Billy Gillispie
Encyclopedia
Billy Clyde Gillispie also known by his initials BCG, is an American college basketball
coach. Since 2011, he has been the current head coach
of the men's basketball team at Texas Tech University
. He was hired as head coach for the Red Raiders
on March 20, 2011.
After leading both UTEP Miners
and Texas A&M Aggies
to postseason appearances one year after poor seasons, Gillispie became the only college basketball coach to be in charge of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) program with the biggest turnaround in two consecutive seasons. Gillispie is known as an excellent recruiter who has managed to put together four straight top-25 recruiting classes. In his three seasons at Texas A&M, the Aggies achieved three consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time in the program's history.
, the middle child and only boy among five children of Clyde, a cattle truck driver, and Winifred Gillispie. He grew up in Graford, Texas
, a town of 494 people located about 65 miles west of Fort Worth
. As a child, Gillispie worked as a paperboy, delivering copies of The Fort Worth Press. At Graford High School, Gillispie played point guard for the basketball team and was a standout athlete in his graduating class of 20 students. He attended Ranger College
, playing basketball and baseball for them from 1978 to 1980, before transferring to Sam Houston State University
to work as a student assistant for their basketball team under coach Bob Derryberry, a former classmate of Gillispie's father. Derryberry moved to Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University–San Marcos
) the following year, and Gillispie accompanied him, spending three years as a graduate assistant. Gillispie received his degree in education from Southwest Texas State in 1983.
After a year as an assistant coach at South Plains College
, in 1994, Gillispie moved to Division I college basketball as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Baylor University
under head coach Harry Miller. Miller and Gillispie had coached against each other in the same high school district as late as two years earlier, with Miller at Temple High School. The Baylor Bears' 1996 recruiting class was ranked as high as number six in the nation. After three years at Baylor, Gillispie moved to the University of Tulsa
to be an assistant coach under Bill Self
. When Self moved to the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Gillispie followed, working as an assistant there for the next two years. During those two seasons, Fighting Illini won back-to-back Big Ten Conference
titles for the first time in 50 years, advancing to the Elite Eight in the 2001 NCAA Tournament and to the Sweet 16 in the 2002 NCAA Tournament. With Gillispie's assistance, Illinois landed a top 10 recruiting class in 2002.
Through Gillispie's eight years as an assistant, he was a member of coaching staffs that won five conference championships in six years. As part of Bill Self's staff, he was a member of the only coaching staff in NCAA history to lead two different schools to the Elite Eight in successive seasons.
(UTEP) in 2002.
, the 2003 National Junior College Player of the Year, and Omar Thomas, the all-time leading scorer in junior college basketball.
89–88, after the Globetrotters had already defeated many college teams including the then-defending national champion, Syracuse Orange
. It was the first defeat the Harlem Globetrotters had suffered in 289 games.
Although the Miners were predicted to finish ninth in the Western Athletic Conference
(WAC) for the 2003–04 season, UTEP instead captured their first conference title in 12 years. The team finished 24–8 and received a bid to the 2004 NCAA Tournament
. The 18-win improvement was the best in Division I basketball that season, and one of the best in Division I history. As a result of their success, the Miners built a huge home following, ranking first in the NCAA in increased attendance. After his second season with the Miners, Gillispie was named Texas coach of the Year by the TABC and was a finalist for National Coach of the Year honors.
, vacant after the forced resignation of Melvin Watkins
, whose team had gone 7–21 and failed to win a Big 12 Conference
game in the 2003–04 season. Athletic Director Bill Byrne
needed to revitalize the program, which had only one winning season in the previous eleven years, and desired a new head coach with the ability to "recruit the heck out of Texas". Gillispie agreed to take the job only after he was sure that the predominantly football-focused school was actually committed to winning, becoming the first native Texan to be the head basketball coach at Texas A&M since J. B. Reid was hired in 1930.
, they finished 8–8 in conference play, winning games against the number 9 Texas Longhorns
and number 25 Texas Tech Red Raiders on their way to becoming only the third college team to ever finish .500 in league play after being winless the previous season. For the first time in eleven years, the team received a postseason bid. The Aggies' two wins in the National Invitation Tournament
(NIT) were their first postseason wins in 23 seasons. With the best first-season record of any head basketball coach in Texas A&M history, the Aggies had the most season wins since the 1979–80 team had won 26 games. The Aggies were named the country's most improved team, making Gillispie the only coach in history to lead the most improved team in consecutive seasons. As a result of his success, he was the consensus selection for Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year. and was selected to serve as a court coach at the 2005 USA Men's World University Games Team Trials.
to the NBA Draft
following the 2004–05 season, the team did not suffer the predicted drop-off, and actually broke a streak of twenty-five years without being ranked in the poll. The Aggies finished the regular season with a 21–8 record, including a 10–6 conference record and a fourth-place finish in the Big 12, the best finish and most wins for Texas A&M since the formation of the conference in 1996. For the first time since 1987, Texas A&M received a bid to the NCAA Tournament
. As a twelfth-seeded team, the Aggies upset the Big East Conference
champion Syracuse Orange
in the first round of the tournament but then lost in the second round to eventual Final Four participant, the LSU Tigers
, by the score of 58–57 on a three-pointer that LSU made in the final seconds of the game. Following the season, Gillispie was named the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year by several major newspapers and was named the Texas College Coach of the Year by the TABC.
