March 29, 2010
- What they’re saying about Fran McCaffery
- Watch: McCaffery Discusses Iowa
- Watch: McCaffery on BTN
- Register for ticket information online
- 2010-11 Ticket Information Form
THE GUY CAN RECRUIT
While serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Notre Dame for 11 seasons, McCaffery recruited Irish stars Pat Garrity (CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year, 1998) and Troy Murphy (NBA first-round draft pick and 2000 Big East Player of the Year) and NBA first-round picks LaPhonso Ellis (No. 5, Denver, 1992), Monty Williams (No. 24, New York, 1994) and Ryan Humphrey (No. 19, Utah, 2002).
In his final season at UNC-Greensboro, McCaffery recruited and coached 2004-05 SoCon Freshman of the Year, Kyle Hines. Hines went on to become the Spartans’ all-time scoring leader and only player in program history to top the 2,000-point plateau.
HE CAN WIN IN THE POSTSEASON
McCaffery guided Siena to three-straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships. The Saints have made three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament, topping Vanderbilt 83-62 in 2008 and besting Ohio State 74-72 in double overtime in 2009.
HIS TEAMS CAN SCORE
In 2009-10, Siena was a perfect 12-0 when scoring at least 80 points and 3-0 when topping the 90-point plateau. Siena led the MAAC in scoring, averaging 75.1 ppg. McCaffery’s UNCG squads own the two highest-scoring seasons in program history. His 2001-02 team scored 2,238 points (72.2 ppg) and the 2000-01 squad scored a school record 2,282 points (78.7 ppg). McCaffery’s 1987-88 Lehigh squad scored a single-game school-record 116 points against Wilkes University (12/23/87).
HE HAS BEEN TO IOWA CITY BEFORE
Two of McCaffery’s previous coached teams have played in Iowa City, competing in the Hawkeye Challenge. In 1985, McCaffery’s first year as a head coach, he brought his Lehigh team to compete in the Hawkeye Challenge, losing to UAB (71-61) and Iowa (89-68). In 2004, in his sixth and final season as head coach at UNC-Greensboro, the Spartans beat Southern Mississippi (79-78), but lost to the Hawkeyes in the championship game (83-58).
HE GOT AN EARLY START
At age 26, McCaffery became the nation’s youngest Division I head coach when he was hired at Lehigh Sept. 11, 1985. Three years later, he led the Engineers to the NCAA tournament with a program-best 21-10 record.
HE’S AN IVY LEAGUER
McCaffery earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics degree from Pennsylvania in 1982 before earning his Master of Education graduate degree from Lehigh in 1985.
HE’S A FORMER FLOOR GENERAL
McCaffery was a three-year letterman and point guard at Penn from 1979-1982. The Quakers won a pair of Ivy League titles and made two appearances in the NCAA Tournament and one appearance in the NIT in McCaffery’s three seasons. As a senior in 1981-82, McCaffery led the Ivy League in steals and assists and was voted the Quakers’ most inspirational player.
HE PROTECTS HIS HOME FLOOR
McCaffery led Siena to a perfect 17-0 home record in each of his last two seasons. He is the only coach in UNCG history to win 11 games at home in a single season. Both his 2000-01 and 2004-05 teams recorded 11 wins at the Fleming Gymnasium.
HIS IRISH `HAWK’ EYES ARE SMILING
McCaffery’s wife, Margaret (Nowlin), is a former Fighting Irish basketball player. Entering 2009, she ranked 12th on Notre Dame’s all-time scoring list (1,312 points) and sixth on the Irish’s all-time rebounding chart (826 rebounds). The two began dating while he was serving as an assistant coach on the Notre Dame bench and she was serving as an assistant coach on Muffet McGraw’s staff.
HE WAS BORN TO DO THIS
McCaffery’s father worked in the historic Palestra, Penn’s basketball facility that is often recognized as the most storied gymnasium in the history of college athletics. Given its name by Greek professor Dr. William N. Bates, the Palestra is also referred to as the Cathedral of College Basketball.