Vincent Frank
Jim Boeheim has been an institution for Syracuse University as its head basketball coach since all the way back in 1976. In fact, he began his coaching career with the Orange as an assistant in 1969.
After parts of seven decades as the face of the program, the 78-year-old has opted to retire.
Syracuse announced in a statement shortly after it lost to Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament on Wednesday that Boeheim has retired.
“Nearly 60 years ago, Jim Boeheim ’66, G’73 first arrived on the Syracuse University campus as an undergraduate student and walk-on with the men’s basketball team. Little did he know that six decades later, he’d be one of college basketball’s winningest head coaches, a national champion, a Hall of Famer and one of the most prominent alumni in Syracuse University history.
Today, as his 47th season coaching his alma mater comes to an end, so too does his storied career at Syracuse University.”
Syracuse University on Jim Boeheim’s retirement
Boeheim’s final game as Syracuse’s head coach ended in less-than-stellar fashion as his Orange fell to Wake Forest on a last second shot Wednesday morning. The loss moved Syracuse to 17-15 and ended its season.
Prior to the official announcement, Boeheim seemed to make it clear that he was out as Syracuse’s head coach. It remains to be seen how everything happened behind the scenes.
Jim Boeheim retires as an all-time great
What we do know is that the New York native will go do as one of the greatest head coaches in college basketball history. During his time with Syracuse, Jim Boeheim led the Orange to one NCAA Tournament title, five Final 4 appearances, 10 Big East regular-season championships and five Big East Postseason Tournament championships.
He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005 and College Basketball Hall of Fame one year later.
The legendary figure finishes his career with the second-most wins in Division 1 basketball history behind Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, who retired after last season.
Boeheim will be replaced by Adrian Autry as Syracuse’s next head coach.
“Autry, a Syracuse alumnus whose family bleeds Orange, played for Boeheim from 1990-94 and went on to a successful professional career, playing primarily in European leagues, as well as in the United States Basketball League (USBL). He began his coaching career in 2006 when he was hired as associate head coach at Bishop Ireton Catholic High School (Virginia) and went on to coach powerhouse AAU programs.
Autry moved into the collegiate ranks in 2008 when he was hired by then-head coach Seth Greenburg as director of basketball operations at Virginia Tech. He was later promoted to an assistant coach post. He was named assistant coach at Syracuse prior to the 2011-12 season and was promoted to associate head coach in March 2017.”
Syracuse announced on Wednesday.
