Bo Ryan
Encyclopedia
William "Bo" Francis Ryan, Jr. (born December 20, 1947) is an American
college basketball
coach and current head coach of the University of Wisconsin–Madison men's basketball team
.
. The center snapping him the ball was Ted Cottrell
, who later served as a defensive coach and coordinator for a number of teams in the NFL
. Ryan lettered in football
, basketball and baseball
, and was president of his class. After high school, Ryan starred as a point guard
at Wilkes University
in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
. His love for the game drove him to remain involved with the sport, choosing to delve into the coaching profession.
, Ryan began graduate work at Villanova University
in Villanova, Pennsylvania
. After working at the Dominican College of Racine
(now defunct — not to be confused with the earlier Racine College
) in Racine, Wisconsin
, Ryan became head coach at Sun Valley High School in Aston, Pennsylvania, where he was named conference coach of the year in 1976. His success at Dominican College and Sun Valley led to a job as assistant head coach at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
under head coaches Bill Cofield
and Steve Yoder
from 1977 to 1984.
championships and set a Division III scoring defense record in 1997 with his team only allowing 47.5 points per game.
On January 27, 2007 the University of Wisconsin–Platteville officially honored Ryan's 15-year tenure by naming their basketball court "Bo Ryan Court". Ryan, along with the 2007 Wisconsin Badgers team, attended the event.
.
run, head coach Dick Bennett
retired two games into the 2000–01 season. Assistant coach Brad Soderberg
finished the season as interim head coach, but was not retained by the university. The coaching search began to concentrate on Rick Majerus
of the University of Utah
(who was a Milwaukee native) and Bo Ryan. After Majerus pulled his name out of consideration, UW athletic director Pat Richter
made the decision to hire Ryan as head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers men's team
.
Ryan's first season was much more successful than anticipated. The team was predicted to finish as low as ninth in the Big Ten
in pre-season polls. The team, led by Kirk Penney
, surprisingly tied with three other teams for the 2002 Big Ten Championship and received an invitation to the NCAA Tournament
. In the 2002–03 season, the Badgers won their first outright Big Ten regular season title in 56 years and advanced to the "Sweet Sixteen" in the NCAA Tournament. The Badgers won the Big Ten Tournament Championship in 2004, led by Devin Harris
, and once again received an NCAA Tournament invitation. In the 2004–05 season, Wisconsin advanced to the "Elite Eight" in the NCAA Tournament, losing to the eventual national champion, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels
. On December 10, 2005, Ryan recorded his 100th victory as Wisconsin head coach by defeating in-state rival Marquette
.
In the 2006–07 season, Ryan led the Badgers to the pinnacle of college basketball, helping them achieve their first top-five ranking and #1 ranking in the AP poll
in the school's history. However, the Badger's time atop the poll was short-lived as they lost their following game against Michigan State
before losing to Ohio State
in a #1 vs. #1 matchup.http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2006-2007/confsked.html The Wisconsin–Ohio State game on February 25, 2007, featured two teams ranked #1 in that week's national polls, with Ohio State securing the top ranking in the Coaches' Poll and clinching the regular season Big Ten Title.http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/022507aab.html The following week they rebounded with a 52–50 win at home over Michigan State and again defeated Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament, before losing the Big Ten Tournament championship game to Ohio State. In 2007, Bo was named the winner of the Clair Bee Coach of the Year Award
.
On December 12, 2009, Ryan recorded his 200th victory as Wisconsin head coach by defeating in-state rival Marquette
, 72–63 at the Kohl Center
in Madison, Wisconsin
.
On January 24, 2010, Ryan recorded his 100th Big Ten Conference
victory by defeating Penn State
, 79–71 at the Kohl Center. With that victory, Ryan became the 2nd fastest coach to reach that milestone, tying Ryan with Branch McCracken
who both needed 140 games to reach the 100th conference victory. The only coach to reach the 100th conference win faster was Bob Knight, who only needed 131 games.
Ryan is currently third on Wisconsin's all-time wins list, behind only Bud Foster and Doc Meanwell
. He has led the Badgers to ten NCAA Tournaments; the team had only been to a total of seven NCAA Tournaments before Ryan's arrival (three of them under Bennett).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college basketball
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 current head coach of the University of Wisconsin–Madison men's basketball team
Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball
The Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at the Kohl Center, located on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus in Madison, Wisconsin....
