ST. LOUIS, MO -- Syracuse men's basketball coach Jim Boeheim has joined an exclusive fraternity of celebrated coaches with today's announcement that he has been selected for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Boeheim was introduced with the hall of fame Class of 2005 at a noon (EST) press conference in St. Louis, the site of the NCAA Final Four.
"It's incredible," remarked Boeheim. "The national championship, you think there's nothing better, but this is it. I think this is something that goes beyond that and I didn't think anything could possibly go beyond that."
Connecticut Coach Jim Calhoun, long-time coach and broadcaster Hubie Brown, retired LSU women's coach Sue Gunter and Brazilian player Hortencia Marcari round out this year's class.
Prior to Boeheim's induction, there were 70 coaches and 258 members overall. Other notable basketball mentors include Arnold "Red" Auerbach, Henry Iba, Robert "Bobby" Knight, Peter Newell, Adolph Rupp and John Wooden.
Syracuse has been represented in the Naismith Hall of Fame by Dave Bing, Boeheim's former teammate in college and an outstanding NBA performer, and Victor Hanson, a standout SU hoop performer in the 1920s.
Boeheim directed Syracuse to a 27-7 record this winter in his 29th season as head coach at his alma mater. The Orange won the BIG EAST Conference Tournament Championship and earned an NCAA Tournament berth, the 24th in Boeheim's time as mentor.
His Hall of Fame resume features a 703-241 record at Syracuse. He ranks tied for 18th on the all-time Division I win list and is tied for sixth among active Division I coaches in victories. Only six coaches have accumulated more triumphs at one school.
His .745 winning percentage rates 20th overall and fifth on the active Division I coaches' list. Boeheim's 700th career triumph came in Syracuse's February 26 win against Providence and made him the fifth-fastest coach to 700 (939 games). Only Rupp, Smith, and Phog Allen, each a Hall of Fame member, and Jerry Tarkanian, made the milestone in shorter time.
Boeheim, Knight and Lute Olson, a trio of Hall of Famers, rank second in 20-win seasons with 27, three behind Smith's career total. Syracuse's court boss ranks eighth in all-time NCAA Division I Tournament triumphs with 40.
Boeheim is the dean of the BIG EAST Conference coaches, having worked the sidelines throughout the 26-year history of the league. His 311 BIG EAST wins are 77 ahead of the next closest coach.
The induction ceremony will be part of Enshrinement Weekend events scheduled for September 8-10, 2005, in Springfield, Mass., the home of the Hall of Fame.