WVU Sports Hall of Fame
John Beilein
- Induction:
- 2026
Head coach John Beilein led the Mountaineer men’s basketball team to the 2005 NCAA Elite Eight, 2006 NCAA Sweet 16 and 2007 NIT championship from 2003-07.
On April 18, 2002, Beilein was named WVU’s 20th head men’s basketball coach. Under his direction, the Mountaineers compiled a record of 104-60 and earned four consecutive postseason berths, including two straight Sweet 16 appearances in 2005 and 2006. In 2005, WVU advanced to the championship game of the Big East Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in 42 years and for the first time in Beilein’s coaching career.
After just missing out on an NCAA Tournament bid in 2007 after 21 regular season wins, the Mountaineers were given the No. 1 seed in the NIT. Following three wins, West Virginia advanced to its first NIT semifinal appearance in 26 years. At Madison Square Garden, the Mountaineers used a buzzer-beater against Mississippi State to advance to the championship game before downing Clemson to win the second NIT crown in program history and first since 1942.
West Virginia finished with 22 victories in 2005-06 and an AP Top 25 ranking. The Mountaineers won two games in the NCAA Tournament, marking the first time the school had made consecutive trips to the Sweet 16 since the tournament expanded in 1975. It was just the second time the school advanced to the regionals in consecutive years since the 1959 and 1960 seasons.
In 2004-05, Beilein led the Mountaineers to wins over a school-record eight ranked teams (Texas Tech, Wake Forest, Boston College, Villanova, Pitt twice, North Carolina State and George Washington) and an AP Top 25 ranking. West Virginia finished the postseason ranked No. 12 in the USA Today/ESPN poll.
Beilein led the Mountaineers to an unbelievable run in the Big East Championship, advancing to the finals by winning three games. The Mountaineers became just the third Big East team to reach the finals without a bye.
Then in the NCAA Tournament, the Mountaineers earned a No. 7 seed and reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 1959, reeling off wins against No. 10-seed Creighton, No. 2-seed Wake Forest and No. 6-seed Texas Tech. West Virginia just missed reaching the Final Four, falling to No. 4-seed Louisville in overtime.
In 2003-04, the Mountaineers took a major step forward by winning two games in the NIT. In his first season at West Virginia, Beilein led the Mountaineers to 14 wins with just seven scholarship players. West Virginia posted impressive wins over No. 8 Florida, Tennessee, Miami, at Villanova and at Rutgers. The Mountaineers made the Big East Tournament after not qualifying in 2002.
Beilein coached three players who reached 1,000 career points, including his son, Patrick. Beilein mentored Kevin Pittsnogle, who became WVU’s first men’s basketball All-American since 1972. In addition, Johannes Herber was honored as the ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for men’s basketball and a Big East Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete in 2006, while Mike Gansey was one of the 10 finalists for the Oscar Robertson Award.
Beilein crafted his trade at virtually every level – community college, NAIA, Division II, Division I and the NBA. What set him apart from his peers is that at every stop, he was always a head coach, never an assistant.
During his 41 years as a collegiate head coach, Beilein compiled a career record of 829-468 (.639), recording 20-plus win seasons on 23 occasions and finishing with a winning record in 35 seasons. Beilein ranks 22nd for career victories among Division I head coaches with 754.
Following his stint at West Virginia, Beilein coached at Michigan and led the Wolverines to a pair of national championship game appearances (2013, 2018) while also becoming the winningest coach in school history.
Under Beilein, Michigan made nine NCAA Tournament appearances while also winning two Big Ten regular season and two Big Ten Tournament titles. Overall, Beilein helped mentor nine Wolverines to the NBA Draft.
Beilein came to WVU from Richmond, where he compiled a 100-53 (.654) record in his five seasons with the Spiders, making him the second-winningest coach in terms of percentage in the school’s basketball history and reached the century plateau faster than any coach in Richmond history.
Prior to arriving at Richmond, Beilein spent five years as the head coach at Canisius. During his tenure with the Golden Griffins, Beilein led the team to three consecutive postseason appearances, including the 1996 NCAA tournament.
Before assuming the coaching responsibilities at Canisius, Beilein turned a once-dismal LeMoyne squad into a Division II contender. In 1987-88, LeMoyne won a school-record 24 games, was crowned Mideast Conference champions and earned a berth in the Division II tournament.
Beilein served a one-year stint at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York, from 1982-83, leading the program to a 20-6 record. He accepted his first collegiate head coaching position in 1978 at Erie Community College in Buffalo, New York, posting a 75-43 record in four years.
Beilein began his coaching career at Newfane Central High in Newfane, New York, for three years before heading to Erie CC.
Beilein played college basketball at Wheeling College (now Wheeling University) from 1971-75 and served as team captain his junior season. He received a bachelor's degree in history from there in 1975 and earned a master's degree in education from Niagara in 1981.
Beilein was elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022. Prior to retiring from basketball, he served as the Senior Player Development Advisor for the Detroit Pistons after serving as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019-20.
