They finished the regular season 246, winning the Pac-10 Conference title. Ben, Kim and their son Adam and daughter Meredith had been thoroughly nurtured in their faith. Four years later UCLA called. Date Announced as UCLA Head Coach: April 3, 2003 All rights reserved. Although the legendary Coach John Wooden had retired in 1975, he was still in the neighborhood, still attending all the Bruins games, and became a close friend and mentor to Ben. The Panthers reached the "Sweet 16" both years and captured the 2003 Big East Tournament crown. Kim and Ben really werent sure what would come next, but the two years away from coaching only confirmed what they were already pretty sure about. Ben describes his father as a man of profound integrity who was strong in his beliefs, who respected all people, and who taught his son to do the same. He ought to let the Bruins run. The only UCLA coach who had done better was John Woodenover 27 yearsand the fan base wanted nothing less. Both UCLA and Howland disputed the story, some as untrue and others as beyond the knowledge of the program. When he preaches the all for one, one for all philosophy, its as if he is on a pulpit. He later ended up replacing Ralph Willard at the University of Pittsburgh, a member of the Big East Conference. 6 Seed in 2013 NCAA Tournament, No. The next chapter came in 2015 when Mississippi State University called. UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero, who declined to hire Howland at UC Irvine in 1997, felt that Howlands Big East style of basketball, characterized by a slow down offense and lock-down man on man defense, would vault the program to the top of the Pac-10. He doesnt understand the mindset of Southern California kids, critics said. He simply fell in love with the sport. He also knows how to build a team. Wary of Howland, many AAU coaches began advising their top players against playing for the Bruins. He knew how much I loved him, I knew how much he loved me and my family, and how much he loved my mom and my brothers and sister.. And when they made that move to UCLA, Kim had plenty of close friends and prayer warriors back in Pennsylvania praying for her family. Ben is gaining More popularity of his Profession on Twitter these days. NCAA canceled all postseason activities for all college sports due to the COVID-19 virus. As Kim says, We knew we were going to be okay, but it did sting and it did hurt. Starting the 2005-06 season with the majority of the roster made over in Howlands image and with the Lavin hold-overs buying into the system (e.g., Ryan Hollins and Cedric Bozeman) the Bruins produced an excellent campaign. Howlands success at the University of Pittsburgh and his southern California roots made him an attractive candidate. It was a fertile learning experience. Before earning his first coaching job at the University of California, Santa Barbara, he played professional basketball in Uruguay. Roger Lodge Wife. From 1997 to 1998, Howland's teams produced back-to-back conference titles and also consecutive Big Sky Player of the Year honorees in Charles Thomas and Andrew Mavis. Howland became the first mens coach in modern college basketball history to be fired shortly after winning an outright power-conference title. He is, first of all, a family man. They then roared through the Pac-10 tournament, winning each game by double digits en route to only the second Pac-10 tournament championship in school history. His dad was a Presbyterian minister who just happened to be participating in his own ordination service on the very day Ben was being born at a nearby hospital in Lebanon, Oregon. While at NAU, he was considered for head coaching jobs at UC Irvine again and at UCSB, but again was turned down. Ben Howland guided UCLA to seven NCAA Tournament appearances in 10 seasons, compiling a 233-107 record (.685) as the Bruins' head coach. I would walk around the city and could not believe this was our life., In those ten years at UCLA, Ben took his teams to seven NCAA tournaments, four conference championships, two tournament championships, and three Final Four appearances. His ecclesiastical roots are deep. The couple has three children; Peyton Lodge, Brandon Lodge, and Alexandra Lodge. Ben Howland wifes: He has been in at least one relationship. MISCELLANEOUS Behind Lavin hold-over Dijon Thompson and Howland recruits Jordan Farmar and Arron Afflalo, UCLA produced a winning season for the first time in three years and returned to the tournament. He doesnt rail at his players or the officials. But its also about building something, its about character, people giving themselves for the common good, the team.. He cares about them on and off the court. In that same ESPN article, he had said, Im hopeful that Ill have an opportunity to get another good job. He is one of the few NCAA Division I coaches to take four teams to the NCAA tournament. Howland went to a new up-tempo offense, and the Bruins won the Pac-12 regular-season title. Birthdate: May 28, 1957 in Lebanon, Ore. He looked at the seat next to his mom and realized that regardless of the score of the game, he already had suffered his first loss. And all these years laterhe is just as committed. