Bob Huggins coaching career
OVERALL
1,195-379 for 75.9% in 1980-2021
71-26 for 73.2% in 1980-83 Walsh University
in North Canton, Ohio NAIA school
97-46 for 67.8% W’s in 1984-89 Akron
398-128 for 75.7% W’s in 1989-2005 Cincinnati
23-12 for 65.7% W’s in 2006-2007 Kansas State
307-167 for 64.7% W’s in 2007-present at WVU
He started out at Walsh College in North Canton, Ohio, which is Walsh University now. Huggins was there for 3 seasons. Twice named district NAIA Coach of the Year in THREE YEARS! Obviously an up-and-comer already.
Huggins has compiled an 1,195-379 record as a head coach, which includes stints at Walsh College (1980-83), Akron (1984-1989), Cincinnati (1989-2005), Kansas State (2006-07) and West Virginia (2007-present).
He ranks fourth in total victories among active Division I head coaches and has the sixth-most wins in college basketball history among Division I head coaches.
In three seasons at Walsh, he compiled a 71–26 record, twice earning NAIA District 22 Coach of the Year honors. Huggins directed the Walsh 1982–83 team to a perfect 30–0 regular season mark and an eventual 34–1 mark.
The previous three Kansas State basketball coaches (Dana Altman, Tom Asbury, and Wooldridge) had combined for a ho-hum 236–232 (.504) record before Huggins. In his only season at Kansas State, Huggins coached the Wildcats to a 23–12 overall record, and a 10–6 Big 12 record.
During his year without a head coaching job Huggins contacted and lined up athletes from around the country who agreed to go wherever he got a job. He wasn’t under NCAA rules since he wasn’t a coach when he did it.
So when he was hired at Kansas State he had his commitments with amazing talents lined up, thus the remarkable 23-12 season at Kansas State.
Bob Huggins has had TWO losing records in his in 39 or 40 seasons (it’s hard to count it right)!
12-14 at Akron in his first season in 1984-85.
15-21 at WVU in 2018-19.
Huggins compiled a 97–46 record and reached post-season play in three of his five seasons at Akron, including an NCAA bid in 1985–86 season.
He left Akron in part because Akron giddily hired Gerry Faust, former Notre Dame coach, for football and put nearly all of its $$$ apples in football while making basketball second fiddle. Remember, Cincinnati was NOT even in Conference-USA during Bob’s first seasons there, so it wasn’t like he jumped from Akron to a Power 5 school.
Huggins compiled a 399–127 record (.759) in his 16 years at Cincinnati, making him the winningest basketball coach in the school’s history.
When Dan Dakich ended his 8-day stint as WVU basketball coach before WVU hired John Beilein, Huggins came home to Morgantown and WVU.
That and Oliver Luck being the athletic director responsible for getting WVU into the Big 12 during the massive college conferences’ realignments are two of the biggest breaks for WVU since Jerry West graduated!
OVERALL
1,195-379 for 75.9% in 1980-2021
71-26 for 73.2% in 1980-83 Walsh University
in North Canton, Ohio NAIA school
97-46 for 67.8% W’s in 1984-89 Akron
398-128 for 75.7% W’s in 1989-2005 Cincinnati
23-12 for 65.7% W’s in 2006-2007 Kansas State
307-167 for 64.7% W’s in 2007-present at WVU
He started out at Walsh College in North Canton, Ohio, which is Walsh University now. Huggins was there for 3 seasons. Twice named district NAIA Coach of the Year in THREE YEARS! Obviously an up-and-comer already.
Huggins has compiled an 1,195-379 record as a head coach, which includes stints at Walsh College (1980-83), Akron (1984-1989), Cincinnati (1989-2005), Kansas State (2006-07) and West Virginia (2007-present).
He ranks fourth in total victories among active Division I head coaches and has the sixth-most wins in college basketball history among Division I head coaches.
In three seasons at Walsh, he compiled a 71–26 record, twice earning NAIA District 22 Coach of the Year honors. Huggins directed the Walsh 1982–83 team to a perfect 30–0 regular season mark and an eventual 34–1 mark.
The previous three Kansas State basketball coaches (Dana Altman, Tom Asbury, and Wooldridge) had combined for a ho-hum 236–232 (.504) record before Huggins. In his only season at Kansas State, Huggins coached the Wildcats to a 23–12 overall record, and a 10–6 Big 12 record.
During his year without a head coaching job Huggins contacted and lined up athletes from around the country who agreed to go wherever he got a job. He wasn’t under NCAA rules since he wasn’t a coach when he did it.
So when he was hired at Kansas State he had his commitments with amazing talents lined up, thus the remarkable 23-12 season at Kansas State.
Bob Huggins has had TWO losing records in his in 39 or 40 seasons (it’s hard to count it right)!
12-14 at Akron in his first season in 1984-85.
15-21 at WVU in 2018-19.
Huggins compiled a 97–46 record and reached post-season play in three of his five seasons at Akron, including an NCAA bid in 1985–86 season.
He left Akron in part because Akron giddily hired Gerry Faust, former Notre Dame coach, for football and put nearly all of its $$$ apples in football while making basketball second fiddle. Remember, Cincinnati was NOT even in Conference-USA during Bob’s first seasons there, so it wasn’t like he jumped from Akron to a Power 5 school.
Huggins compiled a 399–127 record (.759) in his 16 years at Cincinnati, making him the winningest basketball coach in the school’s history.
When Dan Dakich ended his 8-day stint as WVU basketball coach before WVU hired John Beilein, Huggins came home to Morgantown and WVU.
That and Oliver Luck being the athletic director responsible for getting WVU into the Big 12 during the massive college conferences’ realignments are two of the biggest breaks for WVU since Jerry West graduated!
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