, moving them into sole possession of first place in the conference standing. Less than forty-eight hours later the Aggies defeated their archrivals, then the number-25th ranked Texas Longhorns
, marking their 21st straight win at home.
The 2006–07 Aggies ended the regular season ranked #7 by the Associated Press
and #6 in the ESPN
/USA Today
Coaches' poll. The Aggies have set a school record for most consecutive weeks in the top 25, reaching a school high number 6 ranking. On March 4, 2007, Gillispie was awarded his second Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year award for leading the Aggies to a 13-3 conference record and a second place finish behind the Kansas Jayhawks. The 2006-07 post-season, the Aggies advanced to the Sweet Sixteen
in the NCAA tourney. Their post-season hopes ended with a one point loss (65-64) to the Memphis Tigers at the Alamodome
in San Antonio on March 22, 2007.
athletic director Mitch Barnhart was given permission by Texas A&M to speak with Gillispie about the program's basketball coach opening, vacated by Tubby Smith
. On April 6, 2007, the announcement was made that Gillispie had accepted the position. He drew criticism for the way he left Texas A&M by having alerted the Aggie players of his decision to take the Kentucky job via text message
while en route to the introductory press conference in Lexington.
At 12:45 p.m on April 6, 2007, Billy Gillispie was officially and formally announced as the new head coach of the University of Kentucky by UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart. He fielded questions from the media during the press conference held at UK's new practice facility, the Joe Craft Center. He expressed his excitement and joy to be not only considered for the position but to have been given the honor and the opportunity to coach what former Kentucky Wildcats head coach Rick Pitino
referred to as the "Roman Empire" of college basketball. "I'm very, very grateful and honored to be here, but we have a lot of work to do." Gillispie became only the sixth head coach in the last 76 years at the school.
Gillispie signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" with Kentucky on April 6, 2007 which outlined his salary and benefits. The memo also stated that contract negotiations would be concluded with "every reasonable effort" within 60 days. Gillispie and the University never signed a formal contract.
8th-grader Michael Avery. Avery, a member of the class of 2012, gave the University of Kentucky its earliest basketball commitment in the history of the program. The commitment also earned national scrutiny for Coach Gillispie and the university, but there were no violations of the NCAA recruiting rules. During his tenure at Kentucky, Gillispie snagged numerous high profile recruits. These included three 5* recruits according to Scout.com
(Patrick Patterson
, Daniel Orton
& Dominique Ferguson) and five 4* recruits (Alex Legion
, DeAndre Liggins
, Darius Miller, Kevin Galloway and Jon Hood). Legion later transferred to Illinois early in the 2007–08 season.
and Alex Legion. Patterson had previously been recruited by the Duke Blue Devils
, Florida Gators
, and Kentucky Wildcats (by former coach Tubby Smith) before signing with Gillispie. Alex Legion would transfer 6 games into his first season at Kentucky. Gillispie's first season got off to a rocky start, being routed 84–68 by unranked Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in Rupp Arena in the second game of the season. This loss dropped the Wildcats from the AP Top 25 poll, where they did not return for the remainder of the season. The Wildcats improved their record during conference play, achieving a 12–4 record and on March 11, Gillispie was named Co-Southeastern Conference coach of the year along with Bruce Pearl
of the Tennessee Volunteers.
to win the Findlay Toyota Las Vegas Invitational championship. Although his Wildcats had trailed for the entire game, Billy made halftime adjustments that stymied coach Bobby Huggins' Mountaineers, eventually allowing Kentucky to overcome a 14-point deficit well into the second half – holding the Mountaineers to only 17 second-half points. Although neither team was ranked, the win was considered an upset victory for Coach Gillispie and his Wildcats after the VMI loss and was the first in-season tournament championship win for the University of Kentucky since winning the Great Alaska Shootout in late 1996.
After a 5–0 start in the SEC conference schedule, however, Gillispie's team dropped three straight games to the Ole Miss Rebels
, South Carolina Gamecocks
and Mississippi State Bulldogs
, with the latter two losses coming at home. Some Kentucky fans vociferously booed Gillispie during the Mississippi State game. Kentucky rebounded against the Florida Gators with a 68–65 victory at home. Jodie Meeks
hit a contested fade-away three pointer with less than 5 seconds left to give Kentucky the lead. Nick Calathes
had an opportunity to tie the game after being fouled with 0.6 seconds left by Kevin Galloway, but missed all three free throws (the last intentional) to seal the Wildcats' win.
