Jim Whitesell
Jim Whitesell (born December 27, 1959)
Current position: Assistant men’s basketball coach
Current team: Albany Great Danes (Head coach: Dwayne Killings)
Current conference: America East Conference
Teams coached: Elmhurst Bluejays, Lewis Flyers, Loyola Ramblers, Buffalo Bulls
Elmhurst record^: 64-68 (.485)
Lewis record^: 214-136 (.629)
Loyola (IL) record: 109-107 (.505)
Buffalo record: 70-49 (.588)
Overall record^: 457-370 (.553)
Career Accomplishments:
- NCAA National Championships: 0
- NCAA Tournament Appearances: 0
- NIT Championships: 0
- NIT Appearances: 1 (2021)
- GLVC (Div II) Regular Season Champion: 1 (2004)
- GLVC (Div II) Tournament Champion: 1 (2002)
- NCAA Division II Tournament Appearances: 4 (1998, 1999, 2003, 2004)
- NCAA Division III Tournament Appearances: 1 (1992)
Awards:
- GLVC (Div II) Coach of the Year: 1 (2004)
Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):
| 2023-present | Albany (asst) |
| 2019-2023 | Buffalo |
| 2015-2019 | Buffalo (assoc. HC) |
| 2013-2015 | St. John’s (asst) |
| 2011-2013 | Saint Louis (asst) |
| 2004-2011 | Loyola (IL) |
| 1992-2004 | Lewis |
| 1987-1992 | Elmhurst |
| 1985-1987 | Minnesota State (asst) |
| 1984-1985 | Wabash Valley (asst) |
| 1983-1984 | Ellsworth CC (asst) |
| 1982-1983 | North Dakota (grad. asst) |
Jim Whitesell Facts
- Jim Whitesell
- Born December 27, 1959
- Hometown: Iowa Falls, Iowa
- Alma Mater: Luther College (BA, 1982)
- First coaching roles were as a graduate assistant under Dave Gunther at North Dakota, then one season each assistant at Ellsworth CC (IA) and Wabash Valley CC (IA) and two seasons at D-II Minnesota State
- Spent five years as head coach at D-III Elmhurst (IL), going 64-68 overall and reaching the D-III NCAA Tournament in his fifth and final season
- Was then the head coach at Division II Lewis (IL) for 12 seasons
- Won 214 games, one GLVC conference title, one GLVC Tournament and went to the D-II NCAA Tournament four times
- Hired in 2004 to be the head coach at Loyola Chicago, leading the Ramblers for seven seasons
- Went 109-107 durng his tenure at Loyola, but failed to reach the postseason
- Continued coaching at the Division I level, spending two seasons each as an assistant at Saint Louis (under Rick Majerus and Jim Crews) and St. John’s (under Steve Lavin)
- Joined Nate Oats‘ staff at Buffalo in 2015 as associate head coach
- Was with the Bulls during their successful run under Oats, including three NCAA Tournament berths and top-25 AP rankings throughout the 2018-19 season
- Elevated to head coach at Buffalo in April 2019, following Oats’ departure to Alabama
- Whitesell went 70-49 over four years, with one NIT bid (2021) and just one losing season; was let go in March 2023
- Hired in September 2023 to be an assistant coach on Dwayne Killings‘ staff at Albany
Jim Whitesell Coaching Tree
- Patrick Baldwin (Milwaukee)
- Howard Moore (UIC)
^ overall record includes head coaching positions at the NCAA Division I, Division II and Division III levels