| Charleston Cougars men's basketball | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
 | |||||||
| University | College of Charleston | ||||||
| Head coach | Chris Mack (1st season) | ||||||
| Conference | Coastal Athletic Association | ||||||
| Location | Charleston, South Carolina | ||||||
| Arena | TD Arena (capacity: 5,100) | ||||||
| Nickname | Cougars | ||||||
| Colors | Maroon and white[1] | ||||||
| NCAA tournament round of 32 | |||||||
| 1997 | |||||||
| NCAA tournament appearances | |||||||
| 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2018, 2023, 2024 | |||||||
| NAIA tournament champions | |||||||
| 1983 | |||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
| Conference regular-season champions | |||||||
| TAAC/A-Sun: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 SoCon: 1999, 2000, 2003, 2011 CAA: 2018, 2023, 2024 | |||||||
| Conference division regular-season champions | |||||||
| SoCon: 2001, 2002, 2004 | |||||||
TheCharleston Cougars men's basketball team is anNCAA Division Icollege basketball team representing theCollege of Charleston inCharleston, South Carolina. The Cougars compete in theCoastal Athletic Association. Home games are played atTD Arena, located on College of Charleston's campus. While a member of theNAIA, they were National Champions in 1983. The Cougars have appeared in theNCAA tournament seven times, most recently in 2024.
The College of Charleston has sponsored a men's basketball team since 1898. They have been NCAA Division I since 1991 in the Trans-Atlantic Athletic Conference (nowASUN Conference), theSouthern Conference and presently theCoastal Athletic Association (formerly the Colonial Athletic Association).[2] In 2012, ESPN ranked Charleston as the 73rd best college basketball program in the previous 50 years, which was the highest ranking of all Division I teams in the state of South Carolina.[3]
After hiringSt. John's assistant coachJohn Kresse in 1979, the College of Charleston Cougars began to achieve some notoriety. Kresse would lead the program to its first District Championship in 1983, propelling them to their firstNAIA Tournament appearance. The Cougars advanced through the first four rounds and eventually defeatedWest Virginia Wesleyan 57–53 to win the1983 NAIA Championship.[4][5]
Kresse continued the program's success in the NAIA, winning five-straight District 6 Championships to ensure five-straight NAIA Tournament berths from 1985–89. Despite failing to win another national championship, Kresse led the Cougars to a third-place finish in the1988 Tournament.[6]
During the1991–92 season, the Cougars made the jump to Division I and defeatedUNC–Charlotte 68–54 in their first game.[7][8] After posting a 38–16 record through two seasons as an Independent program, the Cougars joined theTrans Atlantic Athletic Conference in 1993.
In their first season of conference play, the1993–94 Cougars played to a 24–4 record (14–2 against TAAC opponents), earning the school its first regular season championship. Kresse earned his first TAAC Coach of the Year award, and Marion Busby earned the school's firstTAAC Player of the Year award.[9][10] The Cougars were unable to participate in the1994 TAAC Tournament due to NCAA regulations, but they did receive an at-large bid to the1994 NCAA Tournament as a #12 seed, ultimately losing to #5Wake Forest 68–58 in the first round.[11][12]
On December 15, 1994, Charleston's home arena, theF. Mitchell Johnson Center, was renamed as the "John Kresse Arena" in the coach's honor.[13]
Kresse led the program to four more TAAC regular season championships from 1995–1998, earning back-to-back NIT invitations in 1995 and 1996.[14][15] The Cougars defeatedTennessee 55–49 in the first round of the1996 NIT behind the leadership of TAAC Player of the Year Thaddeous Delaney, before falling toRhode Island 58–62 in overtime during the second round.[16][17][18]
The1996–97 Cougars, led byTAAC Player of the Year and futureNBA-playerAnthony Johnson, earned the first automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament in school history. After playing to a 29–3 record (16–0 in conference) and defeatingFlorida International 83–73 in the1997 TAAC Championship Game, the Cougars would enter the1997 NCAA Tournament as a #12 seed, despite being ranked No. 16 in theNational AP Poll.[19] Kresse's Cougars made program history by upsetting the #5 seedMaryland Terrapins 75–66 in the first round, before falling to the eventual National Champion, #4Arizona 73–69.[20][21][22]
The following year,1997–98, saw the Cougars win a fifth-straight regular season championship after playing to a 24–6 record (14–2 in conference). Kresse earned his third TAAC Coach of the Year honor, and junior guardSedric Webber was named TAAC Player of the Year, the third-straight, and fourth overall, Player of the Year in program history. The Cougars once again defeatedFlorida International in theTAAC Championship game, winning 72–63 to ensure their second NCAA Tournament appearance in a row, and third overall. As a #14 seed in the1998 Tournament, the Cougars lost to #3Stanford 67–57 in the first round.[23][24]
