Skip to main contentSkip to main content
Softball4
vs Cornell 0
May 1|Final
Softball4
vs Florida State 3
May 3|Final
Softball2
vs Florida State3
May 3|Final
Men's Lacrosse13
vs #6/#6 Duke (Three Seed)18
May 3|Final
Softball13
vs Florida State 5
May 4|Final
Softball
May 8
vs Atlantic Coast Conference
Track and Field
May 9|All Day
at ACC Outdoor Championships
Men's Lacrosse
May 11|TBD
vs NCAA First Round
Women's Rowing
May 17|TBA
at ACC Championship
Men's Lacrosse
May 18|TBD
vs NCAA Quarterfinals

Syracuse University Athletics

Head coach Jim Boeheim addresses the media in Buffalo.
Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

Boeheim Part of Pentagon Leadership Panel

5/5/2014 1:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Seven NCAA basketball coaches involved

THE PENTAGON, Washington, D.C.  – A renowned group of USA Basketball and college champion basketball coaches, which includes Syracuse's Jim Boeheim will visit the Pentagon for a strategy seminar with military officials and conduct a panel discussion on leadership for more than 400 service members, May 7. 

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey, in collaboration with USA Basketball, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and their NBA Cares Hoops for Troops program, will host coaches from the USA Basketball Men's and Women's National teams and NCAA collegiate teams, including the 2014 NCAA National Champion men's and women's head coaches from Connecticut.  The group of seven coaches, which features six with extensive USA Basketball coaching experiences, will also participate in a leadership panel discussion in the Pentagon Auditorium.    
      
The panel discussion will be televised on The Pentagon Channel and webcast at www.pentagonchannel.mil/livestream.aspx starting at 1:30 p.m. ET.

"These preeminent coaches lead their own world-class teams in USA Basketball and the NCAA," said Dempsey.  "We'll discuss the importance of dynamic leadership to building winning teams and also expose these coaches to what our world-class military team brings to the nation."

The coaches scheduled to visit the Pentagon are:
 
  • Geno Auriemma, head coach for the USA Basketball Women's National Team andConnecticut women's basketball;
  • Jim Boeheim, assistant coach for the USA Basketball Men's National Team and head coach of Syracuse men's basketball;
  • Jamie Dixon, head coach of Pittsburgh men's basketball;
  • Tom Izzo, head coach of Michigan State men's basketball;
  • Kevin Ollie, head coach of Connecticut men's basketball;
  • Tubby Smith, head coach of Texas Tech men's basketball;
  • Jay Wright, head coach of Villanova men's basketball.

ESPN's College Basketball Analyst, Jay Bilas will moderate the panel discussion.

"I'd like to thank General Dempsey and his staff for this incredible opportunity. We're delighted to contribute back to the military community in any way we can," said Jim Tooley, USA Basketball CEO/Executive Director. "USA Basketball is also extremely proud and very appreciative that these seven great coaches will again give back to their country. It's an honor to have them continue to represent USA Basketball, the NCAA, as well as their respective universities in such a positive and valuable manner. I'm sure this will be a great learning experience for everyone."

The open panel discussion will focus on challenges facing championship-level teams and the U.S. military.  Among the topics will be how to motivate and inspire people towards pursuit of a common goal, how to mentor young adults for a lifetime of positive contributions, how to recruit and retain the best talent, and how to better integrate a diverse group of people.

The strategy seminar with Gen. Dempsey and the coaches provides a venue for the USA Basketball coaches and military leadership to talk about shared values, common themes, and applicable lessons learned over long and successful professional careers.

These two events are part of an expanding relationship between the USA Basketball, NBA, and the Department of Defense (DoD) focused on "Commitment to Service."  

Through "Commitment to Service," U.S. service members and athletes will serve side-by-side to address challenges and contribute to their local communities.   The program will focus on four pillars – Transition, Community, Leadership and Health – and feature a full schedule of events across the country including USO Tours with legends of the game, exhibition games, clinics, open practices, speaking engagements, meet-and-greets, game tickets and more.

"These are two great institutions – American's premier sports teams and our military – that are the best in the world at what they do.  I'm excited about collaborating with the NBA and USA Basketball to serve the communities in which we live and work, and to improve our game," said Dempsey.

USA Basketball

Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball, chaired by Jerry Colangelo, is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for men's and women's basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the U.S. by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in FIBA-sponsored international competitions, as well as for some national competitions, and for the development of youth basketball initiatives that address player development, coach education and safety.

During the 2009-12 quadrennium, 1,273 male and female players and 235 coaches participated in USA Basketball, including USA Basketball teams and trials, and USA Basketball 3x3 FIBA?championships. 

USA Basketball men's and women's teams between 2009-12 compiled an impressive 262-35 win-loss record in FIBA and FIBA Americas competitions, the Pan American Games, the World University Games, the Nike Hoop Summit and in exhibition games. 

USA teams are the current men's and women's champions in the Olympics; men's and women's FIBA World Championships (Basketball World Cup); men's and women's FIBA?U19 and U17 World Championships; men's and women's U18 and U16 FIBA Americas Championships; the FIBA?3x3 Women's World Championship; and the FIBA?3x3 Women's U18 World Championship. USA Basketball currently ranks No. 1 in all five of FIBA's world-ranking categories, including combined, men's, women's, boys and girls.