Gene Sullivan (basketball)

Gene Sullivan (April 21, 1931 – February 21, 2002) was an American basketball coach and collegiate athletic director.

Sullivan grew up on the Northwest Side of Chicago and attended the University of Notre Dame. After serving with the United States Army in the Korean War, he became a boys' basketball coach at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois, and guided them to three Chicago Catholic League titles between 1957 and 1967.[1] In 1967, he became an assistant coach to Johnny Dee at the University of Notre Dame, and hoped to succeed Dee as head coach. Sullivan was a brilliant innovator. Austin Carr still holds the NCAA Tournament single game scoring record. As Sullivan said, I had one All-American and I needed get him 30 jump shots a game." When Dee retired in 1971, however, the school hired Digger Phelps as head coach, and a disappointed Sullivan spent the next few years writing a basketball book and running a limousine company.[2]

From 1975 to 1978, Sullivan worked as DePaul University's athletic director. He then became athletic director at Loyola University Chicago, and took over as men's basketball coach in 1980. In 1985, his Loyola Ramblers, led by Alfredrick Hughes, reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, where they lost to Georgetown University–their deepest NCAA Tournament run in 31 years.[3] Sullivan left Loyola in 1989 with a 149-114 career record.[2]

Sullivan spent the next few years as head of recreational programs for the Chicago Park District. He later worked as director of an anti-gang youth program with the Cook County State's Attorney's office and as a radio analyst for DePaul basketball radio broadcasts. He died of a staph infection at age 70 in February 2002.[2]

Loyola returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2018 for the first time since Sullivan's team made its 1985 appearance.[4] The school honored the team in 2009.[5]

Head Coaching Record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Loyola–Chicago (Midwestern City/Midwestern Intercollegiate) (1980–1989)
1980–81 Loyola–Chicago 13–15 7–4 2nd
1981–82 Loyola–Chicago 17–12 8–4 3rd
1982–83 Loyola–Chicago 19–10 12–2 1st
1983–84 Loyola–Chicago 20–9 10–4 2nd
1984–85 Loyola–Chicago 27–6 13–1 1st NCAA Division 1 Sweet 16
1985–86 Loyola–Chicago 13–16 7–5 4th
1986–87 Loyola–Chicago 16–13 8–4 T–1st
1987–88 Loyola–Chicago 13–16 3–7 5th
1988–89 Loyola–Chicago 11–17 4–8 6th
Loyola–Chicago: 149–114 (.567) 72–39 (.649)
Total: 149–114 (.567)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Source:[6]

References

  1. ^ Bill Jauss. "At 70, it's time to take a breath". Chicago Tribune. October 24, 2001. Sports, 1.
  2. ^ a b c Bill Jauss. "Gene Sullivan 1931-2002". Chicago Tribune. February 22, 2002. Sports, 1.
  3. ^ Toni Ginnetti. "Gene Sullivan , former Loyola coach, dead at 70". Chicago Sun-Times. February 21, 2002. 2.
  4. ^ "Arch Madness: Loyola University Chicago: Features".
  5. ^ Shannon Ryan. "Loyola celebrating 1984-85 NCAA tournament team". Chicago Tribune. December 11, 2009. Retrieved on December 12, 2009.
  6. ^ "Gene Sullivan Coaching Record". College Basketball at Sports–Reference.com. Retrieved 2021-02-06.