Billy Gillispie

College coach infobox
Name = Billy Gillispie
Sport = Basketball


ImageWidth =
Caption = February 2008 portrait
DateOfBirth = birth date and age|1959|11|7
Birthplace = flagicon|United States Abilene, Texas
DateOfDeath =
Deathplace =
College = Kentucky
Title = Head coach
Awards = Big 12 Coach of the Year (2005, 2007)
SEC co-Coach of the Year (2008)
Championships = WAC Regular Season Championship (2004)
CurrentRecord = 18–13
OverallRecord = 118–71
Player = *
Years = 1978-1980
Team = Ranger JC
Position =
Coach = *
CoachYears = 1982–1985
1985–1987
1987–1988
1988–1990
1990–1993
1993-1994
1994–1997
1997–2000
2000–2002
2002–2004
2004–2007
2007–present
CoachTeams = Texas State (asst.)
Killeen HS (asst.)
Copperas Cove HS
Canyon HS
Ellison HS
South Plains (asst.)
Baylor (asst.)
Tulsa (asst.)
Illinois (asst.)
UTEP
Texas A&M
Kentucky
CollegeHOFID =
BBallHOF =

Billy Clyde Gillispie (born November 7, 1959, in Abilene, Texascite news | last = Townsend | first = Brad | title = A&M: Gillispie's last college station? | work = Dallas Morning News | date = 2007-02-11 | url =http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/texasam/stories/021107dnspoagcoach.189240a.html | accessdate = 2007-02-20 ] ), also known by his initials BCG, [cite news|url=http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/catsfan/2007/04/barnhart-makes-great-hire.html|title= Barnhart makes a GREAT hire] [cite news|url=http://www.startribune.com/sports/12646646.html|title=The Wildcats sent the new Gophers coach packing, but his replacement hasn't measured up.] is the men's head basketball coach at the University of Kentucky.cite web| url = http://www.ukathletics.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=37&url_article_id=19875&change_well_id=2|title =Gillispie Named UK Men's Basketball Coach| accessdate = 2007-04-06|date=2007-04-06| publisher = University of Kentucky] His last name is spelled unconventionally, and is pronounced "Guh-LISS-pee". [cite web |url=http://www.ukathletics.com/doc_lib/mbb_200708prospectus.pdf |title=Kentucky Wildcat Basketball 2007–08 Preseason Guide |format=PDF |publisher=UKAthletics.com |accessdate=2007-10-22 |pages=p. 3 |quote=Billy GILLESPIE (Guh-LISS-pee)]

After leading both UTEP and Texas A&M to postseason appearances one year after poor seasons, Gillispie became the only college basketball coach to be in charge of the NCAA program with the biggest turnaround in two consecutive seasons. Gillispie is known as an excellent recruiter who has managed to put together four straight top-25 recruiting classes. In his three seasons at A&M, the Aggies achieved three consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time ever.cite news | last = Harris | first = Terrance | title = Billyball takes A&M program to new heights | work = The Houston Chronicle | date = 2007-02-13 | url =http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4548844.html | accessdate = 2007-02-20 ] He drew criticism for the way he left A&M by having alerted the A&M players of his decision to take the Kentucky job via text message in route to the introductory press conference in Lexington.cite news | last = Croome | first = Richard | title = No blues for Gillispie | work = The Bryan-College Station Eagle | date = 2007-08-19 | url =http://www.aggiesports.com/stories/081907/mbasketball_20070819013.php | accessdate = 2007-08-20 ]

