Gene Visscher

Gene Visscher (born November 23, 1940)

Teams coached: Weber State Wildcats, Northern Arizona Lumberjacks
Weber State record: 58-38 (.604)
Northern Arizona record: 16-36 (.308)
Overall record^: 74-74 (.500)

Career Accomplishments:

• NCAA National Championships:  0
• NCAA Tournament Appearances:  2  (1972, 1973)
• NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen:  1  (1972)
• NCAA Tournament Final Four:  0
• NIT Championships:  0
• NIT Appearances:  0
• Big Sky Regular Season Champion:  2  (1972, 1973)

Awards:

• Big Sky Coach of the Year:  2  (1972, 1973)

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

1981-1983	Northern Arizona
1978-1981	Wyoming (asst)
1971-1974	Weber State
1968-1971	Weber State (asst)
1967-1968	Weber State (freshmen)
1966-1967	Muskegon CC

Gene Visscher Facts

• Gene Visscher
• Born November 23, 1940
• Hometown: Muskegon, Michigan
• Alma Mater: Weber State University (BA, 1966)
• After starring at Muskegon HS (MI), Visscher started his collegiate career at Muskegon CC (MI)
  • Transferred to Weber State in 1964, playing two seasons (1964-66) for head coach Dick Motta
  • Drafted in the 19th round of the 1966 NBA Draft by the Baltimore Bullets, but did not sign
• Started his coaching career back at Muskegon CC (MI), spending one year as the head coach before heading back to Weber
• Became the freshman coach in 1967 and a year later joined Phil Johnson‘s varsity staff as an assistant coach
• After three seasons on the bench, Visscher was elevated to head coach at Weber State
  • Went 58-38 overall, winning two Big Sky titles and reaching the NCAA Tournament twice, including a Sweet Sixteen in 1972
• Stepped down in 1974 and returned to his home state, spending three seasons as the head coach at Charlotte HS (MI)
• Joined Jim Brandenburg‘s staff at Wyoming in 1978 and was part of the Cowboys’ WAC title and NCAA bid in 1981
• Became a head coach again in 1981, spending the next two years at the helm at Northern Arizona
  • Did not have as much success, winning just 16 of 52 games as head coach before resigning in 1983
• Inducted into both the Weber State Athletic Hall of Fame (c/o 1994) and the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame (c/o 1995)

Gene Visscher Coaching Tree

• Dick Hunsaker (Utah Valley, Utah, Manchester, Ball State)
• Neil McCarthy (New Mexico State, Weber State)

 

^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I level only