During the1998–99 season, the program transitioned from the TAAC to theSouthern Conference,[25] and gained national attention after upsetting then-No. 3North Carolina 66–64 on December 5, 1998.[26][27] After going 16–0 in conference, and 28–3 overall, the Cougars would win their first SoCon regular season championship, Kresse would earn his first SoCon Coach of the Year honor, and Sedric Webber would be namedSoCon Player of the Year, his second-straight Player of the Year award.[28] After running the table during the regular season, the Cougars would go on to defeat Furman 98–74, Western Carolina 80–49, andAppalachian State 77–67 in the championship game of their firstSoCon Tournament, earning the program's third NCAA Tournament berth in a row. As a #8 seed in the1999 Tournament, the highest seeding in program history, the Cougars were defeated by #9Tulsa 62–53 in the first round.[29]
Kresse coached the team for three more seasons into the newmillennium, earning another regular season championship during the 1999–00 season, and Southern Division championships in 2000–01 and 2001–02, with teams led by SoCon Player of the YearJody Lumpkin. Kresse retired at the end of the 2001–02 season, and still lives in Charleston to this day.[30]
Over 23 years Kresse coached to a career record of 560–143 (.797), good for the 11th-highest winning percentage across all divisions in college basketball history. His Division I coaching record of 258-64 (.801) ranked the 5th highest in Division I history at the time of his retirement.[31][32]
After the retirement of Kresse in 2002,Tom Herrion was hired as the 20th head coach in program history.
His first Charleston team won theGreat Alaska Shootout in2002 after defeatingWyoming 81–72,Oklahoma State 66–58, andVillanova 71–69 in the championship game, earning senior guardTroy Wheless the title of Tournament MVP.[33] Herrion led his first team to a 25–8 record during the 2002–03 season, earning a regular season championship and an invitation to the2003 NIT before losing in the second round. After the conclusion of the season Wheless was named SoCon Player of the Year, the program's third such honor since joining the SoCon, and seventh overall.[34] Herrion's 25 victories marked the highest total of any first-year NCAA Division I head coach during the 2002–03 season.[35]
Under Herrion the Cougars finished with a 20–9 record in 2003–04, an 18–10 performance in 2004–05, and a 17–11 finish in 2005–06. Herrion's final record was 80–38.[36]
The College of Charleston hired formerGeorgia Tech head coachBobby Cremins in 2006.[37] In four out of Cremins' five complete seasons, Charleston won at least 20 games, and the Cougars advanced to a national postseason tournament in three consecutive seasons. During Cremins' tenure the Cougars also relocated fromJohn Kresse Arena to the Carolina First Center (later renamedTD Arena). Their first home game in the new stadium was a 72–66 victory overSIU Edwardsville on November 14, 2008.[38]
During the2009–10 season, the Cougars were put back in the national spotlight when they upset then-No.9North Carolina on January 4, 2010, at TD Arena.[39][40] Cremins led the program to a first round victory over Troy in the2009 College Basketball Invitational, and had another first round win over Eastern Kentucky in the2010 CBI.[41][42]
The2010–11 Cougars earned the program's first regular season championship in eight years with a 14–4 conference record, 25–10 overall. Cremins was named SoCon Coach of the Year and seniorAndrew Goudelock was namedSoCon Player of the Year.[43][44] After losing to Wofford in the Championship Game of theSoCon Tournament the squad was invited to the2011 NIT.[45][46] The Cougars went on the longest postseason run in Division I program history, defeatingDayton 94–84 in the first round andCleveland State 64–56 in the second round before falling to the eventual champions,Wichita State, 82–75 in the quarterfinals.[47][48][49]
During the2011–12 season Cremins took a leave of absence due to exhaustion and retired at the conclusion of the season.[50] His overall record at Charleston was 125–68.[37]
Doug Wojcik, the all-time wins leader at theUniversity of Tulsa, was named the 22nd all-time head coach at the College of Charleston on April 1, 2012.[51] In his first season with the Cougars, Wojcik led Charleston to theSoCon Tournament Championship, ultimately losing toDavidson.[52] The Cougars were added to the2013 CBI, where they lost toGeorge Mason in the first round.[53] Charleston moved to the Colonial Athletic Association (now theCoastal Athletic Association) in 2013 and Wojcik's Cougars struggled to a 6–10 conference record. He was fired on August 5, 2014, with a 38–29 overall record.[54]
Earl Grant, a former Clemson and Wichita State assistant, was named the Cougars' 23rd all-time head coach on September 2, 2014.[55] Charleston struggled in Grant's first year at the helm, finishing the season with just nine wins, a record-low since joining Division I.[56] The Cougars did, however, win their first-everCAA tournament game, a 56–48 decision over Drexel in the first round.[57] Grant got his first signature win at Charleston the following season on November 30, 2015, when the Cougars defeatedLSU 70–58 at TD Arena.[58]
Grant's Cougars experienced the national postseason for the first time under his watch during the2016–17 season. After finishing the regular season with a 23–8 record and losing in theCAA Tournament final, Charleston received an at-large bid to the2017 NIT as a five seed. The Cougars ultimately lost atColorado State, 81–74.
