MCC News
Wed, Apr 21, 2010 - [Men's Basketball] - Viewed 585 times - Post By Molly Brown
Former Viking B.J. Hill named head men's basketball coach at Northern Colorado
Grand View alum and former Viking men's basketball player B.J. Hill was named head men's basketball coach at the University Northern Colorado announced April 19.
Hill, who served as Northern Colorado's associate head men's basketball coach during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons and was a top Bears assistant for the two years before that, was named the 18th head basketball coach in Northern Colorado.
In Hill's four years as a Bears assistant, Northern Colorado men's basketball improved from a team that finished dead last in 2007 in the final NCAA RPI report to a team in 2010 that won 25 games (25-8) and set the school record for most victories in a single season.
Hill, who served as Northern Colorado's associate head men's basketball coach during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons and was a top Bears assistant for the two years before that, was named the 18th head basketball coach in Northern Colorado.
In Hill's four years as a Bears assistant, Northern Colorado men's basketball improved from a team that finished dead last in 2007 in the final NCAA RPI report to a team in 2010 that won 25 games (25-8) and set the school record for most victories in a single season.
Northern Colorado qualified for its first NCAA Division I postseason berth in 2009 (Big Sky Conference Tournament quarterfinals) before advancing in 2010 to the Big Sky Conference semifinals and then making an appearance in the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT).
In Hill, who came to the Bears after a successful assistant coaching career at various stops in South Dakota, Kansas and Iowa, Northern Colorado secured a tireless recruiter, a passionate basketball man and a great ambassador for the University of Northern Colorado community.
With Hill's promotion, Northern Colorado athletics affirmed its commitment to building a successful NCAA Division I basketball program that matches the level of the University of Northern Colorado's academics and carrying on a tradition of winning on the court and in the classroom.
With Hill's promotion, Northern Colorado athletics affirmed its commitment to building a successful NCAA Division I basketball program that matches the level of the University of Northern Colorado's academics and carrying on a tradition of winning on the court and in the classroom.
"We all think that continuity in a sports program is paramount to its success," Northern Colorado athletic director Jay Hinrichs said shortly after Hill's introduction. "It was critical that we follow through with our multiyear succession plan to ensure stability throughout our men's basketball program and not miss a beat in the development of our student-athletes."
Hill, 36, replaced Tad Boyle, who coached the Bears the previous four seasons.
"This is an unbelievable opportunity," Hill said. "I want to thank Jay Hinrichs, President (Kay) Norton and everybody involved who believed in me. I also want to thank Tad Boyle. I'm extremely excited, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to carry on what Coach (Boyle) started and carrying it on to the next level.
"I'm not going to be much different as the head coach as I have been as an assistant these past four years. I'm going to demand that our players play hard and try to get better every day. That's all I know how to do. It's worked so far, and I know it's going to continue to work. We're going to continue to strive to bring in the high-character and high-talent student-athletes that this program has been able to get in the past and will in the future, and that's going to help us keep this basketball program going and take it to new levels."
Prior to coming to Greeley, Hill worked as an assistant at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa, where he worked alongside Coach Jeff Kidder and with former Bears standouts Jabril Banks and Robert Palacios.
Hill helped the Warriors to a 25-6 overall record and second-place finish in the Iowa Conference in 2006. Indian Hills was ranked as high as No. 3 nationally during the season and won seven more games than the previous year's squad.
Before his time at Indian Hills, Hill coached five seasons at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, working with head coach Jay Herkelman. In Hill's tenure, the Red Ravens won five consecutive Jayhawk East Conference titles and three straight Region VI championships and had a combined record of 146-33 (.816 winning percentage) and advanced to the 2002 NJCAA National Championship game.
Hill spent the 1999-2000 season at South Dakota State University, where he helped the Jackrabbits to the NCAA Division II national tournament and a 21-9 overall record. SDSU finished second place in the North Central Conference that season and played a game against Northern Colorado in Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion.
Hill was an assistant coach at Independence Community College during the 1998-99 season, helping the team to a 22-10 record and second-place finish in the Jayhawk East Conference.
Hill, 36, replaced Tad Boyle, who coached the Bears the previous four seasons.
"This is an unbelievable opportunity," Hill said. "I want to thank Jay Hinrichs, President (Kay) Norton and everybody involved who believed in me. I also want to thank Tad Boyle. I'm extremely excited, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to carry on what Coach (Boyle) started and carrying it on to the next level.
"I'm not going to be much different as the head coach as I have been as an assistant these past four years. I'm going to demand that our players play hard and try to get better every day. That's all I know how to do. It's worked so far, and I know it's going to continue to work. We're going to continue to strive to bring in the high-character and high-talent student-athletes that this program has been able to get in the past and will in the future, and that's going to help us keep this basketball program going and take it to new levels."
Prior to coming to Greeley, Hill worked as an assistant at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa, where he worked alongside Coach Jeff Kidder and with former Bears standouts Jabril Banks and Robert Palacios.
Hill helped the Warriors to a 25-6 overall record and second-place finish in the Iowa Conference in 2006. Indian Hills was ranked as high as No. 3 nationally during the season and won seven more games than the previous year's squad.
Before his time at Indian Hills, Hill coached five seasons at Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, working with head coach Jay Herkelman. In Hill's tenure, the Red Ravens won five consecutive Jayhawk East Conference titles and three straight Region VI championships and had a combined record of 146-33 (.816 winning percentage) and advanced to the 2002 NJCAA National Championship game.
Hill spent the 1999-2000 season at South Dakota State University, where he helped the Jackrabbits to the NCAA Division II national tournament and a 21-9 overall record. SDSU finished second place in the North Central Conference that season and played a game against Northern Colorado in Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion.
Hill was an assistant coach at Independence Community College during the 1998-99 season, helping the team to a 22-10 record and second-place finish in the Jayhawk East Conference.
He started coaching during the 1997-98 season at North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) in Mason City, Iowa, where he was a standout player in the early 90s.
A native of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Hill played basketball at NIACC and at Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa. He received his bachelor's degree in business administration from Grand View in 1996 and his master's degree in athletic administration from South Dakota State in 2001.
Hill and his wife Eliza have a son, Nathan, and a daughter, Alana.
A native of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Hill played basketball at NIACC and at Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa. He received his bachelor's degree in business administration from Grand View in 1996 and his master's degree in athletic administration from South Dakota State in 2001.
Hill and his wife Eliza have a son, Nathan, and a daughter, Alana.
