Bruce Weber (coach)
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- for others with this name see Bruce Weber (disambiguation)
Bruce Weber (born October 19, 1956 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is the head coach of the University of Illinois men's basketball team. Through his first three seasons at Illinois, Weber has led the program to a 89-16 win-loss record, two outright Big Ten Conference championships, and three trips to the NCAA Tournament, including an appearance in the championship game of the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
Coaching history
Weber began his coaching career with a brief stint as an assistant coach at Western Kentucky University during the 1979-80 season, under head coach Gene Keady. In 1980, Weber moved to Purdue University along with Keady. He would remain an assistant coach at Purdue for eighteen seasons before becoming the head coach at Southern Illinois University in 1998. In his five seasons at Southern Illinois, Weber led the Salukis to consecutive Missouri Valley Conference championships and NCAA tournament appearances, including an NCAA Sweet Sixteen finish in 2002.In 2003, Bill Self, the former head coach at the University of Illinois, left Illinois to become the head coach at the University of Kansas. After a search which included nationally-known coaches Mark Few, Kelvin Sampson, and Tom Crean, Illinois Athletic Director Ron Guenther settled on the regionally-known Weber to replace Self. In 2005, Weber coached the team to the best season in school history, finishing 37-2 and tying the NCAA record for most wins in a season. Weber fell just shy of delivering the Fighting Illini their first national championship, reaching the NCAA Final Four but falling 75-70 to North Carolina in the national championship game. Weber's teams are known for their deliberate pace, motion offense, and quick ball movement.
Coaching record
| School | Season | Record (Conference) | Conference Finish | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 2005-06 | 26-7 (11-5) | 2T (Big Ten) | NCAA second round |
| Illinois | 2004-05 | 37-2 (15-1) | 1 (Big Ten) | Big Ten Tournament Champs, NCAA Finals |
| Illinois | 2003-04 | 26-7 | 1 (Big Ten) | NCAA Sweet Sixteen |
| Southern Illinois | 2002-03 | 24-7 | MVC Tournament Champs, NCAA first round | |
| Southern Illinois | 2001-02 | 28-8 | MVC Tournament Champs, NCAA Sweet Sixteen | |
| Southern Illinois | 2000-01 | 16-14 | ||
| Southern Illinois | 1999-2000 | 20-13 | NIT | |
| Southern Illinois | 1998-99 | 15-12 |
Personal
Weber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in education. Weber added a master's degree in education administration and physical education from Western Kentucky University in 1981.External links
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