.
Playing career
Bo Ryan began playing basketball at a very young age. His father, Butch Ryan, coached basketball to under-privileged children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bo's father taught him the skills to be a successful point guard, generally the position of the team leader. With these skills, he became a star basketball player, leading his high school team to a 25–1 record in his senior year. In addition to basketball, Bo was a high school quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. The center snapping him the ball was Ted Cottrell
Ted Cottrell
Theodore John "Ted" Cottrell is the former head coach for the New York Sentinels of the United Football League...
, who later served as a defensive coach and coordinator for a number of teams in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Ryan lettered in football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, basketball and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, and was president of his class. After high school, Ryan starred as a point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
at Wilkes University
Wilkes University
Wilkes University is a private, non-denominational American university located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It has over 2,200 undergraduates and over 2,200 graduate students...
in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
. His love for the game drove him to remain involved with the sport, choosing to delve into the coaching profession.
Early years
After graduating from Wilkes UniversityWilkes University
Wilkes University is a private, non-denominational American university located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It has over 2,200 undergraduates and over 2,200 graduate students...
, Ryan began graduate work at Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
in Villanova, Pennsylvania
Villanova, Pennsylvania
Villanova is a community in the United States Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It straddles Lower Merion Township of Montgomery County and Radnor Township of Delaware County. It is located at the center of the Pennsylvania Main Line, a series of highly affluent Philadelphia suburban towns located...
. After working at the Dominican College of Racine
Dominican College
There are several current and former institutions of higher learning named Dominican College.-Higher education:*Dominican College , a four-year private college in Orangeburg, New York...
(now defunct — not to be confused with the earlier Racine College
Racine College
Racine College was an Episcopal college in Racine, Wisconsin, founded in 1852. The collegiate department closed in 1887, but the college continued to be used as a grammar school and a military school until it closed in 1933....
) in Racine, Wisconsin
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
, Ryan became head coach at Sun Valley High School in Aston, Pennsylvania, where he was named conference coach of the year in 1976. His success at Dominican College and Sun Valley led to a job as assistant head coach at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
under head coaches Bill Cofield
Bill Cofield
William Lawrence "Bill" Cofield was an American basketball coach and was the first African American head coach of a major sport in the Big Ten Conference when he was hired by the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1976....
and Steve Yoder
Steve Yoder
Steve Yoder is an American former college basketball coach and is currently a scout with the NBA's New York Knicks.-Background:Yoder is a native of Plymouth, Indiana and 1958 graduate of Plymouth High School. He attended Illinois Wesleyan University on a basketball and baseball scholarship,...
from 1977 to 1984.
University of Wisconsin–Platteville
After his stint as an assistant, Ryan accepted the head coaching position at the University of Wisconsin–Platteville. From 1984 until 1999 Ryan's Platteville team posted a 352–76 overall record, a winning record of 82%. Ryan guided the UW–Platteville Pioneers to four national championships (1991, 1995, 1998 and 1999). He also won eight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic ConferenceWisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference that competes in the NCAA's Division III. As the name implies, member teams are located in the state of Wisconsin, although there are three associate members from Minnesota and one from Michigan...
championships and set a Division III scoring defense record in 1997 with his team only allowing 47.5 points per game.
On January 27, 2007 the University of Wisconsin–Platteville officially honored Ryan's 15-year tenure by naming their basketball court "Bo Ryan Court". Ryan, along with the 2007 Wisconsin Badgers team, attended the event.
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
On the strength of his success at Platteville, Ryan was hired as head coach at Milwaukee for the 1999–2000 season. In his two seasons as coach, the team had its first back-to-back winning seasons in nearly a decade.http://uwmpanthers.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/wiml-m-baskbl-archive.html Ryan also brought a 161% increase in home attendance at Milwaukee, giving the program a new energy that continued into the tenure of his successor Bruce PearlBruce Pearl
Bruce Dean-Fredrick Pearl is an American college basketball coach who most recently served as head coach of the University of Tennessee Volunteers men's team. He is a graduate of Boston College, where he obtained his first position as an assistant basketball coach. He was the first coach to lead...
.
