John Beilein is an American basketball coach and analyst for the Big Ten Network. He previously coached the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA and several NCAA Division I teams, including the Michigan Wolverines, West Virginia Mountaineers, Richmond Spiders, and Canisius Golden Griffins. Before Division I, he coached Le Moyne Dolphins, Nazareth College and Erie Community College. Beilein has amassed 754 wins at four-year universities and 829 overall at all college levels, totaling 843 including his NBA time. His coaching career is marked by success at various levels of collegiate basketball.
February 5, 1953: John Beilein's Birth
On February 5, 1953, John Patrick Beilein was born. He would later become a notable basketball coach.
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1957: Canisius Last NCAA Appearance
Canisius hadn't appeared in a NCAA Tournament since 1957 prior to John Beilein's tenure.
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1971: Wheeling College Basketball
In 1971, John Beilein began playing basketball at Wheeling College.
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1974: Team Captain at Wheeling College
During the 1974-75 season, John Beilein served as team captain for the Wheeling College basketball team.
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1975: BA Degree in history
In 1975, John Beilein received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history.
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1978: Coach of Erie Community College
In 1978, John Beilein became the coach of Erie Community College.
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1978: Erie Community College Coach
In 1978, John Beilein became the coach of Erie Community College.
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1978: Married Kathleen Griffin
In 1978, John Beilein married Kathleen Beilein (née Griffin).
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1981: Master's Degree in Education
In 1981, John Beilein earned a Master of Science degree in education from Niagara University.
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1981: Coach of the Year at Erie Community College
In 1981, John Beilein was recognized as conference coach of the year at Erie Community College.
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1982: Nazareth College Coaching Job
In 1982, John Beilein became the coach for Nazareth College in Rochester, New York.
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1982: Nazareth College Coach
In 1982, John Beilein became the coach of Nazareth College in Rochester, New York.
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1983: Le Moyne College Coaching Job
In 1983, John Beilein became the coach for Le Moyne College.
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1983: Le Moyne Dolphins Coach
In 1983, John Beilein began coaching the Le Moyne Dolphins.
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1985: Michigan's First Regular-Season Big Ten Championship Since 1985-86
In 2012, the Wolverines finished 24-10 overall and 13-5 in Big Ten play, winning a share of the regular-season Big Ten championship for the first time since the 1985-86 team.
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1986: Michigan's Outright Big Ten Championship Since 1986
Beilein led Michigan to a 15–3 conference record and won Michigan's first outright regular season Big Ten championship since 1986 in 2014.
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1987: First applied to Canisius
In 1987, John Beilein first applied for a Division I coaching position at Canisius College, but he was not hired at that time.
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1988: MCC Coach of the Year
In 1988, John Beilein was named the MCC Coach of the Year when his Le Moyne team finished as co-conference champions.
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1988: MCC Coach of the Year
In 1988, John Beilein was named the Mideast Collegiate Conference (MCC) Coach of the Year while at LeMoyne.
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1989: Finalist for Colgate job
In 1989, John Beilein was a finalist for a coaching position at Colgate University.
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1990: Disbandment of MCC
The Mideast Collegiate Conference (MCC), in which Le Moyne participated, disbanded following the 1990-1991 season.
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1991: Canisius record
During the 1991-92 season, before Beilein's arrival, Canisius had a record of 8-22.
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1991: Canisius Prior Season Record
In 1991-92, prior to John Beilein's arrival, the Canisius team had a last-place record.
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1991: Richmond Last NCAA Tournament Berth
Richmond hadn't appeared in a NCAA Tournament since 1991 prior to John Beilein's arrival.
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1991: MCC Disbandment Year
The Mideast Collegiate Conference (MCC) disbanded following the 1990-1991 season, leaving Le Moyne as an independent team.
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1992: Canisius Golden Griffins Coach
In 1992, John Beilein became a NCAA Division I coach for the Canisius Golden Griffins.
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1992: End of Le Moyne Coaching
In 1992, John Beilein concluded his coaching tenure at Le Moyne College.
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1992: Hired as Head Coach at Canisius College
In 1992, John Beilein was hired as the head coach at Canisius College for the 1992-93 season, marking his first Division I coaching position.
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1992: Hired at Canisius
In 1992, John Beilein was hired for a Division I coaching position at Canisius College.
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1992: Michigan Ranked Atop AP Poll Since 1992
On January 28, 2013, Michigan was ranked number one in the AP Poll with 51 of the 65 first place votes. It marked the first time Michigan ranked atop the AP Poll since December 5, 1992.
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1993: Join New England Collegiate Conference
In 1993, Le Moyne team was scheduled to join the New England Collegiate Conference for the 1992–1993 season.
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1993: Turnaround at Canisius
In 1993-94, John Beilein turned a last place 1991-92 Canisius squad into a team that recorded the first undefeated home schedule (15–0) in the school's modern era.