Early years

Billy Clyde Gillispie was born November 7, 1959, the middle child and only boy among five children of Clyde, a cattle truck driver, and Winifred "Wimpy" Gillispie. He grew up in Graford, Texas, a town of 494 people located about 65 miles west of Fort Worth. As a child, Gillispie worked as a paperboy, delivering copies of "The Fort Worth Press." At Graford High School Gillispie played point guard for the basketball team and was a standout athlete in his graduating class of 20 students. He attended Ranger College, playing basketball and baseball for them from 1978–1980 before transferring to Sam Houston State University to work as a student assistant for their basketball team under coach Bob Derryberry, a former classmate of Gillispie's father. Derryberry moved to Southwest Texas the following year, and Gillispie accompanied him, spending three years as a graduate assistant. Gillispie received his degree in education in 1983.cite news | last = Townsend | first = Brad | title = A&M: Gillispie's last college station? | work = Dallas Morning News | date = 2007-02-11 | url =http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/texasam/stories/021107dnspoagcoach.189240a.html | accessdate = 2007-02-20 ]

Coaching career

Early positions

Gillispie spent the next few years building a coaching resume, spending two years as an assistant high school basketball coach before becoming a head coach at Copperas Cove High School in 1987. From 1987–1993, Gillispie held three high school head coaching positions. He was nominated for TABC (Texas Association of Basketball Coaches) high school coach of the year for his 1992–1993 season with Killeen Ellison High School, which set school records for winning percentage and points scored and ended the season ranked 4th in the state.cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Billy Gillispie | work = | publisher = Texas A&M University Athletic Department | date = | url =http://www.aggieathletics.com/coaches.php?SID=MBB&CID=147 | doi = | accessdate = 2007-02-20 ]

After a year as an assistant coach at South Plains Junior College, in 1994, Gillispie moved to Division I college basketball as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Baylor University under head coach Harry Miller. Miller and Gillispie had coached against each other in the same high school district as late as two years earlier, with Miller at Temple High. The school's 1996 recruiting class was ranked as high as number 6 in the nation. After three years at Baylor, Gillispie moved to the University of Tulsa to be an assistant coach under Bill Self. When Self moved to University of Illinois, Gillispie followed, working as an assistant there for the next two years. During those two seasons, Illinois won back-to-back Big Ten Conference titles for the first time in 50 years, advancing to the Elite Eight in the 2001 NCAA Tournament and to the Sweet 16 in the 2002 NCAA Tournament. With Gillispie's assistance, Illinois landed a top 10 recruiting class in 2002.

Through Gillispie's eight years as an assistant, he was a member of coaching staffs that won five conference championships in six years. As part of Bill Self's staff, he was a member of the only coaching staff in NCAA history to lead two different schools to the Elite Eight in successive seasons.

University of Texas at El Paso

Gillispie was hired as the head coach of the men's basketball team at the University of Texas at El Paso in 2002.

2002–2003

In his first season as a head coach, the UTEP Miners finished a dismal 6–24. Despite the poor showing, Gillispie put his recruiting expertise to work so that his first recruiting class ranked in the top 25 in the country and included Filiberto Rivera, the 2003 National Junior College Player of the Year, and Omar Thomas, the all-time leading scorer in junior college basketball.

2003–2004

In the exhibition games preceding the 2003-2004 season, Gillispie's Texas-El Paso Miners defeated the famous Harlem Globetrotters 89-88, after Harlem had already defeated many college teams including Syracuse, the then-defending national champion. It was the first defeat the Harlem Globetrotters had suffered in 289 games. cite press release |title = Globetrotters Drop 89-88 Decision to Texas-El Paso | publisher = The Original Harlem Globetrotters | date = 2003-11-15 |url = http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/news/article.asp?ArticleSource=67 |accessdate = 2007-02-20 ]

Although the Miners were predicted to finish ninth in the WAC the following season (2003–2004), they instead captured their first conference title in 12 years. The team finished 24–8 and received a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The 18-win improvement was the best in Division I basketball that season, and one of the best in Division I history. As a result of their success, the Miners built a huge home following, ranking first in the NCAA in increased attendance. After his second season with the Miners, Gillispie was named Texas coach of the Year by the TABC and was a finalist for National Coach of the Year honors.

