Jeff Ruland
Jeff Ruland (born December 16, 1958)
Teams coached: Iona Gaels, Albuquerque Thunderbirds, District of Columbia Firebirds
Iona record: 139-135 (.507)
District of Columbia record^: 41-60 (.406)
Overall record^: 180-195 (.480)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 3 (2000, 2001, 2006)
- NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 0
- MAAC Regular Season Champion: 1 (2001)
- MAAC Tournament Champion: 3 (2000, 2001, 2006)
- NCAA Division II Tournament Appearances: 1 (2012)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 2009-2013 | District of Columbia |
| 2008-2009 | Philadelphia 76ers (asst) |
| 2007-2008 | Albuquerque Thunderbirds |
| 1998-2007 | Iona |
| 1995-1998 | Iona (asst) |
| 1993-1994 | Philadelphia 76ers (asst) |
Jeff Ruland Facts
- Jeffrey George Ruland
- Born December 16, 1958
- Hometown: Suffolk County, New York
- Alma Mater: Iona College (BA, 1980)
- The 6’11” Ruland starred at Sachem HS (NY) and went on to play for head coach Jim Valvano for four seasons at Iona
- Drafted in the 2nd round of the 1980 NBA Draft (25th overall) by the Golden State Warriors
- Played for FC Barcelona for one season before signing with the NBA’s Washington Bullets in 1981; played in Washington for five seasons (1981-86)
- Made the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1982 and was twice named an NBA All-Star (1984 and 1985)
- Retired from injury in 1987 after a short stint with the Philadelphia 76ers; made a comeback in 1992 and played 13 more games in Philly
- Played in 11 games the following season with the Detroit Pistons before retiring from playing for good
- Head coaches he played for include Gene Shue, Matt Guokas, Jim Lynam and Ron Rothstein
- Spent the 1993-94 on Fred Carter’s staff with the 76ers before returning to his alma mater as an assistant coach
- Was one of Tim Welsh‘s for his three-year tenure at the helm, then became the Gaels’ head coach in 1998
- Went 139-135 over nine seasons, winning three MAAC Tournaments for NCAA Tournament bids plus a share of the 2001 MAAC title
- After the third NCAA bid in 2006, the 2006-07 Gaels went just 2-28 (1-17) and Ruland was fired at the end of the season
- Later sued his alma mater, claiming that the firing was racially-motivated and that the school did not approve of his interracial marriage
- Served as head coach of the (former) Albuquerque Thunderbirds of the NBA D-League for the 2007-08 season, going 22-28
- Returned to the 76ers as an assistant for one more season (2008-09), this time working under head coach Tony DiLeo
- Hired in 2009 to be the head coach at D-II District of Columbia, leading the Firebirds for four seasons
- Built the team up from a 1-20 record in his first year to a 22-6 record and D-II NCAA Tournament bid in his third
- Fortunes turned the following season and Ruland was fired in 2013 after going just 6-20 (5-13 ECC)
Jeff Ruland Coaching Tree
- coming soon
^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I and Division II levels only