CORPUS CHRISTI -
Longtime Rice head coach and 25-year veteran of college
basketball Willis Wilson has been named the third head coach in the
history of Texas A&M - Corpus Christi men's basketball,
Director of Athletics Tim Fitzpatrick announced today. Wilson spent
16 years at the helm of the Owls program, and is the winningest
coach in the program's history.
"First and foremost, I would like to say how happy I am to be
here and be the new coach at Texas A&M - Corpus Christi,"
Wilson said. "It is a great honor, and one I will treat with a
great deal of respect and responsibility. I am really looking
forward to working with the players and staff to create a new
beginning for our program."
In 16 years leading the Owls, Wilson posted a career record of
219-246, leading the team to the postseason three times in his
tenure. Wilson is one of the most highly-respected coaches in the
country. His reputation in the collegiate coaching circles - and
across college basketball - is impeccable.
Coach Wilson's appointment is pending approval of The Texas
A&M University System Board of Regents.
"I am very pleased and proud that Willis Wilson has accepted our
offer to become the new Islanders men's basketball coach,"
Fitzpatrick said. "He is recognized nationally as an outstanding
basketball coach, and as a peerless mentor and role model for the
young men who are fortunate enough to play for him. While
conducting our national search, it became apparent that Coach
Wilson possessed all of the qualities and traits required to build
a top-notch men's basketball program at Texas A&M University -
Corpus Christi - one that will be clearly recognized to be
successful on the court, in the classroom and in the community.
"I look forward to the many, varied contributions that he will
unquestionably make to the future success of our basketball program
and our total athletic program," he continued. "Islanders fans and
the citizens of Corpus Christi and the Coastal Bend will quickly
come to understand that our basketball program's future is a very
bright one, and that our journey to renewed excellence begins today
under Coach Wilson's strong, dedicated leadership. It is indeed our
pleasure to welcome Coach Wilson, his wife Vicki and their children
Kristin, Zachary and Keenan to the Islanders family."
Most recently, Wilson served two seasons as an assistant to Josh
Pastner at the University of Memphis. In two years, he saw the
Tigers go 49-19 and advance to the postseason both years. During
the 2010-11 season, the Tigers went 25-9, won their fifth
Conference USA Championship and a berth in the 2011 NCAA
Tournament. In his first season for the Tigers, Wilson helped guide
the Tigers to a 24-10 overall record and a National Invitation
Tournament (NIT) berth.
"I am thrilled to have a man of Coach Wilson's caliber take over
our men's basketball program," University President Dr. Flavius
Killebrew said. "He brings a presence and professionalism both on
and off the court that our fans and our community will be proud of.
He will be an excellent ambassador for Texas A&M - Corpus
Christi."
Wilson had the most winning campaigns in Rice basketball history
in his time as the head coach. His 2003-04 squad recorded a 22-11
overall record, and the 22 victories were the second-most for a
single season since World War II. Wilson guided the Owls to 60 wins
in a three-year span from 2002-05, marking the second-most
victories in a three-year stretch in school history.
The Silver Spring, Md., native also led the Owl program to the
most postseason appearances since 1950. Wilson guided the Owls to
three National Invitation Tournaments (NIT) - in 1993, 2004 and
2005. Rice's first round win at Wisconsin in the 1993 NIT was the
program's first postseason victory since the 1954 NCAA Tournament.
Wilson was also an assistant on the Rice coaching staff when the
Owls earned an NIT berth in 1991.
In his tenure at Rice, Wilson coached 17 all-conference
performers, including 2007 Conference USA Player of the Year Morris
Almond. Almond, a 2007 NBA Draft first round pick, and Michael
Harris (2005) both earned All-America accolades. Wilson also had
four players pick up CoSIDA Academic All-District honors, including
Adam Peakes who was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America
selection.
During the 2005 season, the Owls won 19 contests and advanced to
postseason action for the second consecutive season for only the
second time in school history, as Michael Harris and Jason McKrieth
again were named all-conference. The 2004 team was Wilson's most
successful, as it won 22 games including the BP Top of the World
Classic championship. For his leadership in 2004, Wilson became the
first Rice basketball coach to be selected as the National
Association of Basketball Coaches District 9 Coach of the Year
since the award began in 1970.