Kentucky also had two lopsided victories over SEC East regular season champion Tennessee. Although Gillispie continued to take the blame for the Wildcats' woes, he was also a victim of some of his youthful and inexperienced recruits' underperformance and the lack of consistent play at the point guard position. Gillispie continued to publicly encourage his players and praise their work ethic despite the team's inconsistent play during the 2008–09 season. Such encouragement manifested itself in Gillispie's public statements criticizing his players after close losses.
Kentucky went on to gain a 4th seed in the NIT
, defeating UNLV and Creighton in the opening and second rounds before losing to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the quarterfinals. Kentucky finished the year with an 8–8 record in conference and 22–14 overall. The record tied for the second-most losses ever in the program's history.
against the University of Kentucky Athletic Association for breach of contract and fraud stemming from the firing. The suit was filed in Gillispie's home state of Texas, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
. Gillispie was seeking $6 million, the amount he claimed the university owed him on the remaining years on the deal, punitive damages, attorney fees, and a jury trial
. The next day, the university filed a countersuit against Gillispie in Franklin
Circuit Court in Frankfort
, Kentucky's state capital. In the countersuit, UK sought a judge's order that Gillispie's memorandum of understanding was not a formal contract. On October 13, 2009, UK and Gillispie agreed to settle the dispute. Under the agreement, Gillispie will get $2.98 million while UK will pay over $265,000 in mediation costs.
. Gillispie replaced Pat Knight
after Knight failed to make the NCAA tournament and compiled a 16-42 Big 12 Conference record over his three and a half seasons as head coach. Gillispie was introduced at a press conference on March 23, 2011 at the United Spirit Arena
.
article described Gillispie as a self-professed workaholic
during his time at Texas A&M. Despite the fact that he had three assistants who watched opponents' game film and summarized it for him, he sometimes watched as many as fifteen of an opponent's games, often working as late as 2 or 3 a.m. to ensure he had adequate time to devote to the task. He stated that his eight-year marriage ended because he could not find a balance between work and home. With the sheer amount of hours he spent working, Gillispie often did not have time to even shop for groceries, once going as long as six months without any food in his refrigerator.
On August 27, 2009, Gillispie was arrested at 2:45 AM in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
for driving under the influence
. A passenger in the 2009 Mercedes Benz C300, Charles O'Connor, was arrested and charged with alcohol intoxication. According to the police report, an officer saw the vehicle swerving and stopped the driver. The officers who were at the scene smelled a strong odor of alcohol, with Gillispie's eyes being red and glassy, with his speech slurred. When asked about his proof of insurance, Gillispie stated that it was in a golf bag in his trunk. He then refused a blood test and a breathalyzer
on the scene and was subsequently arrested and taken to the Franklin County
jail. Gillispie pleaded not guilty. A judge had scheduled a trial for February 10, 2010 in the case. However, on November 2, 2009, Gillispie changed his plea to guilty under a plea agreement. He was fined $1,028 and must complete an alcohol and drug education course before his Kentucky driver's license can be renewed. He has had two prior DUI arrests, the first in 1999 when he was arrested for driving while intoxicated and improper use of a lane in Tulsa, Oklahoma
. He eventually pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving
. He was arrested again in 2003 in his first year at the University of Texas at El Paso
on suspicion of drunken driving, although it was later dismissed based on a lack of evidence.
In September 2009, it was reported that Gillispie has entered an alcohol rehabilitation program and has checked himself in to the John Lucas After Care Program in Houston.
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach. Since 2011, he has been the current 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 the men's basketball team at Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
. He was hired as head coach for the Red Raiders
Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball
The Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball team represents Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition The team is currently coached by Billy Gillispie. Prior to Gillispie being named coach, the coach was Pat Knight who succeeded his father, Hall of Famer Bob...
on March 20, 2011.
After leading both UTEP Miners
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
and Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball
The Texas A&M Aggies men's basketball team represents Texas A&M University in NCAA Division I college basketball. The Aggies play home games at Reed Arena, a 12,500-capacity arena in College Station, Texas on the campus of Texas A&M University....
to postseason appearances one year after poor seasons, Gillispie became the only college basketball coach to be in charge of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) program with the biggest turnaround in two consecutive seasons. Gillispie is known as an excellent recruiter who has managed to put together four straight top-25 recruiting classes. In his three seasons at Texas A&M, the Aggies achieved three consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time in the program's history.
Early years
Billy Clyde Gillispie was born November 7, 1959 in Abilene, TexasAbilene, Texas
Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
, the middle child and only boy among five children of Clyde, a cattle truck driver, and Winifred Gillispie. He grew up in Graford, Texas
Graford, Texas
Graford is a city in Palo Pinto County, Texas, United States. The population was 578 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Graford is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, a town of 494 people located about 65 miles west of Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. As a child, Gillispie worked as a paperboy, delivering copies of The Fort Worth Press. At Graford High School, Gillispie played point guard for the basketball team and was a standout athlete in his graduating class of 20 students. He attended Ranger College
Ranger College
Ranger College is a community college located in Ranger, Texas, a small town west of Fort Worth, Texas. The college's website asserts that it "is one of the oldest public two-year colleges in continuous operation in the state of Texas." In conjunction with its main campus in Ranger, the college...
