Billy Clapper
Encyclopedia
Billy Clapper is an American college basketball
coach and is the head men's basketball coach at Penn State Altoona
. He was hired as the head coach of the Lions on September 16, 2009.
Lions, a member of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference
and an NCAA Division III institution. The Lions went 12-14 during the 2009-2010 season and achieved one victory over an NCAA tournament participant. In the 2010-2011 season the team finished with a 4-21 record.
His coaching career began as an assistant at Penn State Altoona
in 2005–2006. The program had seven victories that season and the team was led by Tyler Franklin who is the program's all time scoring leader. During the 2006-2007 season he was a member of the coaching staff at Indiana State University
under Coach Royce Waltman
. The Sycamores earned 13 victories on the season and had victories over three NCAA tournament participants: Butler
, Creighton
, and Purdue.
He joined the coaching staff at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
prior to the 2008–2009 season and during the next two seasons he helped guide the Mountain Cats to a 47-16 record. They were crowned WVIAC regular season champions in 2008 and tournament champions in 2009. They advanced to the NCAA tournament during both seasons (2008-2nd round, 2009-1st round). He coached two players who went on to earn All-American honors - Chris Gilliam and Marcus Tullis, both of whom have gone on to play professionally.
) until his senior season. He attended Hollidaysburg Area HS (Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania
) during his senior where he was a member of the basketball team. His high school career was full of team success as his teams won four league titles, a district title, and each year was state ranked.
His collegiate playing career began at Mount Aloysius College
where he played his freshman season. He scored 19 points for the Mounties while appearing in 20 games including one start against Houghton College.
He then transferred to Youngstown State University
where he became a manager for the men's basketball team. He spent two years in that role and would become a practice player during that time. He earned a spot on Coach John Robic
's team prior to his senior season. Clapper appearend in 6 contests for the penguins including starting on senior night against Butler University.
He was a two-time Horizon League
academic honor roll selection and was named the Tony Vivo hustle award winner upon completion of his senior season.
In 2005, he created his company Billy Clapper Basketball LLC. and began instructing his own camps throughout the state of Pennsylvania. His company produced an instructional basketball video "Ballhandling at its Best"" which demonstrates the ball handling workouts he used during his own playing career. He created a college skills camp that introduces teaching and training to participants that are to help boys and girls play basketball in college.
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach and is the head men's basketball coach at Penn State Altoona
Penn State Altoona
Penn State Altoona is a commonwealth campus of The Pennsylvania State University. It is located in Logan Township, Pennsylvania, just outside of Altoona, Pennsylvania, although some of its buildings are located in the heart of Altoona's downtown.-History:...
. He was hired as the head coach of the Lions on September 16, 2009.
Coaching career
He is entering his third season as the head coach of the Penn State AltoonaPenn State Altoona
Penn State Altoona is a commonwealth campus of The Pennsylvania State University. It is located in Logan Township, Pennsylvania, just outside of Altoona, Pennsylvania, although some of its buildings are located in the heart of Altoona's downtown.-History:...
Lions, a member of the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference
Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference
The Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Member institutions are located in the northeastern United States in the States of Maryland, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.-Current members:The league currently has...
and an NCAA Division III institution. The Lions went 12-14 during the 2009-2010 season and achieved one victory over an NCAA tournament participant. In the 2010-2011 season the team finished with a 4-21 record.
His coaching career began as an assistant at Penn State Altoona
Penn State Altoona
Penn State Altoona is a commonwealth campus of The Pennsylvania State University. It is located in Logan Township, Pennsylvania, just outside of Altoona, Pennsylvania, although some of its buildings are located in the heart of Altoona's downtown.-History:...
in 2005–2006. The program had seven victories that season and the team was led by Tyler Franklin who is the program's all time scoring leader. During the 2006-2007 season he was a member of the coaching staff at Indiana State University
Indiana State University
Indiana State University is a public university located in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States.The Princeton Review has named Indiana State as one of the "Best in the Midwest" seven years running, and the College of Education's Graduate Program was recently named as a 'Top 100' by U.S...
under Coach Royce Waltman
Royce Waltman
Royce Waltman is a former NCAA Head Basketball Coach. He was the Head Coach at Indiana State University from 1997–2007; at the University of Indianapolis from 1992–1997 and the 2007-2008 season and at DePauw University from 1988-1992....
. The Sycamores earned 13 victories on the season and had victories over three NCAA tournament participants: Butler
Butler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
, Creighton
Creighton University
Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...
, and Purdue.
He joined the coaching staff at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, also known as UPJ or Pitt-Johnstown, is a four-year, degree-granting regional campus of the University of Pittsburgh. The university is located in Richland Township, a suburban area of Johnstown, Pennsylvania and was founded in 1927 as one of the first...
prior to the 2008–2009 season and during the next two seasons he helped guide the Mountain Cats to a 47-16 record. They were crowned WVIAC regular season champions in 2008 and tournament champions in 2009. They advanced to the NCAA tournament during both seasons (2008-2nd round, 2009-1st round). He coached two players who went on to earn All-American honors - Chris Gilliam and Marcus Tullis, both of whom have gone on to play professionally.
Head coaching record
Playing career
Clapper played high school basketball at Tussey Mountain HS (Saxton, PennsylvaniaSaxton, Pennsylvania
Saxton is a borough in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 803 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Saxton is located at ....
) until his senior season. He attended Hollidaysburg Area HS (Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania
Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania
Hollidaysburg is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, on the Juniata River, south of Altoona. It is the county seat of Blair County. It is part of the Altoona, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area and is one of the communities that comprises the Altoona Urban Area...
) during his senior where he was a member of the basketball team. His high school career was full of team success as his teams won four league titles, a district title, and each year was state ranked.
His collegiate playing career began at Mount Aloysius College
Mount Aloysius College
Mount Aloysius College is a Catholic, private college in Cresson, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a liberal arts college that awards bachelor’s, associate’s, and master’s degrees in the arts and sciences fields...
where he played his freshman season. He scored 19 points for the Mounties while appearing in 20 games including one start against Houghton College.
He then transferred to Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University, founded in 1908, is an urban research university located in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. As of fall 2010, there were 15,194 students and a student-faculty ratio of 19:1. It is recognized as being one of the premier schools in the country, comparable to Ivy League...
where he became a manager for the men's basketball team. He spent two years in that role and would become a practice player during that time. He earned a spot on Coach John Robic
John Robic
John Robic is an assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Kentucky. Prior to joining the Wildcats staff, he served as assistant coach at the University of Memphis and head coach at Youngstown State University....
's team prior to his senior season. Clapper appearend in 6 contests for the penguins including starting on senior night against Butler University.
He was a two-time Horizon League
Horizon League
The Horizon League is a ten school, NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located in five of the Midwestern United States....
academic honor roll selection and was named the Tony Vivo hustle award winner upon completion of his senior season.
Basketball camps
At the age of 17 he began his career as a basketball camp instructor. During his college years he traveled the eastern United States and instructed on camp staffs at major university basketball camps including: Rhode Island, North Carolina State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, West Virginia, Dayton, Duquesne, Xavier, and Louisville. His ball handling and guard skills station has become nationally known as he has taught ten's of thousands of aspiring basketball players over the last decade. He has instructed and trained over 170 athletes who have gone on to play basketball at the collegiate level.In 2005, he created his company Billy Clapper Basketball LLC. and began instructing his own camps throughout the state of Pennsylvania. His company produced an instructional basketball video "Ballhandling at its Best"" which demonstrates the ball handling workouts he used during his own playing career. He created a college skills camp that introduces teaching and training to participants that are to help boys and girls play basketball in college.