine, and The Sporting NewsThe Sporting NewsSporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
. - USBWA District Coach of the Year.
- Basketball America Big East Coach of the Year.
- Basketball Times Big East Coach of the Year.
- Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewPittsburgh Tribune-ReviewThe Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, also known as "the Trib," is the second largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
City of Champions Award.- 2003: Dapper Dan Award, honoring Pittsburgh's Sportsman of the Year.
- 2004: Howland's 1997-98 Northern Arizona club inducted into the Northern Arizona University Athletic Hall of Fame.
- 2005-06:
- Pac-10 Conference Coach of the Year.
- Collegehoops.net Coach of the Year.
Head coaching record
External links
- UCLA Basketball Official Site.
- Q&A with Howland, by Chico Harlan, Pittsburgh Post-GazettePittsburgh Post-GazetteThe Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
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