Matthew Driscoll (basketball coach)
Encyclopedia
Matthew Driscoll is an American college basketball
coach
who is currently head coach
of the University of North Florida
Ospreys
men's basketball team. Before coming to UNF, Driscoll spent twelve years as an assistant at Baylor University
, Valparaiso University
, Clemson University
and the University of Wyoming
. In a 2008 Fox Sports
survey of his peers, Driscoll was rated as one of the top 10 assistants in the country.
. In his six years there, he helped revive Baylor's program from tragedy and NCAA sanctions. Baylor went from struggling under NCAA sanctions for his first several years, to making the NCAA tournament
for the first time in twenty years in 2008. In 2009, Baylor lost in the Big 12 Tournament Finals to Missouri, and won four games in the NIT
before losing to Penn State at Madison Square Garden
in the NIT finals. After one of the toughest rebuilding projects in college basketball history, Baylor finished with 21 wins in 2007–08 with wins over Notre Dame, South Carolina and Texas A&M, and 24 wins in 2008–09 with wins over defending national champion Kansas, Texas and Georgetown. At Baylor
, Driscoll's primary responsibilities included on-court development, scouting, recruiting, and administrative duties.
Prior to coming to Baylor, Driscoll spent seven weeks with Scott Drew at Valparaiso University
before Drew accepted the job at Baylor. At Clemson, Driscoll served as an assistant for five years under head coach Larry Shyatt
. While at Clemson, Driscoll help lead the Tigers to the 1999 NIT
finals and three wins over the North Carolina Tar Heels
, including one when the Heels were ranked number 1 in the country. Driscoll's first stint as a Division I assistant was the 1997–98 season under Larry Shyatt at the University of Wyoming
, which resulted in a trip to the NIT. From 1993 to 1997, Driscoll was the head coach at LaRoche College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. He is a board member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches
(NABC) and a former president. A native of Pittsburgh, Driscoll is a 1992 graduate of Slippery Rock University.
In 2009 Driscoll was hired as head coach of the North Florida Ospreys
, succeeding Matt Kilcullen
. He is the team's first coach since the University of North Florida
completed its transition into NCAA Division I sports. In the 2010-2011 he led the Ospreys to their first appearance in the Atlantic Sun Conference
playoffs, in their second season of tournament eligibility. They upset Jacksonville University
and East Tennessee State University
to advance to the championship game, but were defeated 87-46 by Belmont University
.
Driscoll and his wife, Carrie, have two sons.
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 (basketball)
Basketball coaching is the act of directing and strategizing the behaviour of a basketball team or individual basketball player. Basketball coaching typically encompasses the improvement of individual and team offensive and defensive skills, as well as overall physical conditioning.Coaching is...
who is currently 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 University of North Florida
University of North Florida
The University of North Florida is a public university located in Jacksonville, Florida. A member institution of the State University System of Florida, the university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master’s...
Ospreys
North Florida Ospreys
The North Florida Ospreys are the athletic teams of the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida. The Ospreys compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference in NCAA Division I. UNF is in its third academic year as a full-fledged member of Division I; previously, the Ospreys were members of the...
men's basketball team. Before coming to UNF, Driscoll spent twelve years as an assistant 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:...
, Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University, known colloquially as Valpo, is a regionally accredited private university located in the city of Valparaiso in the U.S. state of Indiana. Founded in 1859, it consists of five undergraduate colleges, a graduate school, a nursing school and a law school...
, Clemson University
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
and the University of Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
. In a 2008 Fox Sports
Fox Sports (USA)
Fox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
survey of his peers, Driscoll was rated as one of the top 10 assistants in the country.
Career
At Baylor from 2003 to 2009, he served under head coach Scott DrewScott Drew
-References:...
