Rick Pitino, one of the most brilliant minds in coaching, began a new era in University of Louisville men's basketball when he was named head coach of the Cardinals on March 21, 2001.
The only coach in NCAA history to take three different teams to the NCAA Final Four, Pitino’s up-tempo style, pressure defense, strong work ethic and family atmosphere have quickly returned the Cardinals to national prominence.
In 22 seasons as a collegiate head coach at four different schools, Pitino has compiled a 521-191 record, a .732 winning percentage that ranks him 10th among active coaches. His current contract ties him with Louisville through the 2012-2013 season.
Pitino's most recent Cardinals overcame early injuries to its front line to win 27 games against a schedule rated as the fourth-toughest in the nation. An aggressive, multiple defensive attack helped Louisville earn a second-place finish in the BIG EAST Conference for the second consecutive year and advance to the Cards’ second NCAA Elite Eight appearance in four years.
In 2006-07, Pitino’s youthful squad also battled through injuries to win eight of its last ten games and rise among the nation’s top 20 teams over the last four weeks. The Cards won 24 games, including a pair on the road over top 15 ranked teams, earned a second-pace finish in the BIG EAST Conference and were No. 16 in the final Associated Press ranking.
The Cardinals were No. 3 in the nation in the final 2004-05 ESPN/USA Today poll while posting a stellar 33-5 record, matching the most victories in Louisville history. The University won its first ever Conference USA regular season title and also claimed the league tournament championship. Louisville reached its first NCAA Sweet 16 since 1997 as the No. 4 seed in the Albuquerque Regional before advancing to its first NCAA Final Four since 1986.
The successes of the 2005 Final Four squad were built upon the efforts of his early teams at Louisville. Four years ago, the Cardinals won 16 straight during one stretch and rose to as high as fourth in the national polls before a trio of key injuries disrupted the Cardinals’ flight. Louisville won 20 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time in six years. Pitino gained his 400th career coaching victory with a 73-65 victory over then top-ranked Florida on Dec. 13, 2003, the first of two wins that season over No. 1 ranked foes.
In his second year at Louisville in 2002-03, the Cardinals reached the No. 2 position in the Associated Press poll and spent time as the nation’s top team in the Ratings Percentage Index and Sagarin Ratings. After a 1-1 start, the Cardinals reeled off an incredible 17 straight victories, one short of the school record and the second-highest ever in Conference USA history. Louisville won it’s first-ever Conference USA Tournament title.
Pitino did not wait for the Cardinals to make an upward move. In his first year at Louisville in 2001-02, he guided an undersized, often outmanned squad to a 19-13 record, upsetting the nation’s fourth-ranked team along the way to earning a post-season tournament appearance in the NIT, nearly reversing the Cardinals fortunes the season prior to his arrival (12-19 in 2000-01).
Even under great adversity, Pitino's teams have persevered. After losing 60 percent of its scoring and four key upperclassmen from its 2005 NCAA Final Four team, Louisville battled through destructive injuries and inexperience during the 2005-06 season to post a 21-13 record in its first year in the BIG EAST Conference, concluding the year in the NIT national semifinals.
A 2006 inductee to the New York City Hall of Fame, Pitino has the third-highest winning percentage in NCAA Tournament games among active coaches, winning 75.5 percent of his games in the post-season event with a 35-12 record in 13 tournament appearances.
For three and a half years, Pitino served as president and head coach of the NBA's Boston Celtics. With the Celtics, he took over a team that had posted a franchise worst 15-67 record before his arrival. He quickly made an impact, improving the Celtics' victory total by 21 games in his first season. He resigned his position with the storied franchise on Jan. 8, 2001 after compiling a 102-146 record there.
He guided Kentucky to three NCAA Final Four appearances in his last five years at Kentucky, winning the 1996 NCAA Championship and reaching the national title game in 1997. In eight seasons with the Wildcats, he amassed a 219-50 record (.814) while winning two league crowns and an impressive 17-1 record in the Southeastern Conference Tournament. While at Kentucky, Pitino coached three Wildcats who earned All-America honors and eight players who were drafted by the NBA, including six in the first round (three lottery picks).
Pitino was only 25 years old when he accepted his first head coaching job at Boston University in 1978. He produced a 91-51 record in five years there, departing as the most successful coach in BU history. In his final season there, he guided the Terriers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 24 years. He was twice named New England Coach of the Year (1979, 1983).
Pitino left Boston University to become an assistant coach for the New York Knicks from 1983-85, where he worked with head coach Hubie Brown. It was a team he would return to lead as its head coach in two seasons.
He was head coach at Providence College for two seasons (1985-87), producing a 42-23 record there. He guided the Friars to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1986 and a trip to the NCAA Final Four in 1987, winning the regional championship in Freedom Hall.
Before his stint at Kentucky, Pitino served as head coach of the New York Knicks for two seasons. In his initial year there in 1987-88, the Knicks improved by 14 victories and made the NBA Playoffs for the first time in four seasons. The Knicks won 52 games in 1988-89 and swept the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Aside from his hoops prowess, Pitino has achieved success off the court as well in such realms as broadcasting, publishing, motivational speaking and horse racing. He is an accomplished author, producing such books as the bestsellers Success Is A Choice and Lead to Succeed.
He earned his degree in 1974 at Massachusetts, where he was a standout guard for the Minutemen's basketball team. His 329 career assists rank eighth all-time at UMass and his 168 assists as a senior is the sixth-best single season total ever there. Pitino was a freshman during NBA legend Julius Erving's senior year.
Born September 18, 1952, Pitino is a native of New York City where he was a standout guard for Dominic High School in Oyster Bay, Long Island. There, he captained his team and established several school scoring marks.
Pitino and wife Joanne have five children: Michael, Christopher, Richard, Ryan and Jacqueline.
Rick Pitino, head men’s basketball coach at Louisville University, is available through IMG Speakers Bureau for speaking engagements. Rick Pitino is also available for corporate hospitality events, meet and greets, panel discussions, and much more. Please contact IMG Speakers at 212-774-6735 or speakers@imgworld.com for more information on booking Rick Pitino.
