Tom Collen
Encyclopedia
Tom Collen is a nationally renowned college women's basketball
coach, the 1999 coach of the year, and the current head coach at the University of Arkansas
.
, and received his bachelor's degree in Physical Education
from Bowling Green State University
in 1977. He earned a master's degree
in Health Education from Miami University
(of Ohio) in 1982, and another in 1983 in Recreational Programming.
from 1984 to 1986, and at the Purdue University
from 1986 to 1993.
In 1993 he moved to the University of Arkansas, where he was assistant coach and recruiting coordinator until 1997. He was named assistant head coach for his last two seasons. The year after he left, the Arkansas team went to the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
. Arkansas' women's athletic director Bev Lewis said "his reputation as a recruiter is among the best in the country."
Collen left the University of Arkansas in 1997 to take the head coaching job at Colorado State University
. Colorado State went to the NCAA Tournament four times in five seasons under his leadership. In 1999, his team made it to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen
, and Collen was named coach of the year. His winning percentage of 79.6% (129 wins and 33 losses) ranked fourth among Division I women's basketball coaches at the time.
After the 2001-2002 season, Collen accepted a position at Vanderbilt University
but resigned the next day over a discrepancy discovered on his resume. He had listed two master's degrees from Miami University, but Miami had reported only one degree in two subjects. Miami later acknowledged its mistake. By then both Vanderbilt and Colorado State had new head coaches. Collen took a year off from coaching, working as a television commentator and a consultant for the WNBA.
In 2003, Collen was hired at the University of Louisville
by Tom Jurich, who had been director of athletics at Colorado State when Collen was hired there. During Collen's four seasons, Louisville had an 87-37 record and made the NCAA tournament three times.
In 2007, Collen became head coach of the
Arkansas Ladybacks. Under his leadership the team began the 2007 season with a school record 15 consecutive wins.
Women's basketball
Women's basketball is one of the few women's sports that developed in tandem with its men's counterpart. It became popular, spreading from the east coast of the United States to the west coast , in large part via women's colleges...
coach, the 1999 coach of the year, and the current head coach at the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
.
Early life
Collen was born in 1953 in Lancaster, OhioLancaster, Ohio
Lancaster is a city in Fairfield County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,780. It is located near the Hocking River, approximately southeast of Columbus, Ohio. It is the county seat of Fairfield County...
, and received his bachelor's 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....
from Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
in 1977. He earned a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in Health Education from Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
(of Ohio) in 1982, and another in 1983 in Recreational Programming.
Coaching career
Collen began his coaching career at Miami University in 1981, where he worked for three seasons. He was assistant coach at the University of UtahUniversity 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 1984 to 1986, and at the Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
from 1986 to 1993.
In 1993 he moved to the University of Arkansas, where he was assistant coach and recruiting coordinator until 1997. He was named assistant head coach for his last two seasons. The year after he left, the Arkansas team went to the Final Four of the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
. Arkansas' women's athletic director Bev Lewis said "his reputation as a recruiter is among the best in the country."
Collen left the University of Arkansas in 1997 to take the head coaching job at Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
. Colorado State went to the NCAA Tournament four times in five seasons under his leadership. In 1999, his team made it to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen
NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Women's Division I Championship is an annual college basketball tournament for women. Held each April, the Women's Championship was inaugurated in the 1981–82 season...
, and Collen was named coach of the year. His winning percentage of 79.6% (129 wins and 33 losses) ranked fourth among Division I women's basketball coaches at the time.
After the 2001-2002 season, Collen accepted a position at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
but resigned the next day over a discrepancy discovered on his resume. He had listed two master's degrees from Miami University, but Miami had reported only one degree in two subjects. Miami later acknowledged its mistake. By then both Vanderbilt and Colorado State had new head coaches. Collen took a year off from coaching, working as a television commentator and a consultant for the WNBA.
In 2003, Collen was hired at the University of Louisville
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...
by Tom Jurich, who had been director of athletics at Colorado State when Collen was hired there. During Collen's four seasons, Louisville had an 87-37 record and made the NCAA tournament three times.
In 2007, Collen became head coach of the
Arkansas Ladybacks. Under his leadership the team began the 2007 season with a school record 15 consecutive wins.