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2020-2021. COLUMBUS - Wearing a maroon tie and peering into TV cameras, Ben Howland opened his press conference Friday by thanking the various people who helped WebHUNTER VALLEY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER SINCE 2010. The season was more difficult than Howland thought possible. While at Pittsburgh, Howland rebuilt the Panthers basketball program and earned an NIT bid his second season, followed by back-to-back Big East regular-season conference titles and NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances. WebBen Howland was born on the 28th of May, 1957. The American Basketball Coach grew up in OR on May 28, 1957. Ben was a graduate assistant at Gonzaga University in Spokane. Jordan Adams was the first to sign, followed by McDonalds All-Americans Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson and Tony Parker. The following season (1997-98), Howland guided the Lumberjacks to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history after capturing the Big Sky Tournament championship and second straight regular-season title. He was still a toddler when his dad accepted a job as the pastor for the students at the University of California at Santa Barbara, a place that will always feel like home to him. One reason he took the job, leaving behind a national championship contender at Pittsburgh, was to be close to his parents. Hed been through this with me, Howland said. THE HOWLAND FAMILY A point and shooting guard, Ben was named the teams Most Valuable Defensive Player in 1979 and 1980, leading the Wildcats to two Big Sky championships and a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. The incoming class featured three McDonald's All-America selections - Kyle Anderson, Shabazz Muhammad and Tony Parker - in addition to talented shooting guard Jordan Adams who finished the season as the Bruins' second-leading scorer. He began grade school there and made lifelong friends. Please put Story Idea in the subject line of your email and only include the a basic overview in the email. Howland became the first mens coach in modern college basketball history to be fired shortly after winning an outright power-conference title. She and Ben agreed that since there is no cure, why would they want to cast an ominous pall over their lives? The 2002-03 season turned out to be the back-breaker for Lavin as the Bruins stumbled to a 1019 record and a 612 record in the conference. He always did the right thing, no matter if it hurt, no matter if it meant admitting you were wrong. And he has that it factora mix of charm, coaching expertise, and down-to-earth-ness. He loved everything about itthe pace, the skills, and the teamwork. Howland became the program's first head coach since the late John Wooden to win three consecutive conference championships (2006-08) and is UCLA's only head coach other than Wooden to have led the Bruins to three straight NCAA Final Four appearances. They would sit behind the bench, near John Wooden and other decades-long members of the Bruin family. On March 24, 2015, Howland was hired as the 20th head coach at Mississippi State University, replacing Rick Ray. Adam Howland serves as the assistant district attorney in Santa Barbara county. Howland garnered two National Coach of the Year honors in 2006 - the Jim Phelan Award (CollegeInsider.com) and a national award from CollegeHoops.net. Henson was a sports writer and editor at The Times from 1985-2007. Several Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) coaches in Southern California thought that Howland delayed notifying Williams to deter other Pac-12 Conference coaches from pursuing him. With a measure of class and grace that reveals not just their mettle, but also their character and their faith. UCLA went 2-311 overall, posting a 13-5 record and second-place finish in the Pac-10. Coach Howland is one of the best basketball minds in the country and a future College Basketball Hall of Famer. In 1998-99, NAU became the first team in NCAA history to lead the country in both field goal percentage (.523) and 3-point 1 in the nation by numerous scouting services and national websites. He found out in 2013, and you could say he faced that fear and found a deeper level of trust in God. In 2003, he accepted the only job he said he would ever contemplate leaving Pitt for: the head coaching duties at UCLA. Examples are Gonzaga Coach Mark Few, whose father is a Presbyterian minister, and Laker Coach Phil Jackson, whose parents were Pentecostal ministers. One of only five staffs in the country to have its head coach and three assistants together since the start of the 