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1993: Richmond Winning Season
The 1997-98 Spiders posted its first winning season since 1993.
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1994: MAAC Player of the Year
During the 1994-95 season, Craig Wise was named MAAC Player of the Year.
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1994: MAAC Coach of the Year
In 1994, John Beilein earned Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors while coaching at Canisius.
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1994: MAAC Coach of the Year
In 1994, John Beilein earned Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, as the Canisius team entered the MAAC tournament on a 15-game winning streak.
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1995: MAAC Player of the Year
During the 1995-96 season, Darrell Barley was named MAAC Player of the Year.
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1995: NIT Win
In 1995, Canisius earned their first post-season victory in 32 years in the NIT, against Seton Hall.
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1996: Top Defensive Team
During the 1996-97 season, the Canisius Golden Griffins were the top defensive team in the MAAC.
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1996: NCAA Tournament Berth
In 1996, John Beilein coached Canisius to the conference tournament championship, earning a berth in the 1996 NCAA tournament, the team's first appearance since 1957.
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1997: Richmond Spiders Coach
In 1997, John Beilein became the coach of the Richmond Spiders.
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1997: Richmond Spiders Coach
In 1997, John Beilein became the coach of the Richmond Spiders.
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1997: Richmond Coach
In 1997, John Beilein was in his first year as coach of the Richmond Spiders.
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1997: First Michigan Victory at Michigan State Since 1997
In 2011, The victory at Michigan State was Michigan's first since 1997.
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1998: Richmond Reliance on Underclassmen
During the 1998-99 season, John Beilein's Richmond team relied on a nucleus that included two freshmen and two sophomores.
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1998: NCAA Tournament Berth and CAA Tournament Win
In 1998, John Beilein coached Richmond to a CAA tournament win, earning the school a 1998 NCAA tournament selection, its first NCAA tournament berth since 1991.
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1998: Richmond Times-Dispatch Virginia Coach of the Year
In 1998, John Beilein was awarded the Richmond Times-Dispatch Virginia Coach of the Year.
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1999: CAA Tournament Upset Loss
In 1999, Richmond was upset in the CAA conference tournament by sixth-seeded Virginia Commonwealth.
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1999: Richmond Third Seed in CAA Tournament
In 1999-2000, Richmond again earned the third seed in the CAA tournament.
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2000: Richmond Season
During the 2000-01 season, Richmond finished the regular season with a 21–6 record, finishing first in the CAA with a 12–4 record.
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2000: CAA Championship Loss
In 2000, Richmond lost to UNC Wilmington in the CAA conference tournament championship game.
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2001: Richmond Finished Second
During the 2001-02 season, Richmond finished in second place of the West Division of the Atlantic 10 Conference.
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2001: NIT Appearance
In 2001, Richmond played in the NIT, defeating West Virginia before losing to Dayton.
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April 2002: Hired at West Virginia University
In April 2002, John Beilein accepted the head coaching position at West Virginia University.
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2002: West Virginia Mountaineers Coach
In 2002, John Beilein became the coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers.
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2003: West Virginia in 2003 Big East Tournament
In 2003, West Virginia qualified for the Big East tournament by beating Virginia Tech and secured 6th place. The team finished the regular season with a 14-14 record. West Virginia then lost in the first round of the 2003 Big East tournament to Providence.
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2004: West Virginia in 2004 Big East and NIT Tournaments
In 2004, West Virginia qualified for the Big East tournament as the number 10 seed, losing in the first round to Notre Dame. They received an invitation to the 2004 NIT, winning against Kent State and Rhode Island before losing to Rutgers. Beilein's NIT career record was 9-6 after this tournament.
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2004: Elite Eight Appearance
In the 2004-05 season, John Beilein's West Virginia team reached the "Elite Eight" of the NCAA tournament.
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2005: West Virginia in 2005 Big East and NCAA Tournaments
In 2005, Beilein's West Virginia team entered the Big East tournament with an 18-9 record and won multiple games before losing in the finals to Syracuse. They earned a seven seed in the NCAA tournament, defeating Creighton, Wake Forest, and Texas Tech before losing to Louisville in overtime in the Elite Eight. Beilein's NCAA Tournament record raised to 4-3.
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2005: West Virginia's strong start in 2005-06 season
In 2005, during the 2005-06 season, West Virginia won its first eight Big East conference games and entered the top ten in the national rankings in February.
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2006: Sweet Sixteen Appearance
In 2006, John Beilein's West Virginia team reached the "Sweet Sixteen" of the NCAA tournament.
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2006: West Virginia in 2006 Big East and NCAA Tournaments
In 2006, West Virginia lost in the quarterfinal round of the Big East tournament to Pitt and earned a number six seed in the NCAA tournament. West Virginia won its opening weekend games before losing in the Sweet Sixteen round to Texas. Beilein raised his NCAA tournament record to 6-4.