, playing basketball and baseball for them from 1978 to 1980, before transferring to Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University was founded in 1879 and is the third oldest public institution of higher learning in the State of Texas. It is located in Huntsville, Texas. It is one of the oldest purpose-built institutions for the instruction of teachers west of the Mississippi River and the first...
to work as a student assistant for their basketball team under coach Bob Derryberry, a former classmate of Gillispie's father. Derryberry moved to Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University–San Marcos
Texas State University–San Marcos
Texas State University–San Marcos is a doctoral-granting university located in San Marcos, Texas...
) the following year, and Gillispie accompanied him, spending three years as a graduate assistant. Gillispie received his degree in education from Southwest Texas State in 1983.
Early positions
Gillispie spent the next few years building a coaching resume, spending two years as an assistant high school basketball coach before becoming a head coach at Copperas Cove High School in 1987. From 1987 to 1993, Gillispie held three high school head coaching positions. He was nominated for Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC) high school coach of the year for his 1992–1993 season with Killeen Ellison High School, which set school records for winning percentage and points scored and ended the season ranked 4th in the state.After a year as an assistant coach at South Plains College
South Plains College
South Plains College is a community college located in Levelland, Texas. It operates satellite branches in Plainview and at the Reese Technology Center, formerly Reese Air Force Base, in Lubbock. SPC also has many classes in the Byron Martin Advanced Technology Center in Lubbock, as part of a...
, in 1994, Gillispie moved to Division I college basketball as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Baylor University
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:...
under head coach Harry Miller. Miller and Gillispie had coached against each other in the same high school district as late as two years earlier, with Miller at Temple High School. The Baylor Bears' 1996 recruiting class was ranked as high as number six in the nation. After three years at Baylor, Gillispie moved to the University of Tulsa
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
to be an assistant coach under Bill Self
Bill Self
Bill Self is an American college men's basketball coach at the University of Kansas, where he led the Jayhawks to the 2008 NCAA national championship....
. When Self moved to the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, Gillispie followed, working as an assistant there for the next two years. During those two seasons, Fighting Illini won back-to-back Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
titles for the first time in 50 years, advancing to the Elite Eight in the 2001 NCAA Tournament and to the Sweet 16 in the 2002 NCAA Tournament. With Gillispie's assistance, Illinois landed a top 10 recruiting class in 2002.
Through Gillispie's eight years as an assistant, he was a member of coaching staffs that won five conference championships in six years. As part of Bill Self's staff, he was a member of the only coaching staff in NCAA history to lead two different schools to the Elite Eight in successive seasons.
UTEP
Gillispie was hired as the head coach of the men's basketball team at the University of Texas at El PasoUniversity of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
(UTEP) in 2002.
2002–2003
In his first season as a head coach, the UTEP Miners finished a dismal 6–24. Despite the poor showing, Gillispie put his recruiting expertise to work so that his first recruiting class ranked in the top 25 in the country and included Filiberto RiveraFiliberto Rivera
Filiberto Rivera is a Puerto Rican professional basketball player. Rivera has played in the NCAA, NJCAA and the National Superior Basketball League with Coamo Marathon Runners and Carolina Giants. He is currently under contract with Bnei HaSharon of the Israeli Premier League. Rivera has played...
, the 2003 National Junior College Player of the Year, and Omar Thomas, the all-time leading scorer in junior college basketball.
2003–2004
In the exhibition games preceding the 2003–04 season, Gillispie's UTEP Miners defeated the Harlem GlobetrottersHarlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
89–88, after the Globetrotters had already defeated many college teams including the then-defending national champion, Syracuse Orange
Syracuse Orange men's basketball
The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
. It was the first defeat the Harlem Globetrotters had suffered in 289 games.
Although the Miners were predicted to finish ninth in the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
(WAC) for the 2003–04 season, UTEP instead captured their first conference title in 12 years. The team finished 24–8 and received a bid to the 2004 NCAA Tournament
2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2004 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 16, 2004, and ended with the championship game on April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio,...
. The 18-win improvement was the best in Division I basketball that season, and one of the best in Division I history. As a result of their success, the Miners built a huge home following, ranking first in the NCAA in increased attendance. After his second season with the Miners, Gillispie was named Texas coach of the Year by the TABC and was a finalist for National Coach of the Year honors.
Texas A&M
After two years at UTEP, Gillispie was approached to interview for the head coach position at Texas A&M UniversityTexas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
, vacant after the forced resignation of Melvin Watkins
Melvin Watkins
Melvin Lenzo Watkins is an American college basketball coach and former player. He is an assistant coach under Mike Anderson at the University of Arkansas. He has also been the associate head coach at the University of Missouri...