One of his best performances was in 1998-99, when Rice finished
18-10 to equal the third-best turnaround in NCAA history. The Blue
and Gray claimed sole possession of third place and went 13-1 at
home, including a streak of nine straight victories. As the
Mountain Division's third seed, Rice advanced to the WAC
Tournament, where the team defeated San Jose State, 64-61, before
falling to 25th-ranked New Mexico in a two-point loss (51-49) in
the second round. Wilson was the pick of the league media and
coaches as the WAC Mountain Division Coach of the Year.
Prior to taking over the reins of the Rice program, Wilson spent
the 1991-92 campaign as an assistant on Mike Montgomery's staff at
Stanford. The Cardinal finished the season with an 18-11 overall
record and a 10-8 Pac-10 mark for fourth place in the league.
Stanford earned an NCAA Tournament bid and lost in the first round
to Alabama. Willis coached All-American Adam Keefe, who finished
his collegiate career as one of four players in NCAA history to
have 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds while shooting 60 percent from
the floor in a career.
Wilson began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at
his alma mater in 1985-86. After a one-year stint as a head coach
at Houston's Strake Jesuit Prep, Wilson returned to Rice as an
assistant from 1987-91. As a member of the Rice staff, Wilson
helped the Owls improve their Southwest Conference standing each
year. During Wilson's final year as a Rice assistant, the Owls
finished fourth in the league and received a bid to the NIT. The
winning record was Rice's first in 20 years and the postseason
appearance marked its first in 21 seasons.
After arriving on the Rice campus in August 1978, Wilson was a
four-year letterman for the Owls. He co-captained the Owls to a
15-win season in 1982 and was a teammate of former NBA star and
Rice Athletic Hall of Fame member Ricky Pierce. Wilson, a Will Rice
College Fellow and member of the college court, graduated on time
with a Bachelors of Arts degree in political science in 1982. He
also participated in the Rice NCAA Volunteers for Youth
program.
Wilson and his wife, Vicki, have three children, daughter,
Kristin, and twin sons, Zachary and Keenan.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT WILLIS
WILSON
"Willis Wilson is a person that I have the highest regard for,
not just as a coach, but as a man. I think he did one of the
greatest coaching jobs in America during his stint at Rice, a next
to impossible job. His teams were always extremely difficult to
beat and to prepare for. There is no better X's and O's coach out
there. I'm honored to call him a friend and I admire him. Texas
A&M - Corpus Christi isn't going to have to worry about hiring
another coach for a long time. He'll do things the right way and
he'll build a highly competitive program."
-Tom Penders, former Head Coach, Texas &
Houston
"Texas A&M - Corpus Christi is getting a man of integrity, a
man of class, that will do things the right way and put a team on
the basketball court that everyone in Corpus Christi will be proud
of. I've known Willis for a number of years, working with him with
the NABC, and he's been as committed and dedicated as anyone to our
game. He is one of the true guardians of our game of
basketball."
-Tubby Smith, Head Coach, Minnesota Golden
Gophers
"Willis Wilson and Texas A&M - Corpus Christi are a perfect
fit. I've known Willis for 25 years and believe he is a home run
hire because he is the right combination of high character person,
an outstanding basketball coach and he knows Texas recruiting. He
has an impeccable reputation and will be embraced by the Corpus
Christi community."
-Fran Fraschilla, ESPN Analyst and Former College
Basketball Coach
"I think Texas A&M - Corpus Christi hired an absolute
winner. Willis has been instrumental to our success at Memphis the
last two years. He's a tremendous floor coach, a tremendous
recruiter and he's got the entire package. He is one of the few
guys in this business that can wear all hats and be good at all of
them - coaching, recruiting, fundraising, academics. He has a
presidential presence when he walks into a room. Texas A&M -
Corpus Christi got a lot better today with the hiring of Willis
Wilson."
- Josh Pastner, Head Coach, Memphis
Tigers
"Coach Wilson is a wonderful person who has great character. He
has obviously been around the game for a long time and done a great
job at every stop of his career. This is a tremendous hire for
Texas A&M - Corpus Christi."
- Rick Barnes, Head Coach, Texas
Longhorns
"Willis is a great hire for Texas A&M - Corpus Christi. He
is a family man who will be a tremendous mentor and example for his
players. Willis is an outstanding person, highly respected and an
excellent teacher of the game."
-James Dickey, Head Coach, Houston
Cougars