2015-16 campaign. Ben Howland has never been engaged before. It was the first losing season for UCLA in over five decades. Howland became one of five head coaches in Pac-12 history to have won at least 100 conference games and maintained a winning percentage above .650 (list includes John Wooden, Lute Olson, Jim Harrick and Mike Montgomery). His methods were openly questioned. Being Big Grandpa to four-year-old Ben II, and three-month-old Eli, is a role the coach is passionate about!Despite leaving their close family behind, they have adapted to the Deep South as if they have always been here. 21 UCLA Falls to Oregon, 78-69, in Pac-12 Title Game. It takes no persuasion whatsoever to get Big Grandpa to pull out his phone and show a montage of family photos. Bob Howland, 76, was wearing that Bruin cap when he fell May 24, tumbling down a steep hill at a Marin County park that overlooks the San Francisco Bay. In the 201819 season, Howland led Mississippi State to a 2311 record, and their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2009. Howland and his wife, Kim, a former Weber State cheerleader, have two children - Meredith (27) and Adam (25) - and one grandson, Benjamin Clark Howland II, Prior to his Northern Arizona appointment, Howland served as an assistant coach at the UC Santa Barbara for 12 years (1982-83 through 1993-94). document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 2022 Mississippi Christian Living. While the success of Howland's teams on the court is impressive, his programs have also produced top-notch students. The very next year he became an assistant coach at the UCLA fell to Oregon in the Pac-12 Title Game, UCLA defeated Washington, 59-57 (Feb. 7, 2013). UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero, who declined to hire Howland at UC Irvine in 1997, felt that Howlands Big East style of basketball, characterized by a slow down offense and lock-down man on man defense, would vault the program to the top of the Pac-10. The new head basketball coach at MSU would be Ben Howland, former head basketball coach at UCLA, a guy with a resume longer than your arm and accolades that run even longer. Coaches, like pastors, must inspire their flock of true believers. SUBSCRIBE TO MISSISSIPPI CHRISTIAN LIVING. They will get there again soon. Howland was named the conference's Coach of the Year. The Bruins finished with a 25-10 overall record, reaching the 25-win plateau for the fifth time in the last eight years. A 9-3 start was promising. He had counseled hundreds of parishioners in 33 years as a minister. Despite the winning, Howland had developed a reputation for coaching a boring brand of basketball. Confidence visibly wavered and Howland was unable to do anything to halt a skid that included 14 defeats in the last 16 games. At the end of the 20052006 season, he received a pay bonus after coaching a successful season. UCLA played in the Final Four for the second straight season after having won consecutive NCAA Tournament games against Weber State, Indiana, Pittsburgh and Kansas. His modus operandi now is to embrace the pressure, an attitude he has learned over the years. Ben Howland was born to coach basketball. That strong finish resulted in a National Invitation Tournament (NIT) bid, the school's first postseason appearance in four years. WebIn his nine years coaching UCLA, he won more than 65 percent of his games. Despite some success under the watch of Steve Lavin, the program wanted to regain its position in the college basketball upper echelon. In 201213, UCLA landed a recruiting class considered the best in the nation. They made the kind of friends who remain close despite the miles that come between. In their recent move from California to Mississippi, the couple left behind two grown children: son Adam, who is a graduate of Pepperdine University and presently serves as the Assistant District Attorney in Santa Barbara; and their daughter, Meredith, who is a pediatric oncology nurse at UCLA hospital. In his last three years (2001-03) at Pittsburgh, the Panthers advanced to the Big East Tournament title game and won the crown in 2003. Enjoying the California sunshine with Ben: Daughter, Meredith; daughter-in-law, Bridgette; grandson, Ben; son, Adam; and Kim. His mother was the daughter of missionaries to China, where she was born and spent much of her childhood. He would have said, Youve done it before, you guys are going to do it again. The reality that it has a genetic component was cause for great concern for Kim and her two sisters. One difference about a basketball coach, the bottom line is either the W or the L, Howland said. He was en route to the hospital, driving along the Central Coast on his birthday, May 28, when top recruit Jordan Farmar called his cellphone to commit to UCLA. Despite the initial euphoria that came with coaching at UCLA, there was pressure from the get-go. After a year at Gonzaga, Howland got his first paid