, whose team had gone 7–21 and failed to win a Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
game in the 2003–04 season. Athletic Director Bill Byrne
Bill Byrne
Clarence William "Bill" Byrne, II is the current athletic director of Texas A&M University, a position he has held since January 2003.-Early life:...
needed to revitalize the program, which had only one winning season in the previous eleven years, and desired a new head coach with the ability to "recruit the heck out of Texas". Gillispie agreed to take the job only after he was sure that the predominantly football-focused school was actually committed to winning, becoming the first native Texan to be the head basketball coach at Texas A&M since J. B. Reid was hired in 1930.
2004–2005
Gillispie asked for a budget large enough to allow them to play confidence-building non-conference schedules, rarely venturing out of Reed Arena in the first two seasons. Using the padded non-conference schedule to their advantage, the Aggies won the first eleven games of Gillispie's debut season before finishing the season 21–10, a fourteen-game improvement over the previous season. Although the Aggies were picked to finish last in the Big 12 ConferenceBig 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
, they finished 8–8 in conference play, winning games against the number 9 Texas Longhorns
Texas Longhorns men's basketball
The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team represents The University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Longhorns currently compete in the Big 12 Conference....
and number 25 Texas Tech Red Raiders on their way to becoming only the third college team to ever finish .500 in league play after being winless the previous season. For the first time in eleven years, the team received a postseason bid. The Aggies' two wins in the National Invitation Tournament
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...
(NIT) were their first postseason wins in 23 seasons. With the best first-season record of any head basketball coach in Texas A&M history, the Aggies had the most season wins since the 1979–80 team had won 26 games. The Aggies were named the country's most improved team, making Gillispie the only coach in history to lead the most improved team in consecutive seasons. As a result of his success, he was the consensus selection for Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year. and was selected to serve as a court coach at the 2005 USA Men's World University Games Team Trials.
2005–2006
Although the Aggies lost Antoine WrightAntoine Wright
Antoine Domonick Wright is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for Asefa Estudiantes in Spain. He attended preparatory school at Lawrence Academy at Groton; in 2002, he led the Spartans to an Independent School League Basketball Championship...
to the NBA Draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
following the 2004–05 season, the team did not suffer the predicted drop-off, and actually broke a streak of twenty-five years without being ranked in the poll. The Aggies finished the regular season with a 21–8 record, including a 10–6 conference record and a fourth-place finish in the Big 12, the best finish and most wins for Texas A&M since the formation of the conference in 1996. For the first time since 1987, Texas A&M received a bid to the NCAA Tournament
2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2006 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2005–06 basketball season...
. As a twelfth-seeded team, the Aggies upset 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...
champion Syracuse Orange
Syracuse Orange men's basketball
The Syracuse Orange men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball team representing Syracuse University. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
in the first round of the tournament but then lost in the second round to eventual Final Four participant, the LSU Tigers
LSU Tigers basketball
The Louisiana State Tigers basketball team represents Louisiana State University in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. The team is currently coached by Trent Johnson and has enjoyed recent success, including a Final Four run in the 2005–2006 season. Past coaches include John Brady, Press...
, by the score of 58–57 on a three-pointer that LSU made in the final seconds of the game. Following the season, Gillispie was named the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year by several major newspapers and was named the Texas College Coach of the Year by the TABC.
2006–2007
The Aggies began the 2006–07 season deemed capable of contending with the Kansas Jayhawks for the Big 12 Conference regular-season crown and were picked to finish second in the Big 12 media and coaches' polls. In their twelfth attempt, on February 3, 2007, Texas A&M became the first Big 12 Conference team in the South Division to beat the Jayhawks at Allen FieldhouseAllen Fieldhouse
Allen Fieldhouse is an indoor arena at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas. The arena, named in honor of Dr. Forrest C. "Phog" Allen, who coached the university's men's basketball team for 39 years, is one of college basketball's most historically significant and prestigious buildings...
, moving them into sole possession of first place in the conference standing. Less than forty-eight hours later the Aggies defeated their archrivals, then the number-25th ranked Texas Longhorns
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, marking their 21st straight win at home.
The 2006–07 Aggies ended the regular season ranked #7 by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The 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...
and #6 in the ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment 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....
/USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
Coaches' poll. The Aggies have set a school record for most consecutive weeks in the top 25, reaching a school high number 6 ranking. On March 4, 2007, Gillispie was awarded his second Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year award for leading the Aggies to a 13-3 conference record and a second place finish behind the Kansas Jayhawks. The 2006-07 post-season, the Aggies advanced to the Sweet Sixteen
2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 NCAA schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball as a culmination of the 2006–07 basketball season...
in the NCAA tourney. Their post-season hopes ended with a one point loss (65-64) to the Memphis Tigers at the Alamodome
Alamodome
The Alamodome is a domed 65,000 seat, multi-purpose facility that is primarily used as a football/basketball stadium and convention center in San Antonio, Texas, U.S...
in San Antonio on March 22, 2007.
