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Tom Billeter

Tom Billeter
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamEmporia State
ConferenceThe MIAA
Record0–1
Biographical details
Born (1961-02-12) February 12, 1961 (age 63)
Byron, Illinois, U.S.
Alma materIllinois
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1985–1987Arizona (assistant)
1987–1992Rice (assistant)
1992–1997North Dakota State
1997–1998St. John's (assistant)
1998–2003Texas A&M (assistant)
2003–2024Augustana (SD)
2024–presentEmporia State
Head coaching record
Overall490–275
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
NCAA Division II champion (2016)
NSIC regular season champion (2015, 2016, 2022)
NSIC tournament champion (2015, 2016)
NCC regular season champion (1995)
Awards
Clarence Gaines Coach of the Year (2013) NABC Division II Coach of the Year (2016)
2x NSIC Coach of the Year (2016, 2022)

Tom Billeter (born February 12, 1961) is an American college basketball coach at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kansas. He previously has been the head coach at Augustana University (SD), North Dakota State University, as well as holding assistant coaching roles at a number of NCAA Division I colleges. He led Augustana to the 2016 NCAA Division II national championship and was named the national coach of the year in that season.

Billeter is from Byron, Illinois and obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. He began his coaching career as a high school coach, then made his entry into college coaching as an assistant to Lute Olson at Arizona. He then moved to Rice under Scott Thompson. He was hired as head coach of then-Division II North Dakota State, where he led the Bison to four consecutive 20-win seasons in his five seasons at the helm (from 1992 to 1997).[1] He left the school, despite his success, to take an assistant coaching job at high profile Division I program St. John's.[2]

After a year at St. John's, then five seasons as an assistant at Texas A&M, Billeter was hired as head coach at Augustana in 2003.[3] After going 42–69 in his first four seasons, he then led the Vikings to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 2008 to 2010. Billeter received the Clarence Gaines Coach of the Year award in 2013.[4] In the 2014–15 season, the Vikings went 31–3 but were knocked out of the 2015 NCAA tournament by Northwest Missouri in the second round.[5] The Vikings avenged the loss the following season as they went 34–2 behind national player of the year Dan Jansen and won the school's first national championship. Billeter was named the national Division II coach of the year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) at the conclusion of the season.[6]

On January 26, 2019, Billeter won his 300th game as Augustana Vikings coach.[7]

College coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
North Dakota State (North Central Conference) (1992–1997)
1992–93 North Dakota State 12–17 7–11 8th
1993–94 North Dakota State 21–9 14–4 2nd NCAA regional final
1994–95 North Dakota State 22–8 12–6 T-1st NCAA second round
1995–96 North Dakota State 20–9 12–6 T-2nd NCAA second round
1996–97 North Dakota State 22–7 12–6 T-2nd NCAA second round
North Dakota State: 97–50 (.660) 57–33 (.633)
Augustana (North Central Conference) (2003–2008)
2003–04 Augustana 6–21 2–12 8th
2004–05 Augustana 8–20 1–11 7th
2005–06 Augustana 12–16 5–7 5th
2006–07 Augustana 16–12 3–9 5th
2007–08 Augustana 22–9 8–4 2nd NCAA second round
Augustana (Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) (2008–2024)
2008–09 Augustana 21–10 13–7 6th NCAA regional final
2009–10 Augustana 24–7 15–5 3rd NCAA regional final
2010–11 Augustana 18–9 15–7 3rd
2011–12 Augustana 17–11 14–8 T-4th NCAA first round
2012–13 Augustana 22–9 15–7 3rd NCAA second round
2013–14 Augustana 16–14 12–10 T-9th
2014–15 Augustana 31–3 20–2 T-1st NCAA second round
2015–16 Augustana 34–2 21–1 1st NCAA champions
2016–17 Augustana 24–9 16–6 4th NCAA second round
2017–18 Augustana 16–14 10–12 T-6th
2018–19 Augustana 18–11 14–8 T-3rd
2019–20 Augustana 19–11 13–9 T-6th
2020–21 Augustana 9–7 7–6 7th
2021–22 Augustana 23–2 17–2 1st NCAA regional final
2022–23 Augustana 15–14 11–11 9th
2023–24 Augustana 19–11 13–9 7th
Augustana: 393–224 (.637) 245–153 (.616)
Emporia State (The MIAA) (2024–present)
2024–25 Emporia State 0–1 0–0
Emporia State: 0–1 (.000) 0–0 (–)
Total: 490–275 (.641)

      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

References

  1. ^ Kradle, Adam (March 28, 2016). "Byron native Tom Billeter leads Augustana to D-II national title". Rockford Register Star. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
  2. ^ "Billeter says he's taking pay cut at St. John's". Argus Leader. April 2, 1997. p. 22. Retrieved September 29, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "New coach brings hope". Argus Leader. December 2, 2003. p. 15. Retrieved September 29, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ "The Clarence "Big House" Gaines National Coach of the Year Award| College Basketball Awards| CollegeInsider.com". www.clarencegainesaward.com. Retrieved 2019-04-27.
  5. ^ Zimmer, Matt (March 15, 2015). "Vikings historic season ended by Northwest Missouri State". Argus Leader. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
  6. ^ Thurn, Jeff (March 31, 2016). "Augustana Head Coach Tom Billeter named National Coach of the Year by the NABC". ESPN991.com. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
  7. ^ "Coach Billeter Brings Home 300th Augustana Win; Vikings Outlast Concordia-St. Paul". goaugie.com. January 26, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2019.