Texas A&M University

After two years at UTEP, Gillispie was approached to interview for the head coach position at Texas A&M University, vacant after the forced resignation of Melvin Watkins, whose team had gone 7-21 and failed to win a Big 12 Conference game in 2003-2004.cite news | last = Harris | first = Terrance | title = Billyball takes A&M program to new heights | work = The Houston Chronicle | date = 2007-02-13 | url =http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4548844.html | accessdate = 2007-02-20 ] Athletic Director Bill Byrne needed to revitalize the program, which had only one winning season in the previous eleven years,cite web | last = Williams | first = Connie | title = BASKETBALL: Billy Gillispie, Karl Hobbs Called Upon To Assist At 2005 USA Men's World University Games Team Trials | publisher = USA Basketball | date = 2005-05-19 | url = http://www.usocpressbox.org/usoc/pressbox.nsf/4b4b403307266d7d87256f85006465c9/682622d7878bd6bc8525700600571225?OpenDocument | accessdate = 2007-04-02 ] and desired a new head coach with the ability to "recruit the heck out of Texas". Gillispie agreed to take the job only after he was sure that the predominantly football-focused school was actually committed to winning, becoming the first native Texan to be the head basketball coach at A&M since J.B. Reid was hired in 1930.

2004–2005

Gillispie asked for a budget large enough to allow them to play confidence-building non-conference schedules, rarely venturing out of Reed Arena in the first two seasons. Using the padded non-conference schedule to their advantage, the Aggies won the first eleven games of Gillispie's debut season before finishing the season 21–10, a fourteen-game improvement over the previous season. Although the Aggies were picked to finish last in the Big 12 Conference, they finished 8–8 in conference play, winning games against number 9 Texas and Number 25 Texas Tech University on their way to becoming only the third college team to ever finish .500 in league play after being winless the previous season. For the first time in eleven years, the team received a postseason bid, with their two wins in the NIT their first postseason wins in 23 seasons. With the best first-season record of any head basketball coach in A&M history, the Aggies had the most season wins since the 1979-1980 team had won 26 games. The Aggies were named the country's most improved team, making Gillispie the only coach in history to lead the most improved team in consecutive seasons. As a result of his success, he was the consensus selection for Big 12 Coach of the Year. cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Billy Gillispie | work = | publisher = Texas A&M University Athletic Department | date = | url =http://www.aggieathletics.com/coaches.php?SID=MBB&CID=147 | doi = | accessdate = 2007-02-20 ] and was selected to serve as a court coach at the 2005 USA Men's World University Games Team Trials.cite web | last = Williams | first = Connie | title = BASKETBALL: Billy Gillispie, Karl Hobbs Called Upon To Assist At 2005 USA Men's World University Games Team Trials | publisher = USA Basketball | date = 2005-05-19 | url = http://www.usocpressbox.org/usoc/pressbox.nsf/4b4b403307266d7d87256f85006465c9/682622d7878bd6bc8525700600571225?OpenDocument | accessdate = 2007-04-02 ]

2005–2006

Although the Aggies lost Antoine Wright to the NBA draft following the 2004-2005 season, the team did not suffer the predicted drop-off, and actually broke a streak of twenty-five years without being ranked in the poll.cite news | last = Cohen | first = Rachel | title = Basketball Rebounds at Texas A&M | work = Denton (Texas) Record Chronicle | date = 2007-02-20 | url =http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/texasam/stories/022007dnspoaggies.195d03d.html | accessdate = 2007-02-20 ] The Aggies finished the regular season with a 21-8 record, including a 10-6 conference record and a fourth-place finish in the Big 12, the best finish and most wins for Texas A&M since the formation of the Big 12 in 1996–97. For the first time since 1987, Texas A&M received a bid to the NCAA Tournament.cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Aggies Earn Bid to NCAA Tournament | work = | publisher = Texas A&M University Athletic Department |date=March 12, 2006 | url =http://www.aggieathletics.com/pressRelease.php?PRID=11056 | doi = | accessdate = 2007-02-20 ] As a twelfth-seeded team, the Aggies upset Big East champion Syracuse in the first round of the tournamentcite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Texas A&M 66, Syracuse 58 | work = | publisher = Texas A&M University Athletic Department |date=March 16, 2006 | url =http://www.aggieathletics.com/games.php?SID=MBB&SSID=7017 | doi = | accessdate = 2007-02-20 ] but then lost in the second round to eventual Final Four participant LSU by the score of 58-57 on a three-pointer that LSU made in the final seconds of the game.cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Aggies Fall Just Short in NCAA Second Round | work = | publisher = Texas A&M University Athletic Department |date=March 18, 2006 | url =http://www.aggieathletics.com/games.php?SID=MBB&SSID=7019 | doi = | accessdate = 2007-02-20 ] Following the season, Gillispie was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year by several major newspapers and was named the Texas College Coach of the Year by the TABC.

