Wojcik Named Head Coach At Tulsa
3/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 14, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The University of Tulsa today named Michigan State associate head coach Doug Wojcik as head basketball coach of the Golden Hurricane, announced TU's Director of Athletics Judy MacLeod. Following 15 years as a collegiate assistant coach, Wojcik becomes the 28th head coach in Tulsa basketball history.
Wojcik leaves Michigan State where he has spent the past two seasons on the Spartan coaching staff. He helped the Spartans post a two-year mark of 40-18 overall and 25-7 in the Big Ten Conference, while finishing in second-place both years. Wojcik was promoted to associate head coach prior to this past season, joining an impressive list of recent associate head coaches at Michigan State, including current college head coaches Tom Crean (Marquette) and Brian Gregory (Dayton), as well as current Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo. He also becomes the sixth Izzo assistant to land a head coaching job, joining Crean, Gregory, Mike Garland (Cleveland State), Stan Heath (Arkansas), Stan Joplin (Toledo).
"Tulsa is getting an incredible coach, but an even a better person," said Izzo. "I've been very fortunate at Michigan State, as you can tell with the assistant coaches that have gone on to be head coaches from here. I recruited Doug for our coaching staff because of his loyalty and work ethic.
"He became my right hand man immediately. He adapted well last year, but was even more comfortable this year. Doug has done a great job for Michigan State, and will do the same at Tulsa. He has a great feel for the game of basketball, which I believe is extremely important from a head coach's perspective. He's picked up on everything from how to build a program from a fans standpoint, to national recruiting, to every aspect of a program. One of his biggest strengths is that he is a people person from a program standpoint. He'll be involved in The University of Tulsa, not just the Tulsa men's basketball program."
"We are extremely pleased to have Doug as our basketball coach," said MacLeod. "He brings the personal characteristics and qualities we are looking for in a head coach. He has coached a lot of successful basketball teams in the past as an assistant coach, and we look forward to him continuing that success as a head coach."
"I'm excited about the opportunity to be the head basketball coach at The University of Tulsa," said Wojcik. "I'd like to thank Dr. Upham and Judy MacLeod for the opportunity they have given my family and me. They have been terrific to deal with during this entire process."
"Tulsa has a rich tradition in basketball, and I look forward to continuing that same success that has seen Tulsa make 18 postseason appearances in the past 25 years. It's obvious that Tulsa has great fans, solid community and campus support, a tremendous facility and outstanding players that have donned the blue and gold in the past. Our entrance into Conference USA will only enhance the Tulsa basketball program," added Wojcik.
Before coming to Michigan State, Wojcik spent three years as an assistant coach at North Carolina (2000-03). In his first season at UNC, the Tar Heels earned a No. 1 national ranking late in the regular season, posted a 26-7 overall mark, 13-3 league record and won a share of the ACC regular season championship. He was named a "Head Coach in the Waiting" by Athlon Sports in 2001 and by ESPN's Jay Bilas in 2003. Wojcik was also named an "Assistant Coach on the Rise" by ESPN.com's Andy Katz.
At North Carolina, he helped bring in classes ranked second in the nation in both 2001 and 2002. These classes included one McDonald's All-American in 2001 (Jawad Williams) and three in 2002 (Raymond Felton, Rashad McCants and Sean May). Wojcik also served as head coach of the junior varsity program at North Carolina for three years.
Prior to that, Wojcik spent one season on the coaching staff at Notre Dame, helping the Fighting Irish post a 22-15 record and earn a berth in the 2000 NIT Championship Game. In his one season at Notre Dame, he recruited one McDonald's All-American (Chris Thomas).
Wojcik began his coaching career in 1990-91 at his alma mater, the United States Naval Academy, where he spent nine seasons as an assistant coach. During his tenure, Navy won three Patriot League titles and competed in the NCAA Tournament in 1994, 1997 and 1998. During the 1997 season, Navy became the fourth school in NCAA history to improve its conference record in five consecutive seasons.
"We conducted a careful and detailed national search, while consulting some of the best basketball minds in the country. We were fortunate to have a group of remarkably well-qualified candidates," said President Steadman Upham. "In Doug Wojcik, we have selected an experienced collegiate coach who has worked at the highest level of Division I basketball. He is an individual who is a leader with a vision of Tulsa basketball as a nationally prominent program."
As a collegiate player (1983-86), Wojcik led Navy to the NCAA Tournament in three straight seasons and to a three-year record of 82-17 as the starting point guard. He established Navy school records for most assists in a game (14), season (251) and career (714), while setting the single season mark as a junior.
At Navy, Wojcik was a part, either as a player or coach, in every conference title won by Navy and in six of the school's 11 NCAA Tournament bids. Wojcik was a member of Navy's 1986 team that defeated Tulsa in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. He tallied 4 points, 8 assists and 2 steals in 37 minutes for an 87-68 Navy victory.
He earned his bachelor's degree in physical sciences from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1997.
After graduation, Wojcik was commissioned as a Naval officer and attended Surface Warfare Officer School in Newport, Rhode Island. He was assigned to the USS W.S. Sims out of Mayport, Florida, where he served as First Lieutenant and Engineering Officer for two years prior to beginning his coaching career.
A native of Wheeling, West Virginia, Wojcik and his wife, Lael, a 1990 Naval Academy graduate who earned letters in basketball and track, have two sons: Paxson Walter (4) and Denham Miner (2).
