Head Coach Tom Collen There is no doubt that Tom Collen January when the injury bug hit the Cards knows how to win. He has won nearly 80 hard. Sophomore standout Missy Taylor tore percent of his games as a head coach, ranking her meniscus and would miss the rest of the him 11th in the nation in winning percentage regular season. among active coaches. On March 11, 2003, With the loss of Taylor, Collen inserted when Collen was named the new head coach freshman Yuliya Tokova into the starting at the University of Louisville, he brought lineup. The Cards rallied and finished the that tradition of winning to the Cardinal regular season second behind No. 19 DePaul, women’s basketball team. earning a first round bye in the C-USA Collen returned to the game with a new Tournament. Taylor returned to the lineup found energy and enthusiasm after taking a in time for the tournament, helping the year away from coaching. He knew taking Cardinals advance to the finals for just the over the reigns of the Louisville program second time in school history and the first time would be a challenge. He knew he would since 1998. have the opportunity to build and mold a In the opening minutes of the final against top women’s program at Louisville for the TCU Louisville took another hit, Tokova went first time in school history. down with a torn ACL. The Cardinals could Since he arrived at the University of not recover, falling 60-41. But the Cardinals’ Louisville, Collen has told everyone who success paid off by earning an at-large NCAA would listen that he would build the Tournament bid. Collen’s second Louisville Cardinals into a Top 25 team. After the squad finished the season with an overall record past three seasons at Louisville, people around of 22-9. the nation are starting to take notice of His third season with the Cardinals was Collen and the Cardinals. his most challenging, playing the always tough BIG EAST Conference. The Cardinals IMMEDIATE SUCCESS received votes in both polls most of the season In his first season at Louisville, Collen’s and even climbed to No. 26 before taking their patient nature paid off as the young first loss of the season. Cardinals meshed together just in time to Louisville went through their toughest make a run in the month of February. stretch in school history during the month of Collen entered the 2003-04 season with January, playing four ranked teams in five only one player that had significant experience games (three teams were ranked in the Top in the starting lineup. Collen molded All- 10). Despite the tough slate, Collen guided American Candidate Sara Nord into a true Louisville to a 10-6 record in the BIG EAST floor leader and built a young team around and a fifth place finish. Louisville’s fifth place her that overachieved. The Cardinals finish earned them a second consecutive NCAA finished the regular season with a 19-8 record Tournament appearance. The Cards finished and finished tied for second in the conference with an overall record of 19-10. with a record of 11-3. In just three short seasons at Louisville, Collen guided the Cardinals to their first Collen has coached two All-Americans and appearance in the Conference USA four all-conference performers. In his first Tournament semifinals for the first time since season both Sara Nord and Jazz Covington 1999. Louisville defeated Memphis 63-58 in earned All-American honors as well as all- the quarterfinals to register its 20th win of conference honors. the season. The win marked the sixth season Since coming to Louisville, Collen has that Collen has guided a team to 20 or more placed a freshman on the leagues all-freshmen wins in his six seasons as a head coach. teams every season. Covington, Yuliya Tokova, In just his second season with the and Angel McCoughtry have all earned all- Cardinals, Collen pulled off another freshmen honors in their rookie seasons. extraordinary feat with another 20-win Collen has helped mold senior Covington season. The Cardinals were sitting atop the into one of the most decorated players in school Conference USA standings in the middle of history. She has earned all-conference honors 2006-07 Louisville Basketball 38 All That Jazz ! Head Coach every season since stepping into a Cardinal Collen earned numerous accolades in his stat in the SEC. uniform. Covington was named to the second season. He was named WAC Coach of He also served as the recruiting coordinator WBCA’s Wade Trophy Watch List, becoming the Year as well as WBCA District VII Coach for Arkansas and signed two Top 10 classes in the first Cardinal to ever be named to the list. of the Year, Women’s Basketball Journal his four seasons with the