Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun steps down from University of Saint Joseph's
Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun is stepping down from his post leading the University of Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball program effective immediately, he told the Hartford Courant on Thursday — officially capping a tremendous career throughout college basketball.
Calhoun, who won three national titles with UConn, will be replaced by associate head coach Glen Miller.
“You’ve got to know when it’s time,” Calhoun said, via the Hartford Courant. “We’re a really good team. The program is in great shape, we’re going in the right direction, now’s the time.”
Jim Calhoun retiring after launching Saint Joseph’s program
Calhoun has mounted one of the most impressive coaching careers in college basketball history, dating back to his first job at Northeasters in 1972.
Calhoun finished his career with 920 overall wins, the third most behind only Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim and Duke's Mike Krzyzewski — who has announced he will retire at the end of the season.
Calhoun spent 14 seasons at Northeastern from 1972-86, where he went 248-137 while winning six ECACN conference titles and made five NCAA tournament appearances.
He led UConn from 1986-2012, and turned the program into a national powerhouse. Calhoun went 629-245 with the Huskies and won 10 Big East titles. He led them to the NCAA tournament 18 times and won three national championships in 1999, 2004 and 2011. He retired from the program after the 2011-12 season.
Calhoun then helped launch the Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball program in 2017, when the Division III school transitioned to co-ed. He went 16-12 in his first season with the Blue Jays and reached the GNAC final, and then made the NCAA Division III tournament the following year while mounting a wild 25-game win streak.
They only played four games last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Blue Jays started this season 3-0.
“Coach Calhoun has stayed longer and done more for USJ than I could ever have hoped when we first talked to him about launching our men’s basketball team, and with it, the transition to coeducation almost five years ago,” USJ president Rhona Free said in a university statement. “No student-athlete could have a better coach and advocate; he monitors and cares about their performance and success in every aspect of their lives.
“While nobody can replace Coach Calhoun, we’re fortunate that Glen Miller has been here throughout and can continue to build the program and lead this team to another successful season.”
Calhoun, 79, will now head home to his wife, Pat, before heading to South Carolina for the holidays.
“Back home in Pomfret, there’s a very happy woman right now,” he said, via the Hartford Courant. “Pat said, ‘I’ve got you back.’”
