Tom Billeter Explained

Tom Billeter
Current Title:Head coach
Current Team:Emporia State
Current Conference:The MIAA
Current Record:0–0
Birth Date:12 February 1961
Birth Place:Byron, Illinois, U.S.
Alma Mater:Illinois
Coach Years1:1985–1987
Coach Team1:Arizona (assistant)
Coach Years2:1987–1992
Coach Team2:Rice (assistant)
Coach Years3:1992–1997
Coach Team3:North Dakota State
Coach Years4:1997–1998
Coach Team4:St. John's (assistant)
Coach Years5:1998–2003
Coach Team5:Texas A&M (assistant)
Coach Years6:2003–2024
Coach Team6:Augustana (SD)
Coach Years7:2024–present
Coach Team7:Emporia State
Overall Record:453–247
Championships:NCAA Division II champion (2016)
NSIC regular season champion (2015, 2016, 2022)
NSIC tournament champion (2015, 2016)
NCC regular season champion (1995)
Awards:Clarence Gaines Coach of the Year (2013)NABC Division II Coach of the Year (2016)
2x NSIC Coach of the Year (2016, 2022)

Tom Billeter (born February 12, 1961) is an American college basketball coach at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas. He previously has been the head coach at Augustana University (SD), North Dakota State University, as well as holding assistant coaching roles at a number of NCAA Division I colleges. He led Augustana to the 2016 NCAA Division II national championship and was named the national coach of the year in that season.

Billeter is from Byron, Illinois and obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. He began his coaching career as a high school coach, then made his entry into college coaching as an assistant to Lute Olson at Arizona. He then moved to Rice under Scott Thompson. He was hired as head coach of then-Division II North Dakota State, where he led the Bison to four consecutive 20-win seasons in his five seasons at the helm (from 1992 to 1997).[1] He left the school, despite his success, to take an assistant coaching job at high profile Division I program St. John's.[2]

After a year at St. John's, then five seasons as an assistant at Texas A&M, Billeter was hired as head coach at Augustana in 2003.[3] After going 42–69 in his first four seasons, he then led the Vikings to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 2008 to 2010. Billeter received the Clarence Gaines Coach of the Year award in 2013.[4] In the 2014–15 season, the Vikings went 31–3 but were knocked out of the 2015 NCAA tournament by Northwest Missouri in the second round.[5] The Vikings avenged the loss the following season as they went 34–2 behind national player of the year Dan Jansen and won the school's first national championship. Billeter was named the national Division II coach of the year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) at the conclusion of the season.[6]

On January 26, 2019, Billeter won his 300th game as Augustana Vikings coach.[7]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Kradle. Adam. Byron native Tom Billeter leads Augustana to D-II national title. September 29, 2017. Rockford Register Star. March 28, 2016.
  2. News: Billeter says he's taking pay cut at St. John's. . April 2, 1997. 22. Newspapers.com. September 29, 2017.
  3. News: New coach brings hope. . December 2, 2003. 15. Newspapers.com. September 29, 2017.
  4. Web site: The Clarence "Big House" Gaines National Coach of the Year Award College Basketball Awards CollegeInsider.com. www.clarencegainesaward.com. 2019-04-27.
  5. News: Zimmer. Matt. Vikings historic season ended by Northwest Missouri State. September 29, 2017. Argus Leader. March 15, 2015.
  6. News: Thurn. Jeff. Augustana Head Coach Tom Billeter named National Coach of the Year by the NABC. September 29, 2017. ESPN991.com. March 31, 2016.
  7. News: Coach Billeter Brings Home 300th Augustana Win; Vikings Outlast Concordia-St. Paul. February 20, 2019. goaugie.com. January 26, 2019.