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Following the Badgers' 2000 Final FourFinal four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
run, head coach Dick Bennett
Dick Bennett
Dick Bennett is an American college basketball coach who is best known for revitalizing the Wisconsin Badgers basketball program...
retired two games into the 2000–01 season. Assistant coach Brad Soderberg
Brad Soderberg
Brad Soderberg is the men's head basketball coach at Lindenwood University in Saint Charles, Missouri Soderberg has been a head coach previously at Saint Louis University, South Dakota State University, Loras College, and as an interim head coach at the University of Wisconsin–Madison...
finished the season as interim head coach, but was not retained by the university. The coaching search began to concentrate on Rick Majerus
Rick Majerus
Rick Majerus is an American college basketball coach, and the men's basketball head coach at Saint Louis University. He coached previously at Marquette University , Ball State University , and the University of Utah .-Biography:Majerus graduated from Marquette University High School in 1966 and...
of the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
(who was a Milwaukee native) and Bo Ryan. After Majerus pulled his name out of consideration, UW athletic director Pat Richter
Pat Richter
Hugh Vernon Richter is the former University of Wisconsin–Madison athletic director and American football player. He was responsible for hiring Barry Alvarez from Notre Dame in 1990 as head football coach, restoring the Badgers football program to national prominence.-Playing career:Richter was...
made the decision to hire Ryan as head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers men's team
Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball
The Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team is a NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at the Kohl Center, located on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus in Madison, Wisconsin....
.
Ryan's first season was much more successful than anticipated. The team was predicted to finish as low as ninth in the Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
in pre-season polls. The team, led by Kirk Penney
Kirk Penney
Kirk Samuel Penney is a New Zealander professional basketball player.-University of Wisconsin :...
, surprisingly tied with three other teams for the 2002 Big Ten Championship and received an invitation to the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
. In the 2002–03 season, the Badgers won their first outright Big Ten regular season title in 56 years and advanced to the "Sweet Sixteen" in the NCAA Tournament. The Badgers won the Big Ten Tournament Championship in 2004, led by Devin Harris
Devin Harris
Devin Lamar Harris is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Harris attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison...
, and once again received an NCAA Tournament invitation. In the 2004–05 season, Wisconsin advanced to the "Elite Eight" in the NCAA Tournament, losing to the eventual national champion, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
. On December 10, 2005, Ryan recorded his 100th victory as Wisconsin head coach by defeating in-state rival Marquette
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
.
In the 2006–07 season, Ryan led the Badgers to the pinnacle of college basketball, helping them achieve their first top-five ranking and #1 ranking in the AP poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
in the school's history. However, the Badger's time atop the poll was short-lived as they lost their following game against Michigan State
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
before losing to Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
in a #1 vs. #1 matchup.http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-baskbl/stats/2006-2007/confsked.html The Wisconsin–Ohio State game on February 25, 2007, featured two teams ranked #1 in that week's national polls, with Ohio State securing the top ranking in the Coaches' Poll and clinching the regular season Big Ten Title.http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/022507aab.html The following week they rebounded with a 52–50 win at home over Michigan State and again defeated Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament, before losing the Big Ten Tournament championship game to Ohio State. In 2007, Bo was named the winner of the Clair Bee Coach of the Year Award
Clair Bee Coach of the Year Award
The Clair Bee Coach of the Year Award honors the active men's NCAA Division I basketball coach who has made the most significant positive contributions to his sport during the preceding year...
.
On December 12, 2009, Ryan recorded his 200th victory as Wisconsin head coach by defeating in-state rival Marquette
Marquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
, 72–63 at the Kohl Center
Kohl Center
The Kohl Center is an arena and athletic center at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, United States. The building, which opened in 1998, is the home of the university's men's and women's basketball and ice hockey teams. Seating capacity is variable, as the center can be rearranged to accommodate...
in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
.
On January 24, 2010, Ryan recorded his 100th Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
victory by defeating Penn State
2009–10 Penn State Nittany Lions men's basketball team
The 2009–10 Penn State Nittany Lions basketball team represented Pennsylvania State University. Head Coach Ed DeChellis was in his seventh season with the team. The team played its home games in University Park, Pennsylvania at the Bryce Jordan Center, which has a capacity of 15,000, for the...
