Bellarmine University announced today that the school and head basketball coach Scott Davenport have agreed to extend their relationship through the 2019-2020 academic year. Per university policy, contracts are not created for employees, but Bellarmine President Dr.Joseph J. McGowan has confirmed that the two have made the arrangement.
“We are thrilled to have made assurances to keep Scott Davenport as the Bellarmine head basketball coach for another five years,” McGowan said. “He has demonstrated an absolute dedication to excellence both as coach and as an ambassador of Bellarmine University.”
Coach Davenport, who came to Bellarmine in 2005, has accumulated a record of 232-82 (.739).This year, he led the Knights to a 31-4 record and an appearance in the NCAA Division II “Final Four.” It was the third time in the past five years Bellarmine has reached the national semifinals. Davenport led Bellarmine to the national title in 2011 when he also was named the national and Great Lakes Valley Conference “Coach of the Year.”
“Coach Davenport has set a high standard for the Bellarmine basketball program, and that is the level we want across our athletic programs,” said Bellarmine Director of Athletics Scott Wiegandt. “The basketball program is among the most competitive in the nation, and our student athletes are also successful in the classroom.”
The Knights have seen extraordinary improvement under Davenport. In his debut season, Davenport took a team that had finished last in the GLVC the year before and led them to Bellarmine’s first .500 finish since 2001, and the first conference tournament appearance since 2002. In each of the last seven seasons, the Knights have eclipsed 20 wins and qualified for the NCAA tournament.
“I have been thrilled to be the head basketball coach at Bellarmine the last ten years,” Davenport said. “I am very appreciative of the players, Dr. McGowan, Scott Wiegandt, the entire university, my family and especially the very, very loyal fans who have supported our program. Our university is a very special place, a place where everyone works together to be the best they can be every day. This is where I want to be, just like I tell the players every day when you find a GREAT situation spend all your efforts, energy and enthusiasm making that the best decision you have ever made. Bellarmine is a tremendous environment to coach super young men on and off the floor. I am looking forward to spending the rest of my career at Bellarmine because sincerely, I LOVE BELLARMINE!”
Prior to coming to Bellarmine, Davenport served nine years as an assistant coach at the University of Louisville under Hall of Fame coach Denny Crum and national championship-winning coach Rick Pitino. He also served a year as an assistant coach on Mike Pollio’s staff at Virginia Commonwealth where he coached alongside Tubby Smith.
Before heading to U of L, Davenport spent 10 seasons as the head boys’ coach at Ballard High School where he won a state championship in 1988 and coached two future NBA players in DeJuan Wheat and Allan Houston.
http://athletics.bellarmine.edu/news/2015/4/14/MBB_0414151609.aspx
Photo Courtesy Bellarmine Athletics
