University of Minnesota Athletics
Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- mbball@umn.edu
- Phone:
- 612-625-3085
Richard Pitino is the 17th head coach of the University of Minnesota’s Golden Gopher men’s basketball team.
Through seven seasons, Pitino has guided the Gopher men’s basketball program to multiple NCAA Tournament bids and signature victories while also mentoring Minnesota student-athletes to national award recognition. His student-athletes have succeeded after leaving Dinkytown as well, including sending Minnesota’s first player to the NBA in many years.
Pitino recruited and developed Minnesota native Daniel Oturu to a host of accolades in his sophomore season. Oturu was an All-America third team selection by multiple national outlets, becoming the first Gopher to earn an All-America team spot in 21 years. Oturu, along with sophomore guard Marcus Carr, each received All-Big Ten recognition, marking four straight years under Pitino that at least one Gopher has earned the honor. On the court, the Gophers earned wins over two ranked foes, including No. 3 Ohio State at home. Away from competition, Pitino’s Gophers shined in the classroom, recording the highest team semester and cumulative grade point averages in program history.
In 2018-19, Pitino led the Gophers to their second NCAA Tournament berth in three years. where Minnesota upset seventh-seeded Louisville in the first round. Two Gophers earned All-Big Ten accolades in first team selection Jordan Murphy and third teamer Amir Coffey. The team finished with 22 wins and placed seventh in the Big Ten Conference, including five non-conference victories over Power Five opposition. Coffey went on to sign a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Clippers and saw action at both the NBA and G League levels throughout the season.
Pitino guided the 2017-18 squad to its highest national ranking (#12) since 2013, and became one of five active Division I head coaches to reach the 100 career victory mark in their sixth season or sooner. Although injuries did limit the Gophers in 2017-18, Pitino helped guide forward Jordan Murphy to his third-straight All-Big Ten honor while helping senior Nate Mason, a Big Ten honorable mention, near the top of the program record books in scoring and assists.
The 2017 Big Ten Coach of the Year as voted by the league's media and head coaches, Pitino led the Gophers to a school-record 23 regular season wins and an NCAA appearance for the first time since 2013. Earning a No. 5 seed in the tournament - the Gophers' highest since 1982 - Pitino guided the Gophers to an 11-win Big Ten season, the most since the 1990 campaign. Four Gophers received All-Big Ten honors, including First Team selection Nate Mason and Defensive Player of the Year Reggie Lynch along with third teamer Jordan Murphy and All-Freshman selection Amir Coffey. Pitino also received top coaching honors in the Big Ten from the Associated Press as well as NABC District 7 Coach of the Year.
Pitino's third season saw several accomplishments, including the selection of freshman Jordan Murphy to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. He was the Gophers’ first honoree since 2005 and only the third ever. The Gophers also picked up signature victories over No. 6 Maryland at home, along with improving to 3-0 under Pitino in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge after a home victory over Clemson in November.
In 2015-16, the Gophers set a new school single-season record with 313 steals, passing the previous mark of 297 set in 2007-08. The team averaged 74.2 points per game, the highest since the 2001-02 season and the second straight season under head coach Richard Pitino that the Gophers have averaged more than 71 points per game. Two of his players garnered All-Big Ten honorable mentions in guard Andre Hollins (coaches & media) and Maurice Walker (media). In February, the Gophers defeated then-#25 and eventual Final Four team Michigan State in East Lansing for the first time since 1997 (later vacated) – the team’s first road win over a top-25 team since 2012.
In year one, Pitino led the Gophers to their second National Invitation Tournament championship in program history, posting a school-record 25 wins in the process. Among those victories were three top-25 wins at home in Williams Arena, knocking off #9/8 Wisconsin, #11/9 Ohio State, and #20/19 Iowa. Those were part of the 20 home wins that the Gophers amassed during the season. Pitino’s first Gopher team finished with eight Big Ten victories,seventh in the conference, along with an opening-round win in the Big Ten Tournament. The 2014-15 squad featured two All-Big Ten honorable mention playersin junior guards Andre Hollins and DeAndre Mathieu, the latter one of four newcomers that arrived on campus with Pitino.
Pitino came to Gold Country after spending one season at the helm of the Florida International University (FIU) basketball program. Prior to his arrival in South Florida, FIU had not had a winning season since 1999-2000 and in the three seasons before his hiring posted a combined record of 26-65. In just one season, Pitino led the program to 18 wins, the fourth-most in program history, and its first appearance in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship game. FIU finished with 11 conference wins on the season, the most by a Panther team since joining the Sun Belt Conference.
Prior to leading FIU, Pitino served as the Associate Head Coach for one season and an assistant for two other seasons under his father, Rick, at Louisville. In three years overall with the Cardinals, he helped the program to a combined 88-25 record, a pair of NCAA Elite Eight berths (2008 and 2009) and one NCAA Final Four appearance (2012). His efforts also helped the Cards land two of top 15 recruiting classes in his three years (2007-08 and 2008-09). Pitino also spent time as an assistant for two seasons under Billy Donovan at Florida. In his time with the Gators, the club was a combined 50-20 with back-to back NCAA Tournament appearances, including reaching the 2011 NCAA Southeast Regional finals before falling to NCAA runner-up Butler.
Pitino has also spent time as an assistant at Duquesne (2006-07) as well as at Northeastern (2005-06).
| COACHING CAREER | ||
| Year | Position | School |
| 2013- | Head Coach | University of Minnesota |
| → 2017 Big Ten Coach of the Year (coaches, media, Associated Press) after leading Gophers to 24-10 record and NCAA berth | ||
| → NABC District 7 Coach of the Year in 2017 | ||
| → Led Gophers to 25-13 record in first season, setting new school record for single-season victories | ||
| → Guided the team to the 2014 National Invitation Tournament title | ||
| → Named 17th head coach in UM history on April 5, 2013 | ||
| 2012-13 | Head Coach | Florida International University |
| → Led FIU to first winning season since 1999-2000 | ||
| → Guided Panthers to 18 wins, its highest total since 1997-98 | ||
| 2011-12 | Associate Head Coach | University of Louisville |
| → Louisville finished 30-10 and advanced to the NCAA Final Four | ||
| 2009-11 | Assistant Coach | University of Florida |
| → Florida advanced to two NCAA Tournaments, including the 2010 Elite Eight | ||
| 2007-09 | Assistant Coach | University of Louisville |
| → Cardinals advanced to back-to-back NCAA Elite Eights | ||
| 2006-07 | Assistant Coach | Duquesne University |
| 2005-06 | Assistant Coach | Northeastern University |
