George Ireland (1913-2001)

Teams coached: Loyola Ramblers
Loyola (IL) record: 318-255 (.555)
Overall record: 318-255 (.555)

Career Accomplishments:

• NCAA National Championships:  1  (1963)
• NCAA Tournament Appearances:  4  (1963, 1964, 1966, 1968)
• NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen:  2  (1963, 1964)
• NCAA Tournament Final Four:  1  (1963)
• NIT Championships:  0
• NIT Appearances:  1  (1962)
• Helms Foundation National Championships:  1  (1963)

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

1951-1976

Loyola (IL)

George Ireland Facts

• George Ireland
• Born June 15, 1913
• Died September 14, 2001
• Hometown: Madison, Wisconsin
• Alma Mater: University of Notre Dame (BA, 1936)
• Played for George Keogan at Notre Dame; the three-year starter was an All-American in 1935
  • Was teammates with future collegiate head coaches John Jordan and Ray Meyer
• First coaching job was at Marmion Academy (Aurora, IL), where he spent 15 years as the head coach (262-87 overall)
• Became the head coach at Loyola (IL) in 1951, taking over for former ND teammate John Jordan
  • Was the Ramblers head coach for 24 seasons and is the program’s all-time wins leader (318)
  • Reached the NCAA Tournament four times, winning the 1963 NCAA Championship title
    • A year after becoming the first major college program to play five African-American players at the same time, the 1963 team continued to break racial barriers by having four African-American players in the regular rotation
  • Also served as the school’s athletic director from 1956 to 1978 (two years after retiring from coaching)
• Passed away in Addison, IL in 2001 at age 88
  • Wife, Gert, had previously passed away in 1998
  • Survived by two daughters, one son, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren

George Ireland Coaching Tree

• Jerry Lyne (Loyola IL)