Razorbacks. He was Collen is also a firm believer in succeeding National Coach of the Year, and Women’s instrumental in signing SEC Freshman of the in the classroom as well as on the court. Since Basketball News Service National Coach of the Year Christy Smith and Parade All-Americans taking over the Cardinal program, every Year. Tennille Adams and Shaka Massey. senior on his team has graduated. After the loss of All-Americans Becky During his 16 seasons as an assistant coach, Hammon and Katie Cronin, Collen guided his Collen became one of the top recruiters in the BEFORE LOUISVILLE third Colorado State team to his third 20-win nation. He has signed 12 Top 50 recruiting While at Colorado State, Collen season with a record of 23-10. The Rams classes in 19 years. He is responsible for the compiled an impressive 129-33 (.796) record received a WNIT bid and advanced to the recruiting classes that guided Arkansas to its in his five seasons with the Rams from 1997- semifinals before falling to Wisconsin. first Final Four appearance in 1998 and 2002. During his tenure, the Rams made five During the 2000-01 season Collen won Purdue’s first Final Four appearance in 1994. postseason appearances, four NCAA his first Mountain West Conference Collen earned his reputation as a recruiter Tournament appearances and advanced to Tournament Title. The Rams compiled an during his seven year stint as the recruiting the semifinals of the WNIT in 1999-2000. overall record of 25-7 and earned an automatic coordinator at Purdue. He signed five Top 10 In his first season as a head coach, Collen bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Rams Classes in his seven years with the Boilermakers. guided Colorado State to a 24-6 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Collen served as an assistant on Lin Dunn’s staff the 1998 WAC regular season title. The Tournament before falling to Final Four along side current Duke head coach Gail Rams earned an NCAA Tournament bid participant UConn. Goestenkors. During his seven years at Purdue, and advanced to the second round of the In his final season with the Rams, Collen the Boilermakers compiled a 151-53 record. NCAA Tournament before falling to Purdue. guided the team to an overall record of 24-7 He served as the recruiting and defensive Collen’s second season at Colorado State and a WAC regular season championship. The coordinator during his tenure. In 1999, his was a record breaking season. He guided the Rams earned their fourth NCAA Tournament recruiting class was ranked as the best in the Rams to a No. 4 Ranking in the USA Today bid in five seasons. nation. Coaches Poll with an impressive 33-3 record, Collen joined the Rams after a four year Prior to his stint with the Boilermakers, setting the record for most wins in school stint with the University of Arkansas. He served Collen spent three seasons as an assistant coach history. They also compiled a perfect 14-0 as an assistant coach for two seasons before at Utah from 1984-86. While at Utah he Western Atlantic Conference record and being named associate head coach in 1995. served as the recruiting coordinator, where his emerged in the national spotlight. The Rams While at Arkansas he served as the defensive final recruiting class was ranked 17th in the earned their second consecutive NCAA coordinator and revamped Arkansas into an nation. During his three seasons the Utes Tournament bid and advanced to the Sweet up-tempo, pressing style team. The Razorbacks compiled an overall record of 56-32 and earned Sixteen for the first time in school history. were usually ranked in the top of every defensive postseason trips to the WNIT and the NCAA Tournament. Collen started his collegiate coaching career at the Miami (Ohio) University in 1982, where he served as an assistant coach for two seasons. While at Miami, the Redhawks won a pair of conference championships and a bid to the AIAW Sweet 16 in 1982. Collen earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Bowling Green State in 1977. He earned a master’s in recreation education and in health education from Miami of Ohio in 1983. He is married to the former Nicki Taggert, a standout point guard at Marquette from 1995-98. The Collens have one year-old twins, Connor David and Reese Elizabeth. The Collen Family: (from left to right), Nicki with Reese, and Tom with Connor 2006-07 Louisville Basketball 39 All That Jazz ! Head Coach Collen’s Coaching Highlights 1981-83: Assistant coach at Miami him third in the nation in winning per- NCAA Tournament bid in four seasons (Ohio)...Two year record of 45-15...Two centage at the end of his five seasons...Five in Collen’s second season.