Hiring
On April 5, 2007, University of KentuckyUniversity of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
athletic director Mitch Barnhart was given permission by Texas A&M to speak with Gillispie about the program's basketball coach opening, vacated by Tubby Smith
Tubby Smith
Orlando "Tubby" Smith is an American college basketball coach. He is currently the men's basketball head coach at the University of Minnesota...
. On April 6, 2007, the announcement was made that Gillispie had accepted the position. He drew criticism for the way he left Texas A&M by having alerted the Aggie players of his decision to take the Kentucky job via text message
Text messaging
Text messaging, or texting, refers to the exchange of brief written text messages between fixed-line phone or mobile phone and fixed or portable devices over a network...
while en route to the introductory press conference in Lexington.
At 12:45 p.m on April 6, 2007, Billy Gillispie was officially and formally announced as the new head coach of the University of Kentucky by UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart. He fielded questions from the media during the press conference held at UK's new practice facility, the Joe Craft Center. He expressed his excitement and joy to be not only considered for the position but to have been given the honor and the opportunity to coach what former Kentucky Wildcats head coach Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino
Rick Pitino is an American basketball coach. Since 2001, he has been the head coach at the University of Louisville. He has also served as head coach at Boston University, Providence College and the University of Kentucky, leading that program to the NCAA championship in 1996...
referred to as the "Roman Empire" of college basketball. "I'm very, very grateful and honored to be here, but we have a lot of work to do." Gillispie became only the sixth head coach in the last 76 years at the school.
Gillispie signed a "Memorandum of Understanding" with Kentucky on April 6, 2007 which outlined his salary and benefits. The memo also stated that contract negotiations would be concluded with "every reasonable effort" within 60 days. Gillispie and the University never signed a formal contract.
Recruiting
Between April 29 and May 7, 2008, Billy Gillispie made recruiting waves by snagging commitments from five players spread over five different classes, most notably the commitment on May 1 of Thousand Oaks, CaliforniaThousand Oaks, California
Thousand Oaks is a city in southeastern Ventura County, California, in the United States. It was named after the many oak trees that grace the area, and the city seal is adorned with an oak....
8th-grader Michael Avery. Avery, a member of the class of 2012, gave the University of Kentucky its earliest basketball commitment in the history of the program. The commitment also earned national scrutiny for Coach Gillispie and the university, but there were no violations of the NCAA recruiting rules. During his tenure at Kentucky, Gillispie snagged numerous high profile recruits. These included three 5* recruits according to Scout.com
Scout.com
Scout.com is an integrated sports publishing company that produces both an Internet and print product. Scout has more than 2.1 million visitors...
(Patrick Patterson
Patrick Patterson (basketball)
Patrick Davell Patterson is an American basketball player with the Houston Rockets. He played collegiately for the University of Kentucky. He is a 6'9", 235-pound power forward who grew up in Huntington, West Virginia...
, Daniel Orton
Daniel Orton
Daniel Joseph Orton is an American professional basketball player with the New Mexico Thunderbirds, the NBA Development League affiliate of the NBA's Orlando Magic...
& Dominique Ferguson) and five 4* recruits (Alex Legion
Alex Legion
Alex Legion is an American basketball player who played at Oak Hill Academy. He signed out of high school with the University of Michigan, but withdrew his commitment when Wolverine head coach Tommy Amaker was fired. He then enrolled at the University of Kentucky but transferred to the...
, DeAndre Liggins
DeAndre Liggins
DeAndre Liggins is an American professional basketball player drafted by the Orlando Magic in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft with the 53rd pick. He is a 6-6 210 lb. shooting guard out of Kentucky.- External links :* * *...
, Darius Miller, Kevin Galloway and Jon Hood). Legion later transferred to Illinois early in the 2007–08 season.
2007–2008
Wildcat fans packed Rupp Arena for Big Blue Madness (the first practice of the season and the program's major publicity event) to catch a glimpse of their new coach in action. In his first few months he signed two high profile recruits, Patrick PattersonPatrick Patterson (basketball)
Patrick Davell Patterson is an American basketball player with the Houston Rockets. He played collegiately for the University of Kentucky. He is a 6'9", 235-pound power forward who grew up in Huntington, West Virginia...
and Alex Legion. Patterson had previously been recruited by the Duke Blue Devils
Duke Blue Devils men's basketball
The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team is the college basketball program representing Duke University in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I...
, Florida Gators
Florida Gators men's basketball
The Florida Gators men's basketball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of basketball. The Gators compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I and the Southeastern Conference...
