Jerry Pimm
Encyclopedia
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.
Pimm replaced former Utah coach Bill Foster
, who had accepted the same position with the Duke University
Blue Devils in 1973. As coach of the Utes, Pimm led Utah to a 173-86 (.668) record, including four Sweet 16 appearances in the NCAA Tournament
. The Utes also won 3 Western Athletic Conference
basketball titles and only had one losing season during his stay. However by 1983 the relationship between Jerry Pimm and the Utah Athletic Department was strained. Not seeing eye to eye, Pimm decided to leave the University of Utah for the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Prior to Pimm's career at UCSB, the Gauchos program had suffered through seven straight losing seasons. After a shaky start, which saw three more losing seasons, the Gauchos turned it around in the 1986-87 season, where they finished with a 16-13 record. The next season would be Pimm's best at UCSB, as he led them to a 22-8 season, including an NCAA Tournament berth, the first in school history, where they lost to the University of Maryland
in the first round.
In 1990, UCSB once again made the NCAA Tournament, this time beating the University of Houston
in the first round before falling to #1 seed Michigan State by 4 points in the 2nd round. Under Pimm, UCSB also played in three National Invitation Tournament
s. In the mid-late 90s, UCSB had suffered through five straight losing seasons, and Pimm resigned, although he later took a job with the athletic department. Pimm went 217-187 (.537) in 16 seasons with the Gauchos. He holds an all time record of 390-273 (.588) in 25 years as a head coach.
He assisted Lute Olson
with the US national team in the 1986 FIBA World Championship
, winning the gold medal.
Jamie Dixon
and Ben Howland
both were assistant coaches for Pimm while at UCSB.
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
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
who is best remembered for coaching at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
from 1974–1983 and the University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Barbara
The University of California, Santa Barbara, commonly known as UCSB or UC Santa Barbara, is a public research university and one of the 10 general campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a site in Goleta, California, from Santa Barbara and northwest of Los...
from 1983-1998.
Pimm replaced former Utah coach Bill Foster
Bill Foster (college basketball coach)
Bill Foster was the head men's basketball coach at Rutgers University, University of Utah, Duke University, University of South Carolina, and Northwestern University. He is best known for guiding Duke to the NCAA championship game in 1978, and that year he was named national Coach of the Year by...
, who had accepted the same position with the Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
Blue Devils in 1973. As coach of the Utes, Pimm led Utah to a 173-86 (.668) record, including four Sweet 16 appearances in 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...
. The Utes also won 3 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...
basketball titles and only had one losing season during his stay. However by 1983 the relationship between Jerry Pimm and the Utah Athletic Department was strained. Not seeing eye to eye, Pimm decided to leave the University of Utah for the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Prior to Pimm's career at UCSB, the Gauchos program had suffered through seven straight losing seasons. After a shaky start, which saw three more losing seasons, the Gauchos turned it around in the 1986-87 season, where they finished with a 16-13 record. The next season would be Pimm's best at UCSB, as he led them to a 22-8 season, including an NCAA Tournament berth, the first in school history, where they lost to the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in the first round.
In 1990, UCSB once again made the NCAA Tournament, this time beating the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
in the first round before falling to #1 seed Michigan State by 4 points in the 2nd round. Under Pimm, UCSB also played in three 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...
s. In the mid-late 90s, UCSB had suffered through five straight losing seasons, and Pimm resigned, although he later took a job with the athletic department. Pimm went 217-187 (.537) in 16 seasons with the Gauchos. He holds an all time record of 390-273 (.588) in 25 years as a head coach.
He assisted Lute Olson
Lute Olson
Robert Luther "Lute" Olson is a retired American men's basketball coach. He was most recently head coach at the University of Arizona for a period of 25 years. He was also head coach at the University of Iowa for 9 years and California State University, Long Beach for one season...
with the US national team in the 1986 FIBA World Championship
1986 FIBA World Championship
The 1986 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Spain from July 5 to 19 1986.The Final phase of the tournament was held at the Palacio de Deportes de la Comunidad, Madrid...
, winning the gold medal.
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...
and Ben Howland
Ben Howland
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...
both were assistant coaches for Pimm while at UCSB.