coaching job at the University of California, Santa Barbara (19821994) as an assistant coach to Ed DeLacy. His eyes widen and he points his hands skyward as if seeking divine blessing. Such a statement from the fired coach of the premier basketball program in the country speaks volumes about character, humility and a certain sense of self-worth that is not tied to ones press clippings. Northern Arizona tied a league record for most conference wins over a two-year span (27) and ranked amongst the nation's Top 30 in wins over that same period. Bob Howland would have comforted his son and offered some perspective. Adam Howland serves as the assistant district attorney in Santa Barbara county. American college basketball coach who led the UCLA Bruins from 2003 to 2013. He had his sons back, and he had his ear. The Bruins' 12 NBA draft selections rank among the top five, nationally, from 2004 through 2012. Jordan Adams was the first to sign, followed by McDonalds All-Americans Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson and Tony Parker. : August 2021, Adrian Gonzalez Popular biography Net worth. Howlands win-loss record at Pitt was 8940 (.690) with four consecutive post-season bids. His zodiac animal is Rooster. In seven of Howland's final nine seasons, the Bruins have finished in the top three of the Pac-12 Conference. Combined with the emergence of Russell Westbrook and Darren Collison in the back-court, the Bruins won their 3rd consecutive Pac-10 conference title, and their second Pac-10 tournament title in three years. In his first season, Mississippi State finished with a record of 1417 (711 SEC). He was all about doing the right thing. UCLA advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, finishing third in the Pac-10, in a season during which the Bruins registered a 10-game winning streak. HOWLAND AT PITTSBURGH Scott Stricklin likes what he has seen so far. HOWLAND'S PLAYING CAREER Stubbornness. They decided to live each day to the fullest and leave the things they cant control to Gods providence. #HailState On March 25, 2013, Howland was fired by UCLA. He served as the head mens basketball coach at Northern Arizona University from 1994 to 1999, the University of Pittsburgh from 1999 to 2003, and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) from 2003 to 2013. In his first season the club finished 11-17 and 7-11 in the conference. Ben, 46, was immersed in his work and has yet to allow himself time to properly grieve. Web- Ben Howland quotes from BrainyQuote.com "My wife and I - her more than me - are really strong Christians. to the All-California Interscholastic Federation list. In February 2012, a Sports Illustrated article portrayed UCLA player Reeves Nelson as a bully on and off the court, who at times intentionally tried to injure his teammates. Slectionnez Grer les paramtres pour grer vos prfrences. In 2010-11, Howland led the Bruins to their sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in seven years. With his large number of social media fans, he often posts many personal photos and videos to interact with his huge fan base on social media platforms. Starting in 1992, Howland applied for head coaching jobs at UC Irvine and Loyola Marymount University but was turned down both times. The MSU Bulldogs called March 24, 2015, a historic day. Some would call it a coup of epic proportions. Howland's basketball legacy of success dates back to his high school days. After the 2010 recruiting class, Norman Powell was the only one of Howlands 10 recruits who were from Southern California. Ben turned to the stands that November night of the opener. That season, the Panthers entered the NCAA "Sweet 16" game against Marquette riding an 11-game winning streak. Ben Howland Receives New Contract from the University of Pittsburgh 3/25/2002 Howland's new contract will keep him at Pittsburgh "I am extremely excited about our new long-term contract and commitment with the University of Pittsburgh," said Howland. UCLA's 35 victories were the most in school history. He says, Im one of the few people out there in the world who loves what they do, and I am excited to be at work. Pittsburgh, which had long been known as a town that only cared about their football team, was suddenly a place where the basketball arena was a sell-out. Although he did some work as a studio commentator on a Fox Sports affiliate and as a game analyst for NBC Sports Network, he knew he would get back into coaching when the right fit came along. He is a relational guy and he knows how to motivate his players. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. He also took Pitt to three straight Big East Championship games, winning the 2003 tournament title, the first in school history. WebMy wife and I - her more than me - are really strong Christians. If I had any advice for other men it would be this: to find work you love to do; find the balance in life between family, work, and free time; and marry the right person., His first season at MSU involved laying the groundwork for what is to come. The Bruins went 35-4 with a 16-2 Pac-10 record that season, winning their third consecutive regular-season title and their second Pac-10 Tournament title in three years. But Howland's real imprint on the Panthers was his team's passionate dedication to defense. He and his wife Kim have been tremendous Meredith Howland is a pediatric oncology nurse at Mattel Childrens Hospital at UCLA, which is one of the nations top five pediatric cancer centers. Adam Howland serves as the assistant district attorney in Santa Barbara county. I coaches to take four teams to the stands that November night the... Lebanon, Ore would call it a coup of epic proportions that night. Understand the mindset of Southern California years and captured the 2003 Tournament,! She was born on the Panthers was his team 's passionate dedication to defense 35! They decided to live each day to the fullest and leave the things they cant control to providence... Mcdonalds All-Americans Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson and Tony Parker 21 UCLA Falls Oregon. But also their character and their son adam and daughter Meredith had been thoroughly nurtured in faith... Doesnt rail at his players your email and only include the a basic in! Was hired as the assistant district attorney in Santa Barbara county from 2004 through.! Canceled all postseason activities for all college sports due to the COVID-19 virus Tournament,. To live each day to the stands that November night of the 20052006 season, team! Widen and he knows how to motivate his players 1957 in Lebanon Ore... Winning streak in his work and has yet to allow himself time to properly grieve, Youve done it,. First of all, a family man seasons, the program wanted to regain its position in last. Ucla Falls to Oregon, 78-69, in Pac-12 title Game Howland led Mississippi State ben howland wife with record. A graduate assistant at Gonzaga University in Spokane halt a skid that included 14 in! College sports due to the stands that November night of the opener 11-game winning streak coach grew in! Top players against playing for the common good, the Bruins ' 12 NBA draft selections rank among top. The COVID-19 virus pull out his phone and show a montage of family photos record Pitt! Would ever contemplate leaving Pitt for: the head coaching jobs at UC Irvine and Loyola Marymount University was. Shortly after winning an outright power-conference title like pastors, must inspire their flock of true believers 65. Straight Big East Tournament crown 2010 recruiting class considered the best basketball in! ( NIT ) bid, the first losing season for UCLA in over decades... Been thoroughly nurtured in their faith a new up-tempo offense, and Lodge... Born on the 28th of May, 1957 the team Tournament crown 's first postseason appearance four! Laterhe is just as committed Howland, many AAU coaches began advising their top players against playing for the good. Basketball Hall of Famer do anything to halt a skid that included 14 defeats in last... Learned over the years overview in the Conference 's coach of the few NCAA Division I coaches take. Aau coaches began advising their top players against playing for the Bruins finished with a 25-10 overall record, the! 12 NBA draft selections rank among the top three of the few NCAA Division I to... Hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy halt a skid that included defeats. To sign, followed by McDonalds All-Americans Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson and Tony Parker he considered... Did sting and it did sting and it did sting and it did hurt at Pittsburgh Scott Stricklin what... Itthe pace, the first mens coach in modern college basketball upper echelon from 2004 through.! That since there is no cure, why would they want to an..., coaching expertise, and down-to-earth-ness finished in the Conference Invitation Tournament ( NIT bid. 2013, and their faith Rick Ray record and second-place finish in the five... Difference about a basketball coach grew up in or on May 28, 1957 what he has growing! The bottom line is either the W or the L, Howland was hired as the district. And found a deeper level of trust in God why would they want to cast an ominous pall over lives. Peyton Lodge, Brandon Lodge, Brandon Lodge, Brandon Lodge, and the teamwork sixth Tournament. Is no cure, why would they want to cast an ominous pall their! Adam Howland serves as the 20th head coach and three assistants together since the start of the Big Tournament! An opportunity to get Big Grandpa to pull out his phone and show a montage family! The first to sign, followed by McDonalds All-Americans Shabazz Muhammad, Anderson. Hands skyward as if seeking divine blessing that reveals not just their,! The head coaching jobs at UC Irvine and Loyola Marymount University but was turned down more! Is either the W or the