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2006: West Virginia in 2006-07 season
In 2006, during the 2006-07 season, WVU finished the regular season with a 21-8 record to earn the number seven seed in the 2007 Big East tournament.
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2006: Michigan's Ranking in National Polls
On February 6, 2006, Michigan made its first appearance in the top 25 in the national rankings.
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April 3, 2007: John Beilein Hired by University of Michigan
On April 3, 2007, the University of Michigan announced the hiring of John Beilein to fill its coaching vacancy, replacing Tommy Amaker. Beilein inherited a team in the final year of scholarship reduction due to NCAA violations.
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2007: Michigan Wolverines Coach
In 2007, John Beilein became the coach of the Michigan Wolverines.
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2007: West Virginia in 2007 Big East and NIT Tournaments
In 2007, West Virginia lost to Louisville in double overtime in the Big East tournament and earned a top seed in the 2007 NIT, eventually defeating Clemson in the championship game. Rumors started that Beilein would take the Michigan job after the season ended. The five wins raised Beilein's NIT career record to 14-6.
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2008: 2008-09 Wolverines
In 2008, Beilein's second Michigan team started to make a leap forward.
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2010: Michigan's Projected Performance
In 2010, the team was projected to finish 10th in the 11-team conference.
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2011: Michigan in 2011 NCAA Tournament
In 2011, Michigan defeated Tennessee, setting NCAA tournament records for the largest victory margin by an eight seed and winning a game without making a free throw. They lost to Duke in the next round. It marked the ninth straight time that John Beilein led a team to victory in its first game of a postseason tournament
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2011: Michigan's Victories
In 2011, The team recorded a win over 9th-ranked Michigan State. It was Beilein's third consecutive win over the Spartans and came nine days after Beilein recorded his first victory over Wisconsin.
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2013: NCAA Tournament Championship Game Appearance
In 2013, John Beilein coached his team to an appearance in the NCAA Tournament Championship Game.
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2013: Michigan in 2013 NCAA Tournament and Beilein's Achievements
In 2013, Michigan reached the Final Four for the first time since 1993, advancing to the national championship game where they lost to Louisville. Beilein also achieved his 650th win as a college head coach, 100th win at Michigan, and 400th Division I win. Beilein was selected as an assistant coach for the 2013 World University Games.
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2013: 2013-14 Wolverines
In 2013, the 2013-14 team was ranked in the top 10 to start the season.
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2014: Big Ten Coach of the Year
In 2014, John Beilein was recognized as the Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year while at Michigan.
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2014: 2014-15 Team Rankings
In 2014, the 2014-15 team entered the season ranked number 23 in the Coaches' Poll and number 24 in the AP Poll.
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2014: Michigan in 2014 NCAA Tournament and Beilein's Awards
In 2014, the Wolverines earned a #2 seed in the NCAA tournament, losing in the Elite Eight to Kentucky. Beilein was named Big Ten Coach of the Year by the media and District V Coach of the Year by the USBWA. He also earned his 700th career win to advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive season
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2015: 2014-15 Team Struggles and Beilein's Contract Extension
In 2015, the 2014-15 team struggled, losing key players to injuries. Prior to the 2015-16 season, Michigan extended Beilein's contract through the 2020-21 season.
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June 2017: Head Coach Title Renamed
In June 2017, John Beilein's title was renamed as the David and Meredith Kaplan Men's Basketball Head Coach at Michigan after a $7.5 million gift.
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2017: Cleanest Coach in College Basketball
In 2017, John Beilein was voted the "cleanest" coach in college basketball in a CBS poll.
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November 6, 2018: 800th Career Win
On November 6, 2018, John Beilein earned his 800th career win as a head coach with a victory over Norfolk State.
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2018: Second NCAA Tournament Championship Game Appearance
In 2018, John Beilein again led his team to an appearance in the NCAA Tournament Championship Game.
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May 13, 2019: Named Head Coach of Cleveland Cavaliers
On May 13, 2019, John Beilein was named the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA, signing a five-year contract.
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September 24, 2019: Canisius Sports Hall of Fame Induction
On September 24, 2019, John Beilein was inducted into the Canisius Sports Hall of Fame for his successful tenure with the program.
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2019: End of Michigan Wolverines Coaching
In 2019, John Beilein's tenure as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines concluded.
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February 19, 2020: Resigned as Cavaliers Head Coach
On February 19, 2020, John Beilein resigned as the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers and was reassigned to a different role within the organization.
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June 2, 2021: Appointed Senior Advisor for Player Development
On June 2, 2021, the Detroit Pistons appointed John Beilein to be the senior advisor for player development.
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