, and Kentucky Wildcats (by former coach Tubby Smith) before signing with Gillispie. Alex Legion would transfer 6 games into his first season at Kentucky. Gillispie's first season got off to a rocky start, being routed 84–68 by unranked Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs in Rupp Arena in the second game of the season. This loss dropped the Wildcats from the AP Top 25 poll, where they did not return for the remainder of the season. The Wildcats improved their record during conference play, achieving a 12–4 record and on March 11, Gillispie was named Co-Southeastern Conference coach of the year along with Bruce Pearl
Bruce Pearl
Bruce Dean-Fredrick Pearl is an American college basketball coach who most recently served as head coach of the University of Tennessee Volunteers men's team. He is a graduate of Boston College, where he obtained his first position as an assistant basketball coach. He was the first coach to lead...
of the Tennessee Volunteers.
2008–2009
On November 14, 2008 Gillispie's Kentucky team opened the 2008–09 season with another loss at home, this time to the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Keydets, by a score of 111–103. However, on November 30, 2008, Gillispie led Kentucky to a 54–43 come from behind victory over the West Virginia MountaineersWest Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball
The West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represents West Virginia University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. It is a member of the Big East Conference. West Virginia most recently reached the Final Four of the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, led by...
to win the Findlay Toyota Las Vegas Invitational championship. Although his Wildcats had trailed for the entire game, Billy made halftime adjustments that stymied coach Bobby Huggins' Mountaineers, eventually allowing Kentucky to overcome a 14-point deficit well into the second half – holding the Mountaineers to only 17 second-half points. Although neither team was ranked, the win was considered an upset victory for Coach Gillispie and his Wildcats after the VMI loss and was the first in-season tournament championship win for the University of Kentucky since winning the Great Alaska Shootout in late 1996.
After a 5–0 start in the SEC conference schedule, however, Gillispie's team dropped three straight games to the Ole Miss Rebels
Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball
Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball represents the University of Mississippi in intercollegiate men's basketball. They have participated in the National Invitation Tournament in 1980, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1989, 2000, 2007, 2008, and 2010. In 2008, they made it to the Final Four of the NIT. The Rebels...
, South Carolina Gamecocks
South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball
The South Carolina Gamecocks men's basketball team represents the University of South Carolina and competes in the Southeastern Conference. The program attained national prominence under hall of fame coach Frank McGuire, posting a 205-65 record and three NCAA Sweet 16 appearances from 1967-1976...
and Mississippi State Bulldogs
Mississippi State Bulldogs men's basketball
The Mississippi State Bulldogs basketball program represents Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS in men's NCAA Division I basketball. The Bulldogs play in the Southeastern Conference and are currently coached by Rick Stansbury. As of the 2010 season the Bulldogs are 1272-1056...
, with the latter two losses coming at home. Some Kentucky fans vociferously booed Gillispie during the Mississippi State game. Kentucky rebounded against the Florida Gators with a 68–65 victory at home. Jodie Meeks
Jodie Meeks
Jodie Meeks is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA.Meeks played college basketball for the University of Kentucky Wildcats...
hit a contested fade-away three pointer with less than 5 seconds left to give Kentucky the lead. Nick Calathes
Nick Calathes
Nicholas William "Nick" Calathes is an American-born Greek professional basketball player. Calathes played American college basketball for the University of Florida. He currently plays for Panathinaikos, the Athens, Greece affiliate of the EuroLeague.-High school career:Calathes was born in...
had an opportunity to tie the game after being fouled with 0.6 seconds left by Kevin Galloway, but missed all three free throws (the last intentional) to seal the Wildcats' win.
Kentucky also had two lopsided victories over SEC East regular season champion Tennessee. Although Gillispie continued to take the blame for the Wildcats' woes, he was also a victim of some of his youthful and inexperienced recruits' underperformance and the lack of consistent play at the point guard position. Gillispie continued to publicly encourage his players and praise their work ethic despite the team's inconsistent play during the 2008–09 season. Such encouragement manifested itself in Gillispie's public statements criticizing his players after close losses.
Kentucky went on to gain a 4th seed in the NIT
2009 National Invitation Tournament
-Semifinals and finals:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 31 and April 2* denotes each overtime played-NIT Championship:...
, defeating UNLV and Creighton in the opening and second rounds before losing to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the quarterfinals. Kentucky finished the year with an 8–8 record in conference and 22–14 overall. The record tied for the second-most losses ever in the program's history.
Firing
Gillispie was fired as the Wildcats' head coach on March 27, 2009. The University of Kentucky's administration has continually indicated that the reasons for terminating Gillispie's employment are not related to the performance of Gillispie's teams, but rather was due to an "'incompatibility' between the school" and Gillispie which specifically manifested itself in the former coach's refusal to sign his contract since his hire two years earlier.Lawsuit and settlement
On May 27, 2009, Gillispie filed a lawsuitLawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
against the University of Kentucky Athletic Association for breach of contract and fraud stemming from the firing. The suit was filed in Gillispie's home state of Texas, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
The United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas is a United States district court. Its first judge, Andrew Phelps McCormick, was appointed to the court on April 10, 1879. The court convenes in Dallas, Texas with divisions in Fort Worth, Amarillo, Abilene, Lubbock, San Angelo...
