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Tradition. Accountability. Defense. Intensity. These are just a few of the attributes University of Utah head coach Jim Boylen has brought back to the Runnin' Ute program.
Boylen was named the 14th men's head basketball coach at the University of Utah on March 27, 2007. Although this is his first head coaching position, Boylen brings 20 years of coaching experience in the collegiate and professional ranks with him to Utah.
Boylen also comes to Utah with experience coaching with some of the best in the game. He has been an assistant to Jud Heathcoate, Tom Izzo and Rudy Tomjanovich, just to name a few.
After working in the NBA for 13 years, Boylen served as the top assistant to Izzo at Michigan State during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons. He helped direct the Spartans to a 45-24 record and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances.
Michigan State advanced to the second round of the NCAA's in 2007 and ranked in the top 10 in the NCAA in three defensive categories: 7th in scoring defense (57.2 ppg), 7th in field goal percentage defense (38.4) and 9th in rebound margin (+7.0 rpg). The Spartans, who had eight underclassmen and no seniors on the roster, went 8-8 in the Big Ten Conference during Boylen's final year at Michigan State.
Boylen also began his coaching career at Michigan State, working under former head coach Heathcote from 1987-92. After serving as a graduate assistant for two seasons he was promoted to a full-time assistant in 1989, filling that role for three years. The Spartans won the Big Ten Conference title and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament in 1990. Michigan State also advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 1991 and 1992.
Following his first stint at Michigan State, Boylen made his jump to the NBA. He joined the Houston Rockets as a video coordinator in 1992 and was promoted to assistant coach just two years later. With Boylen on staff, the Rockets won back-to-back NBA Championships in 1994 and 1995 and advanced to the NBA Western Conference Finals in 1997.
During Boylen's 11-year stint in Houston, the Rockets made seven playoff appearances and had nine winning seasons. While coaching with the Rockets, Boylen worked with four of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players in Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler, Hakeem Olajuwon and Scottie Pippen.
While in Houston, Boylen also worked under Tomjanovich -- one of the greatest coaches in NBA history. Boylen's duties included skill development, game and practice preparation, working with the perimeter players, as well as positioning and shooting. He was also in charge of team and opponent analysis.
In 2003-04, Boylen worked as an assistant coach at Golden State. He spent the 2004-05 season with the Milwaukee Bucks.
A native of East Grand Rapids, Mich., Boylen received his bachelor's degree in business from Maine in 1987. He captained the Black Bears' basketball team as a junior and senior and earned first-team all-North Atlantic Conference honors in his final year, averaging 21 points per game. He finished second in the conference Player of the Year voting to Northeastern's Reggie Lewis.
Boylen and his wife, Christine, have two daughters, Ashlen Clare and Layla Blue.
The Jim Boylen File
PERSONAL
Born: April 18, 1965
Hometown: East Grand Rapids, Mich.
High School: East Grand Rapids
College Education: University of Maine, 1987
Wife: Christine
Children: Ashlen Clare, Layla Blu
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Michigan State
1987-89, Graduate Assistant
1989-92, Assistant Coach
2005-07, Assistant Coach
Houston (NBA) 1992-94, Video Coordinator 1994-2003, Assistant Coach
Golden State (NBA)
2003-04, Assistant Coach
Milwaukee (NBA)
2004-05, Assistant Coach
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT JIM BOYLEN
"I'm ecstatic for Jim. The Utah basketball job is a great job, and he deserves this opportunity. Jim has paid his dues both at the pro and collegiate levels. He made some sacrifices when he returned to Michigan State two years ago, but he made them because he wanted to be a collegiate head coach. As a coach, it's always fulfilling to watch your players reach their goals, but also watch your assistants get to take over programs of their own. Jim is an extremely hard worker with a great basketball mind who has made some great contributions at Michigan State, and understands the demands and responsibilities of being a head coach. But even more importantly, he is a great person and a great friend who will do everything he can to make the entire Utah community proud of the Ute basketball program."
Tom Izzo
Head Coach, Michigan State
"Jim is a very hard worker who puts his heart and soul into everything he does. He will be a guy who does his job enthusiastically and will be a part of the community. He's a guy who won't stop trying to get better. He is absolutely a sponge when it comes to learning as much as he possibly can about whatever it is he's doing."
Rudy Tomjanovich
Former Head Coach, Houston Rockets
"Jim has an unbelievable work ethic and a tremendous knowledge of the game because of the numerous high-class coaches he has worked for. The fact that he worked for three different NBA organizations greatly expanded his knowledge of the game and how coaches work. Jim has always been a good teacher, and was heavily involved in player development with the Houston Rockets. He knows how to get the most out of his players."
Jud Heathcote
Former Head Coach, Michigan State
