West Virginia Wesleyan Director of Athletics Ken Tyler announced today the hiring of Tusculum College coach Jim Boone as the head coach of the Bobcats men’s basketball team. Boone replaces Jeff Price, who recently resigned to take the position of associate head coach at Division I South Alabama.

Boone, a native of Winfield, WV, brings 26 years of head coaching experience to at the Division I and II levels. He began his career at California (PA). In 10 years at the helm, Boone led Cal to unprecedented success, including a 228-71 record, 31 wins and being the number one team in the country in 1992, a pair of Final Fours, six regular season conference titles, and nine trips to the NCAA Tournament. Boone’s 228 wins and .763 win percentage are both school records. Boone was inducted into the Cal (PA) Hall of Fame in 2005.

From Cal, Boone took over at Division I Robert Morris, and led the Colonials to the NEC Championship game in 2000. In 1999 and 2000, he led RMU to a record of 25-13 in the NEC and produced two of the best seasons in Colonials history. Boone left RMU after 2000 to take on the challenge of rebuilding Eastern Michigan. In five seasons at EMU, Boone quadrupled the wins total and set attendance records.

Boone left EMU after the 2005 season to take his talents to Division II Tusculum. In 2009, the Pioneers won a school-record 20 games and the schools second-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. He holds the school record for conference wins over a four-year period. Boone recruited and coached two-time conference player of the year and second team All-American Kyle Moore.

Boone began his coaching career at his alma mater West Virginia State as an assistant in 1982. He spent three seasons with the Yellow Jackets before moving onto Charleston Southern for one season. Boone has compiled a career record of 409-319 including a 316-157 mark at the Division II level.

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