A native of Burt, New York, Beilein and his wife, Kathleen, have been married for 48 years. They have one daughter, Seana (Hendricks), and three sons, Patrick, Mark and Andrew. The Beilein’s have eight grandchildren.
On April 18, 2002, Beilein was named WVU’s 20th head men’s basketball coach. Under his direction, the Mountaineers compiled a record of 104-60 and earned four consecutive postseason berths, including two straight Sweet 16 appearances in 2005 and 2006. In 2005, WVU advanced to the championship game of the Big East Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in 42 years and for the first time in Beilein’s coaching career.
After just missing out on an NCAA Tournament bid in 2007 after 21 regular season wins, the Mountaineers were given the No. 1 seed in the NIT. Following three wins, West Virginia advanced to its first NIT semifinal appearance in 26 years. At Madison Square Garden, the Mountaineers used a buzzer-beater against Mississippi State to advance to the championship game before downing Clemson to win the second NIT crown in program history and first since 1942.
West Virginia finished with 22 victories in 2005-06 and an AP Top 25 ranking. The Mountaineers won two games in the NCAA Tournament, marking the first time the school had made consecutive trips to the Sweet 16 since the tournament expanded in 1975. It was just the second time the school advanced to the regionals in consecutive years since the 1959 and 1960 seasons.
In 2004-05, Beilein led the Mountaineers to wins over a school-record eight ranked teams (Texas Tech, Wake Forest, Boston College, Villanova, Pitt twice, North Carolina State and George Washington) and an AP Top 25 ranking. West Virginia finished the postseason ranked No. 12 in the USA Today/ESPN poll.
Beilein led the Mountaineers to an unbelievable run in the Big East Championship, advancing to the finals by winning three games. The Mountaineers became just the third Big East team to reach the finals without a bye.
Then in the NCAA Tournament, the Mountaineers earned a No. 7 seed and reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 1959, reeling off wins against No. 10-seed Creighton, No. 2-seed Wake Forest and No. 6-seed Texas Tech. West Virginia just missed reaching the Final Four, falling to No. 4-seed Louisville in overtime.
In 2003-04, the Mountaineers took a major step forward by winning two games in the NIT. In his first season at West Virginia, Beilein led the Mountaineers to 14 wins with just seven scholarship players. West Virginia posted impressive wins over No. 8 Florida, Tennessee, Miami, at Villanova and at Rutgers. The Mountaineers made the Big East Tournament after not qualifying in 2002.
Beilein coached three players who reached 1,000 career points, including his son, Patrick. Beilein mentored Kevin Pittsnogle, who became WVU’s first men’s basketball All-American since 1972. In addition, Johannes Herber was honored as the ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for men’s basketball and a Big East Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete in 2006, while Mike Gansey was one of the 10 finalists for the Oscar Robertson Award.
Beilein crafted his trade at virtually every level – community college, NAIA, Division II, Division I and the NBA. What set him apart from his peers is that at every stop, he was always a head coach, never an assistant.
During his 41 years as a collegiate head coach, Beilein compiled a career record of 829-468 (.639), recording 20-plus win seasons on 23 occasions and finishing with a winning record in 35 seasons. Beilein ranks 22nd for career victories among Division I head coaches with 754.
Following his stint at West Virginia, Beilein coached at Michigan and led the Wolverines to a pair of national championship game appearances (2013, 2018) while also becoming the winningest coach in school history.
Under Beilein, Michigan made nine NCAA Tournament appearances while also winning two Big Ten regular season and two Big Ten Tournament titles. Overall, Beilein helped mentor nine Wolverines to the NBA Draft.
Beilein came to WVU from Richmond, where he compiled a 100-53 (.654) record in his five seasons with the Spiders, making him the second-winningest coach in terms of percentage in the school’s basketball history and reached the century plateau faster than any coach in Richmond history.
Prior to arriving at Richmond, Beilein spent five years as the head coach at Canisius. During his tenure with the Golden Griffins, Beilein led the team to three consecutive postseason appearances, including the 1996 NCAA tournament.
Before assuming the coaching responsibilities at Canisius, Beilein turned a once-dismal LeMoyne squad into a Division II contender. In 1987-88, LeMoyne won a school-record 24 games, was crowned Mideast Conference champions and earned a berth in the Division II tournament.
Beilein served a one-year stint at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York, from 1982-83, leading the program to a 20-6 record. He accepted his first collegiate head coaching position in 1978 at Erie Community College in Buffalo, New York, posting a 75-43 record in four years.
Beilein began his coaching career at Newfane Central High in Newfane, New York, for three years before heading to Erie CC.
Beilein played college basketball at Wheeling College (now Wheeling University) from 1971-75 and served as team captain his junior season. He received a bachelor's degree in history from there in 1975 and earned a master's degree in education from Niagara in 1981.
Beilein was elected to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022. Prior to retiring from basketball, he served as the Senior Player Development Advisor for the Detroit Pistons after serving as head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019-20.
A native of Burt, New York, Beilein and his wife, Kathleen, have been married for 48 years. They have one daughter, Seana (Hendricks), and three sons, Patrick, Mark and Andrew. The Beilein’s have eight grandchildren.
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