. Gillispie was seeking $6 million, the amount he claimed the university owed him on the remaining years on the deal, punitive damages, attorney fees, and a jury trial
Jury trial
A jury trial is a legal proceeding in which a jury either makes a decision or makes findings of fact which are then applied by a judge...
. The next day, the university filed a countersuit against Gillispie in Franklin
Franklin County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,687 people, 19,907 households, and 12,840 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 21,409 housing units at an average density of...
Circuit Court in Frankfort
Frankfort, Kentucky
Frankfort is a city in Kentucky that serves as the state capital and the county seat of Franklin County. The population was 27,741 at the 2000 census; by population it is the 5th smallest state capital in the United States...
, Kentucky's state capital. In the countersuit, UK sought a judge's order that Gillispie's memorandum of understanding was not a formal contract. On October 13, 2009, UK and Gillispie agreed to settle the dispute. Under the agreement, Gillispie will get $2.98 million while UK will pay over $265,000 in mediation costs.
Texas Tech
On March 20, 2011, Gillispie was named the 14th head coach of the Texas Tech Red RaidersTexas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball
The Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball team represents Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition The team is currently coached by Billy Gillispie. Prior to Gillispie being named coach, the coach was Pat Knight who succeeded his father, Hall of Famer Bob...
. Gillispie replaced Pat Knight
Pat Knight
Patrick "Pat" Knight is an American college basketball coach for Lamar University. He became the coach of the Lamar Cardinals basketball team on April 5, 2011. He was previously the head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball team until March 7, 2011...
after Knight failed to make the NCAA tournament and compiled a 16-42 Big 12 Conference record over his three and a half seasons as head coach. Gillispie was introduced at a press conference on March 23, 2011 at the United Spirit Arena
United Spirit Arena
United Spirit Arena is a multi-purpose arena on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. The 15,020-seat arena opened in 1999 and is home to the Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball, Texas Tech Lady Raiders basketball and Texas Tech Red Raiders women's volleyball teams...
.
Personal life
A February 11, 2007 The Dallas Morning NewsThe Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
article described Gillispie as a self-professed workaholic
Workaholic
A workaholic is a person who is addicted to work.The term generally implies that the person enjoys their work; it can also imply that they simply feel compelled to do it...
during his time at Texas A&M. Despite the fact that he had three assistants who watched opponents' game film and summarized it for him, he sometimes watched as many as fifteen of an opponent's games, often working as late as 2 or 3 a.m. to ensure he had adequate time to devote to the task. He stated that his eight-year marriage ended because he could not find a balance between work and home. With the sheer amount of hours he spent working, Gillispie often did not have time to even shop for groceries, once going as long as six months without any food in his refrigerator.
On August 27, 2009, Gillispie was arrested at 2:45 AM in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Lawrenceburg is a city in Anderson County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 10,505 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Anderson County...
for driving under the influence
DUI
DUI is a three letter acronym that may stand for:* Driving under the influence * Democratic Union for Integration — the largest ethnic Albanian party in the Republic of Macedonia* Data Use Identifier...
. A passenger in the 2009 Mercedes Benz C300, Charles O'Connor, was arrested and charged with alcohol intoxication. According to the police report, an officer saw the vehicle swerving and stopped the driver. The officers who were at the scene smelled a strong odor of alcohol, with Gillispie's eyes being red and glassy, with his speech slurred. When asked about his proof of insurance, Gillispie stated that it was in a golf bag in his trunk. He then refused a blood test and a breathalyzer
Breathalyzer
A breathalyzer or breathalyser is a device for estimating blood alcohol content from a breath sample...
on the scene and was subsequently arrested and taken to the Franklin County
Franklin County, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,687 people, 19,907 households, and 12,840 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 21,409 housing units at an average density of...
jail. Gillispie pleaded not guilty. A judge had scheduled a trial for February 10, 2010 in the case. However, on November 2, 2009, Gillispie changed his plea to guilty under a plea agreement. He was fined $1,028 and must complete an alcohol and drug education course before his Kentucky driver's license can be renewed. He has had two prior DUI arrests, the first in 1999 when he was arrested for driving while intoxicated and improper use of a lane in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
. He eventually pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving
Reckless driving
Reckless driving is a major moving traffic violation. As a legal term, it is used within the United States. This offence has been abolished in the United Kingdom and replaced...
. He was arrested again in 2003 in his first year at the University of Texas at El Paso
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
on suspicion of drunken driving, although it was later dismissed based on a lack of evidence.
In September 2009, it was reported that Gillispie has entered an alcohol rehabilitation program and has checked himself in to the John Lucas After Care Program in Houston.