Bernard Hickman
Encyclopedia
Bernard "Peck" Hickman is best known as the man who turned the University of Louisville
men's basketball team into one of the nation's best. The Cardinals never had a losing season in Hickman's 23 seasons as head coach; prior to his arrival the program only had 11 in 33 seasons. Coach Hickman led Louisville to their first championship on a national level by winning the NAIB in 1948. In 1956, his team headed by All American Charlie Tyra
won the NIT
Championship. At that time, the NIT was a tournament equal in prestige to the NCAA tournament
.
From 1954 to 1967, Hickman doubled as head coach and athletic director, a position he would hold full time until his retirement in 1973. One of Hickman's last acts as athletic director was to hire UCLA assistant coach Denny Crum
, who would lead the program to two NCAA titles and six final fours en route to the College Basketball hall of fame.
In 24 years, Hickman compiled a record of 443-183 (.708).
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
men's basketball team into one of the nation's best. The Cardinals never had a losing season in Hickman's 23 seasons as head coach; prior to his arrival the program only had 11 in 33 seasons. Coach Hickman led Louisville to their first championship on a national level by winning the NAIB in 1948. In 1956, his team headed by All American Charlie Tyra
Charlie Tyra
Charles E. Tyra was an American basketball player who is best known as the first Louisville Cardinal All-American....
won the NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
Championship. At that time, the NIT was a tournament equal in prestige to the NCAA tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
.
From 1954 to 1967, Hickman doubled as head coach and athletic director, a position he would hold full time until his retirement in 1973. One of Hickman's last acts as athletic director was to hire UCLA assistant coach Denny Crum
Denny Crum
Denzil E. "Denny" Crum is a former American men's college basketball coach at the University of Louisville from 1971 to 2001, compiling a 675–295 record. He guided the Cardinals to two NCAA championships and six Final Fours...
, who would lead the program to two NCAA titles and six final fours en route to the College Basketball hall of fame.
In 24 years, Hickman compiled a record of 443-183 (.708).