Jack Friel
Encyclopedia
John B. "Jack" Friel was an American basketball
coach
who was the head coach of the Washington State University
men's basketball team
from 1928 to 1958. He holds the school record for victories by a men's basketball coach with 495, and led Washington State to the 1941 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
championship game.
Born in Waterville, Washington
, Friel attended Washington State beginning in 1916. In 1923, he graduated after serving as the men's basketball team captain and earning all-conference honors the previous year. Friel became the men's basketball coach at his alma mater in 1928, and his team posted a 9–14 record in his first season. Washington State increased its victory total each of the next three seasons, leading the nation with 22 wins in 1931–32. The Cougars won 20 games in 10 of Friel's 30 seasons as coach, and had a winning record 21 times during this stretch. The 1940–41 team was Friel's only one to make the NCAA Tournament. One of three Washington State teams to win a Pacific Coast Conference
divisional championship under Friel, the 1940–41 Cougars won the conference title, and won two games in the NCAA Tournament to advance to the final, where they lost 39–34 to Wisconsin
. In addition to his duties as men's basketball coach, Friel was Washington State's baseball manager from 1943 to 1945 and an American football official; he was originally selected to officiate the 1942 Rose Bowl
, but his basketball schedule prevented him from serving as referee.
Friel announced his retirement in November 1957, effective at the end of the 1957–58 season. He remained with the school into the 1960s, serving as a golf coach and working for the school's physical education program. He was later a supervisor for the Pacific-10 Conference's basketball officiating bureau before spending nine years as commissioner of the newly founded Big Sky Conference
. The court inside Beasley Coliseum
, the Cougars' home arena, was named after Friel in 1977. The following year, he was among the first to be inducted into the university's Athletic Hall of Fame. Into the 1980s, Friel continued working for the Pacific-10 Conference, critiquing officials. He died of pneumonia in 1995.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach
Coach (basketball)
Basketball coaching is the act of directing and strategizing the behaviour of a basketball team or individual basketball player. Basketball coaching typically encompasses the improvement of individual and team offensive and defensive skills, as well as overall physical conditioning.Coaching is...
who was the head coach of the Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
men's basketball team
Washington State Cougars men's basketball
The Washington State Cougars Men's Basketball team represents Washington State University and competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I...
from 1928 to 1958. He holds the school record for victories by a men's basketball coach with 495, and led Washington State to the 1941 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1941 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
-External links:* on Shrp Sports * , source for much of the information on this page.-See also:* 1941 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
championship game.
Born in Waterville, Washington
Waterville, Washington
Waterville is a town in and the county seat of Douglas County, Washington, United States. It is part of the Wenatchee–East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,138 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, Friel attended Washington State beginning in 1916. In 1923, he graduated after serving as the men's basketball team captain and earning all-conference honors the previous year. Friel became the men's basketball coach at his alma mater in 1928, and his team posted a 9–14 record in his first season. Washington State increased its victory total each of the next three seasons, leading the nation with 22 wins in 1931–32. The Cougars won 20 games in 10 of Friel's 30 seasons as coach, and had a winning record 21 times during this stretch. The 1940–41 team was Friel's only one to make the NCAA Tournament. One of three Washington State teams to win a Pacific Coast Conference
Pacific Coast Conference
The Pacific Coast Conference was a college athletic conference in the United States which existed from 1915 to 1959. Though the Pacific-12 Conference claims the PCC's history as part of its own, the older league had a completely different charter and was disbanded in 1959 due to a major crisis...
divisional championship under Friel, the 1940–41 Cougars won the conference title, and won two games in the NCAA Tournament to advance to the final, where they lost 39–34 to Wisconsin
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....
. In addition to his duties as men's basketball coach, Friel was Washington State's baseball manager from 1943 to 1945 and an American football official; he was originally selected to officiate the 1942 Rose Bowl
1942 Rose Bowl
The 1942 Rose Bowl was the 28th Rose Bowl game. Originally scheduled to be played in the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California, it was moved to Durham, North Carolina, due to fears about an attack by the Japanese on the West Coast of the United States following the attack on Pearl Harbor...
, but his basketball schedule prevented him from serving as referee.
Friel announced his retirement in November 1957, effective at the end of the 1957–58 season. He remained with the school into the 1960s, serving as a golf coach and working for the school's physical education program. He was later a supervisor for the Pacific-10 Conference's basketball officiating bureau before spending nine years as commissioner of the newly founded Big Sky Conference
Big Sky Conference
The Big Sky Conference is an intercollegiate college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I, with football competing in the Football Championship Subdivision. The BSC was founded in 1963. Member institutions are located in the western United States in the states of Arizona,...
. The court inside Beasley Coliseum
Beasley Coliseum
Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum is a multi-purpose arena, in Pullman, Washington, on the campus of Washington State University. The arena opened in 1973 and is named for Wallis Beasley, a long-time WSU sociology professor, executive vice president and interim president. Beasley was also WSU's...
, the Cougars' home arena, was named after Friel in 1977. The following year, he was among the first to be inducted into the university's Athletic Hall of Fame. Into the 1980s, Friel continued working for the Pacific-10 Conference, critiquing officials. He died of pneumonia in 1995.