I’ve mentioned this one a few times over the past few weeks. It’s now official – veteran head coach Jim Boone has taken over at D3 Greensboro College. Here’s the official release from the school:
Greensboro College President Lawrence D. Czarda and Director of Athletics Kim Strable have announced the hiring of Jim Boone as the Pride’s new Head Men’s Basketball Coach. Coach Boone comes to Greensboro as the 5th active winningest coach among NCAA Division II Coach’s and is ranked in the top 30 all-time for overall wins. He has taken his teams to 12 NCAA tournaments, including six Sweet Sixteen appearances and two Final Fours. Coach Boone is known for his success with the Pack Line Defense and his ability to turn around programs to produce championship results. In his career his has led four programs to the NCAA tournament.
“Greensboro College is fortunate to have attracted one of the most respected and successful basketball coaches in the country whose history as a program-builder is well documented,” said President Czarda. “Extraordinary coaches tend to be extraordinary teachers and leaders and we know Coach Boone’s reputation in this regard is broadly recognized.”
Previously, Coach Boone served as the Head Coach at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith for four years. Prior to UAFS , Boone spent seven seasons as the head men’s basketball coach at Delta State University, guiding the 2018-19 Statesmen to a 19-12 record, a 12-8 Gulf South Conference record, the Gulf South Conference Tournament Championship for the third time and their 17th berth in the NCAA Division II National Tournament.
Prior to taking over as head coach of the Statesmen, Boone spent the 2011-12 season as head coach at West Virginia Wesleyan College, guiding the Bobcats to a school-record 22 wins at the NCAA Division II level and the program’s first ever NCAA Division II Regional Tournament Championship appearance.
That championship experience led Boone to California University of Pennsylvania as head coach. Over the next 10 years, Boone led California (Pa.) to unprecedented success, including a 228-71 record. During his time with the Vulcans, Boone’s 1992 squad posted 31 wins and completed the season as the nation’s number one ranked team. Boone also added two NCAA DII Final Four appearances, six regular season conference titles and six trips to the NCAA Tournament at the helm of the Vulcans.
From California (Pa.), Boone moved on to the challenge of rebuilding NCAA Division I Robert Morris University, eventually leading 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 and then he took on the task of returning Eastern Michigan University to a competitive DI program. In five seasons at EMU, Boone quadrupled the program’s wins total and set several EMU attendance records.
He left EMU after the 2005 season for Tusculum College, a member of NCAA DII and the South Atlantic Conference. In 2009, the Pioneers won a school-record 20 games and then made its second-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. He still holds the school record for conference wins over a four-year period at Tusculum.
“Any head coach with over 600 career wins has clearly stood the test of time, but his track record seeing his players through to graduation is equally remarkable,” said Director of Athletics Kim Strable. “Jim is value-added in so many ways and we’re thrilled to have him and his wife Stephanie joining The Pride family.”
He began his career as a student-athlete at West Virginia State College, where he was a four-year letterman. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Accounting (1981) graduating Cum Laude and followed that with a master’s in Business Administration from the University of Kentucky (1982) with a concentration in Marketing.
Boone is married to the former Stephanie Van Vranken, and they are the proud parents of two sons, Jimmy and Joey, and have one granddaughter, Charlee Mae.
“I am greatly honored and very excited to be given the responsibility of ushering in a new era of Greensboro College Men’s Basketball. My family and I would like to thank Dr. Lawrence Czarda, Athletics Director Kim Strable, and the entire search committee for their diligent work and their belief in our vision for rebuilding this program and transforming the lives of the young men associated with it,” said Coach Boone. “We are committed to being bold, to being aggressive, and to being different in our relentless efforts to restore the pride and integrity to the GC Basketball Program. We’re going to outwork our competition, we’re going to create an edge with our Passion, Toughness, Servanthood, and Unity. We will have an everyday Hard Hat Lunch Pail approach to rebuilding Greensboro Basketball and restoring the tradition of The Pride. We were taken by the genuine Family atmosphere and support that permeates through the GC Campus. The Leadership and alignment that exist from Dr. Czarda to Coach Strable, to their Team of coaches was very evident. We could definitely feel the passion, the sincere caring, and the support they have for their coaches, students, and the College. We couldn’t be more excited to be a member of the Pride.”
What They Are Saying
“Jim Boone is an outstanding person and coach. With over 600 wins, Jim is someone of courage, ability and a tremendous leader.”
– Mike Krzyzewski, HOF Coach and Retired Head Coach at Duke University
-“Coach Boone’s knowledge of Motion Offense and his Pack Line Defense, coupled with his ability to teach it effectively is unparalleled. His teams are always fundamentally sound, extremely well coached and very, very good offensively and defensively.”
– Don Meyer, HOF Coach and retired Head Coach at Northern State University
“When I think of great teachers of the game, Jim Boone is second to none. Coach
Boone is an elite defensive tactician. His players love and respect him because he
combines accountability with a pat on the back. Jim Boone gets it and Greensboro
College just got a great one.”
– Mark Adams, ESPN Basketball Color Analyst
“I am Excited for Coach Jim Boone and Greensboro College. Coach Boone is an
outstanding coach and teacher and exciting days are in the future for the Pride.
Teams will not look forward to coming into Hanes gym and trying to score against the
fundamentals and discipline Coach Boone will instill.”
– Ed Conroy, Head Basketball Coach, The Citadel
“Coach Jim Boone is one of the finest coaches that I have ever met. He develops
great relationships with his players and staff. Coach Boone is very innovative in his
defensive and offensive philosophies. Greensboro College certainly got a gem in the
coaching profession.”
– Don Showalter, USA Basketball 10x Gold Medalist, Junior National Team