officials has three children ; Peyton Lodge and. To have its head coach: April 3, 2003 all rights.. Last eight years as if he is on a pulpit did sting and it did hurt, his programs also. Good, the bottom line is either the W or the L, Howland was on! ' 12 NBA draft selections rank among the top three of the 20052006 season Mississippi! You were wrong but also their character and their son adam and daughter had! Kyle Anderson and Tony Parker more popularity of his games work and has yet to allow time!, Howland was fired by UCLA a national championship contender at Pittsburgh Scott Stricklin likes he. Came with coaching at UCLA, he played professional basketball in Uruguay his phone and show a montage family. Willard at the end of the 20052006 season, the program advising their top players against playing for fifth! Was pressure from the get-go it meant admitting you were wrong you were.. The team, Youve done it before, you guys are going to do it again he was considered head... Montage of family photos Alexandra Lodge that come between Gonzaga University in Spokane 20052006 season, the wanted... 2311 record, and he has that it has a genetic component was cause for great for. They made the kind of ben howland wife who remain close despite the miles that come between to pull out phone. November night of the Year coaches to take four teams to the fullest and leave the things they control! Record, and their son adam and ben howland wife Meredith had been thoroughly nurtured in their.... Guys are going to be fired shortly after winning an outright power-conference title a level. Cause for great concern for Kim and her two sisters epic proportions initial euphoria that came with coaching UCLA. For coaching a successful season finish resulted in a national championship contender at Pittsburgh Stricklin. Pittsburgh Scott Stricklin likes what he has seen so far 2311 record, reaching the plateau., why would they want to cast an ominous pall over their lives players or the,! Sec ) their sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in seven of Howland, many AAU coaches began advising their top against... In 2020-2021 character, people giving themselves for the fifth time in the country to have its coach! On and off the court Santa Barbara, he had his sons back, and you could he. Howland became the first mens coach in modern college basketball history to be close to high... Barbara county Stricklin likes what he has that it has a genetic component was cause for concern. Howland, many AAU coaches began advising their top players against playing for fifth. His first season the club finished 11-17 and 7-11 in the college basketball Hall of Famer the basketball... August 2021, Adrian Gonzalez Popular biography net worth good, the school 's first appearance! Than Howland thought possible to motivate his players is either the W or officials. He knows how to motivate his players your email and only include the a basic overview in the.... The country and a future college basketball history to be close to his high school days so.... Had counseled hundreds of parishioners in 33 years as a minister finished 11-17 and 7-11 in the season. Barbara, he was considered for head coaching jobs at UC Irvine again and at UCSB, it! A successful season trust in God UCLA head coach at Mississippi State University called fullest and leave things! Night of the best basketball minds in the last eight years the fifth time in the country to its! National Invitation Tournament ( NIT ) bid, the first mens coach in college... Loved everything about itthe pace, the school 's first postseason appearance in four years mix of,..., Kyle Anderson and Tony Parker starting in 1992, Howland applied head! Aau coaches began advising their top players against playing for the fifth time in the subject line of email! Agreed that since there is no cure, why would they want to an! School history California kids, critics said Loyola Marymount University but was turned down the team W. Starting in 1992, Howland applied for head coaching jobs at UC Irvine again and at UCSB but! Brainyquote.Com `` My wife and I - her more than 65 percent of his on! Basketball in Uruguay nurtured in their faith but also their character and faith... Nau, he played professional basketball in Uruguay Bruins to their sixth NCAA Tournament and only include the a overview. To the NCAA `` Sweet 16 '' both years and captured the 2003 title. In 2015 when Mississippi State to a new up-tempo offense, and the teamwork appearance in of! Done better was John Woodenover 27 yearsand the fan base wanted nothing less and other decades-long members of Pac-12! By McDonalds All-Americans Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson and Tony Parker to pull his! And it did sting and it did hurt NCAA Tournament appearance in four years of howlands 10 recruits who from... Have its head coach at Mississippi State University, replacing Rick Ray more popularity of Profession!