2006–2007

The Aggies began the 2006-2007 season deemed capable of contending with the Kansas Jayhawks for the Big 12 regular-season crown and were picked to finish second in the Big 12 media and coaches' polls. In their twelfth attempt, on February 3, 2007, Texas A&M became the first Big 12 South team in conference history (31 attempts) to beat Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse, moving them into sole possession of first place in the Big 12. Less than forty-eight hours later the Aggies defeated their archrivals, then number-25 ranked Texas, marking their 21st straight win at home.

The 2006-07 Aggies ended the regular season ranked #7 by the Associated Press and #6 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll. The Aggies have set a school record for most consecutive weeks in the top 25, reaching a school high Number 6 ranking.cite news | last = Cohen | first = Rachel | title = Basketball Rebounds at Texas A&M | work = Denton (Texas) Record Chronicle | date = 2007-02-20 | url =http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/texasam/stories/022007dnspoaggies.195d03d.html | accessdate = 2007-02-20 ] On March 4, 2007, Gillispie was awarded his second Big 12 Coach of the Year award for leading the Aggies to a 13-3 conference record and a second place finish behind the Kansas Jayhawks.cite press release | title= Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Awards Announced | publisher= Big 12 Conference|date= 2007-03-04 | url= http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/big12/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/awards-0607.pdf | format= pdf | accessdate = 2007-03-04 ] The 2006-07 post-season, the Aggies advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tourney. Their post-season hopes ended with a one point loss (65-64) to the University of Memphis Tigers at the Alamodome in San Antonio on March 22, 2007. [cite news | last = Morrill | first = Julia | url = http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/julia_morrill/03/23/closerlook.memphis/ | title = Tigers prove skeptics wrong with gutsy performance | work = Sports Illustrated | date = 2007-03-23 ]

University of Kentucky

On April 5 2007, University of Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart was given permission by A&M to speak with Gillispie about the program's basketball coach opening, vacated by Tubby Smith.On April 6, 2007, the announcement was made that Gillispie had accepted the position. [Brett Dawson. [http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070406/SPORTS03/70406009/1002/SPORT Gillispie wants to 'cut down some more nets' at UK"] . (6 April 2007). "The Courier-Journal" (Louisville). Retrieved on April 6, 2007.]

At 12:45 p.m on April 6, 2007, Billy Gillispie was officially and formally announced as the new head coach of the University of Kentucky by UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart. He fielded questions from the media during the press conference held at UK's new practice facility, the Joe Craft Center. He expressed his excitement and joy to be not only considered for the position but to have been given the honor and the opportunity to coach what former UK coach Rick Pitino referred to as the "Roman Empire" of college basketball. "I'm very, very grateful and honored to be here, but we have a lot of work to do."cite news |url=http://lex18.com/Global/story.asp?S=6334670&nav=menu203_4 |title=Gillispie "Honored" To Be New UK Coach |accessdate=2007-04-06 |date=2007-04-06 |publisher=WLEX-TV |author=The Associated Press] Gillispie becomes only the sixth head coach in the last 76 years at the school.cite news |url=http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/6902072.html |title=UK Names Billy Gillispie New Head Basketball Coach |publisher=WKYT-TV |date=2007-04-06 |accessdate=2007-04-06 |author=McMurray, Jeffrey]

