OXFORD, Miss. – A four-time convention coach of the 12 months and 2019 nationwide coach of the 12 months, Chris Beard will deliver his future of success to Oxford and the SEC, as he has been named the 23rd head males’s basketball coach at Ole Miss by Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter on Monday.
A public introduction will happen Tuesday at 5 p.m. CT on the Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. The occasion will likely be open to the general public and featured stay on The Paul Finebaum Show on SEC Network and streamed in its entirety on SEC Network+. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.
“We are excited to welcome Coach Beard and his daughters, Avery, Ella and Margo, to the Ole Miss household,” Carter mentioned. “We completely evaluated quite a few excellent candidates, and there’s no doubt Coach Beard is without doubt one of the high coaches within the nation. After conducting due diligence and talking to quite a few people on and off the courtroom, it was evident he’s the fitting particular person to information our group to greatness.
“At every cease in his profession, Coach Beard has confirmed to be a program builder and a dynamic chief whose groups exhibit relentless effort. He is a tireless recruiter and develops expertise to achieve their biggest potential. He has coached at a number of ranges of school basketball and has competed for championships at each faculty. Simply put, Coach Beard is a winner, and Ole Miss Basketball’s greatest years are forward of us underneath his management.”
Beard has led three totally different applications to the NCAA Tournament since 2016, together with an look within the 2019 National Championship sport and Elite Eight run the 12 months earlier than at Texas Tech. As a head coach, he owns a 237-98 file for one of many high profitable percentages amongst lively coaches within the nation at 70.7 p.c. Beard additionally owns a profession mark of 11-5 on the NCAA Tournament, highlighted by an ideal 5-0 file within the opening spherical.
“I’m honored to be becoming a member of the Ole Miss household and excited to get began at this nice college,” Beard mentioned. “I am unable to specific how grateful I’m to Chancellor Boyce, Keith Carter and the remainder of the search committee for his or her perception in me to steer this program. I’m actually wanting ahead to being an lively a part of the Oxford neighborhood. I do know we now have the most effective venues within the nation within the SJB Pavilion, and we’re going to work tirelessly to construct a championship caliber program. I am unable to wait to attach with our gamers and recruits and start this journey collectively. Hotty Toddy!”
Most not too long ago, Beard was the top coach at his alma mater, the University of Texas, the place he compiled a file of 29-13 over two years, together with a 22-12 file and a second-round end within the 2022 NCAA Tournament in his first season. That 12 months, all 5 of his starters earned all-conference honors, highlighted by their defensive prowess as Texas led the Big 12 and ranked No. 10 nationally in scoring protection (60.6 factors allowed per sport) and No. 22 within the nation in turnover margin (+3.4).
Prior to his tenure at Texas, Beard spent 5 seasons at Texas Tech, the place he took a program with dropping seasons in 5 of six years earlier than his arrival and turned them right into a nationwide powerhouse. Compiling a file of 112-55 (.671) in 5 seasons, he took this system to new heights, with an Elite Eight look in simply his second season earlier than guiding the Red Raiders to the nationwide title sport in his third 12 months. With no postseason in his fourth 12 months on account of COVID-19, he closed out his profession at Texas Tech with 18 wins and an look within the second spherical of the NCAA Tournament.
Before his time on the helm within the Big 12, Beard was the top coach for one season at Little Rock, the place he went 30-5, gained the Sun Belt Conference title, and reached the second spherical of the NCAA Tournament. He beforehand spent two years as the top coach at Angelo State from 2013-2015, and one season as the top coach of McMurry.
Beard has coached three NBA draft picks since 2018, together with first spherical decide Zhaire Smith by the Phoenix Suns at No. 16 in 2018, and lottery decide Jarrett Culver at No. 6 by the Suns in 2019.
On the recruiting path, Beard has ranked among the many easiest within the nation, incomes top-10 class rankings in 2022, 2020, and 2018. His most up-to-date class of 2022 at Texas was ranked No. 6 within the nation by 247Sports and No. 8 by Rivals, together with his ultimate class at Texas Tech in 2020 incomes related reward at No. 7 by Rivals and No. 11 by 247Sports. Prior to his nationwide runner-up season at Texas Tech in 2018-19, his recruiting class was ranked No. 8 by Rivals.
He spent 10 seasons on employees at Texas Tech after he was employed as an assistant coach in 2001 underneath hall-of-fame coach Bob Knight, and spent three years as affiliate head coach from 2008 to 2011. Beard was the top coach at Seminole State school in 2000-01, going 25-6. He spent the earlier season as the top coach of Fort Scott Community College, and was on employees as an assistant prior at North Texas for 2 seasons (1997-99) and Abilene Christian for one (1996-97).
Beard graduated with a Bachelor of Science diploma in kinesiology from Texas in 1995, the place he additionally labored as a scholar assistant underneath head coach Tom Penders. He went on to obtain his grasp’s diploma in training from Abilene Christian University in 1998 after spending one 12 months earlier than that as a graduate assistant at Incarnate Word.
For the most recent information and updates concerning Ole Miss Men’s Basketball, observe the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissMBB, on Facebook at Ole Miss Men’s Basketball and on Instagram at olemissmbb.
BEARD COACHING CAREER
1995-96: Incarnate Word (Graduate Assistant), 20-9
1996-97: Abilene Christian (Assistant Coach), 15-12
1997-98: North Texas (Assistant Coach), 5-21
1998-99: North Texas (Assistant Coach), 4-12
1999-2000: Fort Scott CC (Head Coach), 19-12, NJCAA Regional
2000-01: Seminole State College (Head Coach), 25-6
2001-02: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 23-9, NCAA Round of 64
2002-03: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 22-13, NIT 3rd Place
2003-04: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 23-11, NCAA Round of 32
2004-05: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 22-11, NCAA Sweet 16
2005-06: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 15-17
2006-07: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 21-13, NCAA Round of 64
2007-08: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 16-15
2008-09: Texas Tech (Associate Head Coach), 14-19
2009-10: Texas Tech (Associate Head Coach), 19-16, NIT Quarterfinals
2010-11: Texas Tech (Associate Head Coach), 13-19
2012-13: McMurry (Head Coach), 19-10, NCAA Central Regional
2013-14: Angelo State (Head Coach), 19-9
2014-15: Angelo State (Head Coach), 28-6, NCAA Division II Sweet 16
2015-16: Little Rock (Head Coach), 30-5, NCAA Round of 32
2016-17: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 18-14
2017-18: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 27-10, NCAA Elite Eight
2018-19: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 31-7, NCAA Runner-Up
2019-20: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 18-13 (no postseason, COVID-19)
2020-21: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 18-11, NCAA Round of 32
2021-22: Texas (Head Coach), 22-12, NCAA Round of 32
2022-23: Texas (Head Coach), 7-1
BEARD FAST FACTS
• Led three totally different applications to NCAA Tournament since 2016
• 2019 AP National Coach of the Year
• Guided Texas Tech to 2019 National Championship Game
• Owns a 70.7%-win proportion as a head coach
• 11-5 all-time on the NCAA Tournament, together with a 5-0 file in opening spherical video games
• A four-time convention coach of the 12 months award winner
• Top-10 nationally ranked recruiting lessons by Rivals in 2022 (No. 8, Texas), 2020 (No. 7, Texas Tech), and 2018 (No. 8, Texas Tech).
• 2015-16 Sun Belt Regular Season and Tournament Champions at Little Rock
• Upset No. 5 seed Purdue in first spherical of the 2016 NCAA Tournament in double additional time at Little Rock
• 2018-19 Big 12 Regular Season Co-Champions