, 79–71 at the Kohl Center. With that victory, Ryan became the 2nd fastest coach to reach that milestone, tying Ryan with Branch McCracken
Branch McCracken
Branch McCracken was a college men's basketball coach.As a player at Indiana, the Monrovia, Indiana native was a three-year letter winner for Hall of Fame coach Everett Dean...
who both needed 140 games to reach the 100th conference victory. The only coach to reach the 100th conference win faster was Bob Knight, who only needed 131 games.
Ryan is currently third on Wisconsin's all-time wins list, behind only Bud Foster and Doc Meanwell
Walter Meanwell
Walter E. Meanwell was an English college men's basketball coach in the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s. The Leeds, England native coached in the U.S...
. He has led the Badgers to ten NCAA Tournaments; the team had only been to a total of seven NCAA Tournaments before Ryan's arrival (three of them under Bennett).
Division III
Division I
Notable players coached
- Jason BohannonJason BohannonJason Bohannon is a basketball player that plays Professional Basketball in Germany for USC Heidelberg. He is a Shooting Guard that is 6-2 198 pounds.-High school career:...
- Brian ButchBrian ButchBrian Butch is an American professional basketball player. He was a center on the 2003 McDonald's All-American basketball team who later attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison on a basketball scholarship...
- Devin HarrisDevin HarrisDevin Lamar Harris is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Harris attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison...
- Trevon HughesTrévon HughesTrévon Hughes is a men's basketball free agent guard. He is listed as 6-0, 195 lbs. Hughes went to high school in Delafield, Wisconsin at St. John's Northwestern Military Academy.-High School:In high school at St...
- Joe KrabbenhoftJoe KrabbenhoftJoseph "Joe" Krabbenhoft is an American professional basketball player.-College career:Krabbenhoft played college basketball at the University of Wisconsin with the Wisconsin Badgers from 2005-09....
- Marcus LandryMarcus LandryMarcus Landry is an American professional basketball player for Assignia Manresa. Landry attended Vincent High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
- Jon LeuerJon LeuerJon Leuer is a NBA basketball player for Skyliners Frankfurt. He was a 2011 draft pick of the Milwaukee Bucks playing in Germany during the 2011 NBA lockout.-High school:...
- Kirk PenneyKirk PenneyKirk Samuel Penney is a New Zealander professional basketball player.-University of Wisconsin :...
- Greg StiemsmaGreg StiemsmaGregory Stiemsma is an American basketball player.-Early life:Stiemsma was born and raised in Randolph, Wisconsin. Stiemsma has been the only player from Randolph High School to play professional basketball...
- Jordan TaylorJordan Taylor (basketball)Jordan Taylor is an American college basketball player for the University of Wisconsin Badgers.-High school:Named Minnesota Mr. Basketball as a senior after averaging 22.3 points and 7.1 assists per game. Led Benilde-St. Margaret's to the Minnesota state Class AAA title in 2008 and was a 2-time...
- Alando TuckerAlando TuckerAlando Forest Tucker is an American professional basketball player. Tucker played five seasons at The University of Wisconsin–Madison and wore the number 42...
- Mike WilkinsonMike WilkinsonMichael Joseph "Mike" Wilkinson is an American professional basketball player. He is a 6 ft 8¼ in 245 lb. power forward.-Amateur career:...
Trivia
- At the end of the 2010-11 season Ryan had a 72.7 winning percentage at Wisconsin. http://uwbadgers.com/sport_news/mbb/bios/bio.html?staffid=316
- He has a 76.3 career winning percentage. Among coaches with 500 career wins his percentage ranks second only to Roy WilliamsRoy Williams (coach)Roy Williams is head coach of the men's basketball team at the University of North Carolina. After averaging nearly an 80% win percentage in 15 seasons at the University of Kansas, he became the eighteenth head coach at North Carolina when he replaced Matt Doherty in 2003...
. - In Big Ten Conference play Ryan has a 71.4 winning percentage. That ranks first all time among Big Ten coaches with at least five years of experience.http://www.uwbadgers.com/sport_news/mbb/bios/bio.html?staffid=316
- Bo Ryan has written three books: "Bo Ryan: Another Hill to climb," "The Swing Offense," and "Passing and Catching: the Lost Art."