Jim Whitesell
Whitesell with Buffalo in 2021
Current position
TitleAssistant coach
TeamAlbany
ConferenceAmerica East
Biographical details
Born (1959-12-27) December 27, 1959 (age 64)
Iowa Falls, Iowa, U.S.
Alma materLuther
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1982–1983North Dakota (assistant)
1983–1984Ellsworth CC (assistant)
1984–1985Wabash Valley (assistant)
1985–1987Mankato State (assistant)
1987–1992Elmhurst
1992–2004Lewis
2004–2011Loyola–Chicago
2011–2013Saint Louis (assistant)
2013–2015St. John's (assistant)
2015–2019Buffalo (associate HC)
2019–2023Buffalo
2023–presentAlbany (assistant)
Head coaching record
Overall445–357 (.555)

Jim Whitesell (born December 27, 1959) is an American college basketball coach who is an assistant coach for the Albany Great Danes men's basketball team.Prior to Albany, he was the head men's coach for the Buffalo Bulls. Previously he coached at the Division I level as a head coach at Loyola University Chicago and an assistant at St. John's and Saint Louis. Whitesell replaced Larry Farmer as head coach of the Ramblers on April 14, 2004. Whitesell was fired as head coach of the Ramblers on March 14, 2011, after seven seasons, posting a 109–106 record in that time.[1] Whitesell was hired in August 2013[2] as an assistant coach at St. John's to fill the void left by former director of basketball operations Moe Hicks. On April 16, 2015, he was named associate head coach of men's basketball at the University at Buffalo.[3] On April 6, 2019, Whitesell was named the 14th head coach of men's basketball at the University at Buffalo, filling the void left by Nate Oats when he resigned to take the head coach position at the University of Alabama.[4][5] On March 11, 2023, after four seasons and a 70–49 record he was fired as the Buffalo head coach.[6]He was named an assistant coach at Albany on September 14,2023.[7]

Several of Whitesell's brothers work in the entertainment industry, including director John Whitesell, writer Chris Whitesell, writer/actor Sean Whitesell, and agent Patrick Whitesell.[8][9]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Elmhurst Bluejays (College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) (1987–1992)
1987–88 Elmhurst 6–20 3–13 9th
1988–89 Elmhurst 12–14 6–10 T–6th
1989–90 Elmhurst 15–11 8–8 5th
1990–91 Elmhurst 12–14 6–10 6th
1991–92 Elmhurst 19–9 11–5 T–2nd NCAA Division III Second Round
Elmhurst: 64–68 (.485) 34–46 (.425)
Lewis Flyers (Great Lakes Valley Conference) (1992–2004)
1992–93 Lewis 6–21
1993–94 Lewis 18–9
1994–95 Lewis 14–13
1995–96 Lewis 18–9
1996–97 Lewis 16–11
1997–98 Lewis 19–9 NCAA Division II First Round
1998–99 Lewis 21–8 NCAA Division II First Round
1999–00 Lewis 19–8
2000–01 Lewis 11–16
2001–02 Lewis 11–16
2002–03 Lewis 25–7 NCAA Division II First Round
2003–04 Lewis 24–7 NCAA Division II First Round
Lewis: 202–134 (.601)
Loyola Ramblers (Horizon League) (2004–2011)
2004–05 Loyola–Chicago 13–17 8–8 T–4th
2005–06 Loyola–Chicago 19–11 8–8 T–3rd
2006–07 Loyola–Chicago 21–11 10–6 3rd
2007–08 Loyola–Chicago 12–18 6–12 7th
2008–09 Loyola–Chicago 14–18 6–12 8th
2009–10 Loyola–Chicago 14–16 5–13 8th
2010–11 Loyola–Chicago 16–15 7–11 8th
Loyola–Chicago: 109–106 (.507) 50–70 (.417)
Buffalo Bulls (Mid-American Conference) (2019–2023)
2019–20 Buffalo 20–12 11–7 3rd (East)
2020–21 Buffalo 16–9 12–5 2nd NIT First Round
2021–22 Buffalo 19–11 13–6 5th
2022–23 Buffalo 15–17 9–9 T–6th
Buffalo: 70–49 (.588) 45–27 (.625)
Total: 445–357 (.555)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. ^ "Source: Loyola fires Jim Whitesell" ESPNChicago.com Mar. 14, 2011
  2. ^ "St. John's hires St. Louis associate head coach Jim Whitesell" CBSSports Aug. 5, 2013
  3. ^ "Men's Basketball Finalizes Coaching Staff". UBBulls.com. University at Buffalo Athletics. April 16, 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  4. ^ Lenzi, Rachel (April 6, 2019). "UB announces Jim Whitesell as new men's basketball coach". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on April 9, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  5. ^ Riordan, Tim (2019-04-06). "Whitesell named UB head coach". Bull Run. Retrieved 2019-04-06.
  6. ^ "Buffalo fires men's basketball coach Jim Whitesell after 4 seasons". ESPNBull Run. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
  7. ^ "Whitesell, Cerruti Join Men's Basketball Staff". University at Albany Great Danes. 2023-09-14. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  8. ^ "From Hollywood Hills to Chicago hoops" Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL) Feb. 10, 2006
  9. ^ The Courier: "Iowa Falls family finds ties to show business" by Jessica Miller Mar 12, 2001
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