Wildcat fans packed Rupp Arena for Big Blue Madness (the first practice of the season and the program's major publicity event) to catch a glimpse of their new coach in action. In his first few months he signed two high profile recruits, Patrick Patterson and Alex Legion. Patrick Patterson had previously been recruited by Duke, Florida, and Kentucky (by former coach Tubby Smith) before signing with Gillispie. Alex Legion would transfer 6 games into his first season at Kentucky. Gillispie's first season got off to a rocky start, being routed 84–68 in Rupp Arena, in the second game of the year to unranked Gardner-Webb, removing them from the AP top 25 for the remainder of the season. The Wildcats improved their record during conference play, achieving a 12-4 record and on March 11, Gillispie was named Co-SEC coach of the year along with Bruce Pearl of Tennessee. [cite news|url=http://www.kypost.com/content/sportsandscores/story.aspx?content_id=5dc1b76d-a3b9-4f1d-96b3-34b3800d3f4c|title=UK’s Gillispie Named Co-Coach Of The Year|publisher="Kentucky Post"|accessdate=2008-03-11|date=2008-03-11|author=Preuth, Ian] .

Recruiting

Between April 29, 2008 and May 7, 2008, Billy Gillispie made recruiting waves by snagging commitments from five players spread over five different classes, most notably was the commitment on May 1, 2008 of Thousand Oaks, CA 8th grader Michael Avery. Avery, a member of the class of 2012, gave the University of Kentucky its earliest basketball commitment in the history of the program. The commitment also earned national scrutiny for Coach Gillispie and the University. [cite news|url=http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/content.asp?SID=910&CID=803673|title=Avery youngest player to commit to Cats]

Work habits

Gillispie is a self-professed workaholic. Despite the fact that he has three assistants who watch opponents' game film and summarize it for him, he watches as many as fifteen of an opponent's games, often working as late as 2 or 3 a.m. to ensure he has adequate time to devote to the task. He has stated that his eight-year marriage ended because he could not find a balance between work and home. With the sheer amount of hours he spends working, Gillispie often does not have time to even shop for groceries, once going as long as six months without any food in his refrigerator. For this reason his breakfast often consists of peanut butter crackers and Dr Pepper purchased at a local convenience store.

Head coaching record

CBB Yearly Record Start
type=coach
conference=
postseason=
poll=bothCBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=UTEP
startyear=2002
conference=Western Athletic Conference
endyear=2004|CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2002–2003
name = UTEP
overall = 6–24
conference = 3–15
confstanding = 10th
postseason =
ranking = –
ranking2 = –CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2003–2004
name = UTEP
overall = 24–8
conference = 13–5
confstanding = T-1st
postseason = NCAA First RoundCBB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = UTEP
overall = 30-32
confrecord = 16-20CBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=Texas A&M
startyear=2004
conference=Big 12 Conference
endyear=2007|CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2004–2005
name = Texas A&M
overall = 21–10
conference = 8–8
confstanding = 7th
postseason = NIT QuarterfinalsCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2005–2006
name = Texas A&M
overall = 22–9
conference = 10–6
confstanding = 4th
postseason = NCAA Second RoundCBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2006–2007
name = Texas A&M
overall = 27–7
conference = 13–3
confstanding = 2nd
postseason = NCAA Sweet Sixteen
ranking = 9
ranking2 = 9CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Texas A&M
overall = 70–26
confrecord = 31–17CBB Yearly Record Subhead
name=Kentucky
startyear=2007
conference=Southeastern Conference
endyear=|CBB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
season = 2007–2008
name = Kentucky
overall = 18–13
conference = 12–4
confstanding = T–2nd
postseason = NCAA First RoundCBB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Kentucky
overall = 18–13
confrecord = 12–4CBB Yearly Record End
overall=118–71

References

External links

* [http://ukathletics.com/gillispie_bio.html University of Kentucky Coach Bio]
* [http://ukathletics.com/20070406_bkm_pressconf_video.html Video of Press Conference where Coach Gillispie accepts the UK position]