. In his six years there, he helped revive Baylor's program from tragedy and NCAA sanctions. Baylor went from struggling under NCAA sanctions for his first several years, to making 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...
for the first time in twenty years in 2008. In 2009, Baylor lost in the Big 12 Tournament Finals to Missouri, and won four games in 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...
before losing to Penn State at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in the NIT finals. After one of the toughest rebuilding projects in college basketball history, Baylor finished with 21 wins in 2007–08 with wins over Notre Dame, South Carolina and Texas A&M, and 24 wins in 2008–09 with wins over defending national champion Kansas, Texas and Georgetown. At Baylor
Baylor
Baylor is a surname and the name of several places and institutions. They include:Institutions:*Baylor University in Waco, Texas*Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas*Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, Texas...
, Driscoll's primary responsibilities included on-court development, scouting, recruiting, and administrative duties.
Prior to coming to Baylor, Driscoll spent seven weeks with Scott Drew at Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University, known colloquially as Valpo, is a regionally accredited private university located in the city of Valparaiso in the U.S. state of Indiana. Founded in 1859, it consists of five undergraduate colleges, a graduate school, a nursing school and a law school...
before Drew accepted the job at Baylor. At Clemson, Driscoll served as an assistant for five years under head coach Larry Shyatt
Larry Shyatt
Larry Shyatt is the men's basketball coach at the University of Wyoming. He previously served as the head coach at the University of Wyoming and Clemson University. He also previously served as an assistant coach at the University of Florida....
. While at Clemson, Driscoll help lead the Tigers to the 1999 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...
finals and three wins over the North Carolina Tar Heels
North Carolina Tar Heels
The North Carolina Tar Heels are the athletic teams for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to individuals from the state of North Carolina, the Tar Heel State...
, including one when the Heels were ranked number 1 in the country. Driscoll's first stint as a Division I assistant was the 1997–98 season under Larry Shyatt at the University of Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
, which resulted in a trip to the NIT. From 1993 to 1997, Driscoll was the head coach at LaRoche College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He is a board member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches
National Association of Basketball Coaches
The National Association of Basketball Coaches , headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, is an American organization of college men's basketball coaches...
(NABC) and a former president. A native of Pittsburgh, Driscoll is a 1992 graduate of Slippery Rock University.
In 2009 Driscoll was hired as head coach of the North Florida Ospreys
North Florida Ospreys
The North Florida Ospreys are the athletic teams of the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida. The Ospreys compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference in NCAA Division I. UNF is in its third academic year as a full-fledged member of Division I; previously, the Ospreys were members of the...
, succeeding Matt Kilcullen
Matt Kilcullen
Matt Kilcullen is an American former college basketball coach and current athletics administrator at the University of North Florida...
. He is the team's first coach since the University of North Florida
University of North Florida
The University of North Florida is a public university located in Jacksonville, Florida. A member institution of the State University System of Florida, the university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master’s...
completed its transition into NCAA Division I sports. In the 2010-2011 he led the Ospreys to their first appearance in the Atlantic Sun Conference
Atlantic Sun Conference
The Atlantic Sun Conference is a college athletic conference operating in the Southeastern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I; it does not sponsor football. The conference was established in 1978 as the Trans America Athletic Conference...
playoffs, in their second season of tournament eligibility. They upset Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville University is a private university in Jacksonville, Florida, on the banks of the St. Johns River. The school was founded in 1934 as a two year college and was known as Jacksonville Junior College until 1958, when it shifted its focus to four-year university degrees and adopted its...
and East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University is an accredited American university located in Johnson City, Tennessee. It is part of the Tennessee Board of Regents system of colleges and universities, the nation's sixth largest system of public education, and is the fourth largest university in the state...
to advance to the championship game, but were defeated 87-46 by Belmont University
Belmont University
Belmont University is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. It is the largest Christian university in Tennessee and the second largest private university in the state, behind nearby Vanderbilt University.-Belmont Mansion:Belmont Mansion...
.
Driscoll and his wife, Carrie, have two sons.
Head coaching record
| Season | School | Record | Conference | Standing | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | North Florida Ospreys | 13–18 | 8–12 | 7th | |
| 2010-11 | North Florida Ospreys | 15-19 | 10-10 | 6th | Atlantic Sun Tournament Runner-Up |
| Overall | North Florida Ospreys | 28–39 | 18–22 |