In the2017–18 season, Coach Grant and the Cougars managed a 26–8 record, going 14–4 in the conference and undefeated at home, with sweeps over conference teams Delaware, Hofstra, Northeastern and UNC Wilmington. The Cougars would take the regular-season conference championship in a 79–58 win over Elon and would enter theCAA Tournament as a #1 seed, going on to win the tournament championship in an 83–76 OT win over Northeastern.[59] Charleston would then receive a #13 seed spot in the2018 NCAA Tournament and play #4Auburn in San Diego, CA.[60] After three more winning seasons without reaching the postseason, Grant left to be the head coach atBoston College.[61]
The Cougars hiredPat Kelsey, former head coach atWinthrop University, on March 25, 2021.[62] Kelsey led the Cougars for just three seasons, but his era at Charleston is considered one of the most successful in program history. He led the team to a 75–27 (.735) overall record over his three seasons at the helm, including two conference regular season titles, two conference championship titles and two NCAA tournament appearances.[63] He also introduced the "Our City" motto, meant to unite support for the team with the city of Charleston.[64]
His team finished the2022–23 season with a 31–4 record, including 4 weeks in the AP Top 25 poll, a conference championship title, and an NCAA tournament appearance. The team also won theCharleston Classic for the first time in program history. Kelsey signed an amended 5-year contract with the College of Charleston that would pay him a $1.1 million base salary,[65] making him highest paid head coach in the Coastal Athletic Association.[66]
The success continued into the2023–24 season as he led the program to its first outright regular season title since 2003 and was named the Coastal Athletic AssociationCoach of the Year.[67] Following the end of the season, Kelsey accepted the position as head coach at theUniversity of Louisville.[67]
College of Charleston presidentAndrew Hsu praised Kelsey upon news of his new position at Louisville, saying "he brought so much energy and excitement to Our City ... his impact goes far beyond basketball. His success reignited a premiere basketball school in a premiere city."[67]
Chris Mack, the former head coach atXavier University and theUniversity of Louisville, for whom Pat Kelsey was an assistant coach at the former, was named the 25th head coach in program history on April 2, 2024.[68]
The Cougars have appeared in theNCAA tournament seven times. Their combined record is 1–7.
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | #12 | First round | #5Wake Forest | L 58–68 |
| 1997 | #12 | First round Second round | #5Maryland #4Arizona | W 75–66 L 69–73 |
| 1998 | #14 | First round | #3Stanford | L 57–67 |
| 1999 | #8 | First round | #9Tulsa | L 53–62 |
| 2018 | #13 | First round | #4Auburn | L 58–62 |
| 2023 | #12 | First round | #5San Diego State | L 57–63 |
| 2024 | #13 | First round | #4Alabama | L 96–109 |
The Cougars have appeared in theNational Invitation Tournament (NIT) five times. Their combined record is 4–5.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | First round | Providence | L 67–72 |
| 1996 | First round Second round | Tennessee Rhode Island | W 55–49 L 58–62 |
| 2003 | Opening Round First round | Kent State Providence | W 72–66 L 64–69 |
| 2011 | First round Second round Quarterfinals | Dayton Cleveland State Wichita State | W 94–84 W 64–56 L 75–82 |
| 2017 | First round | Colorado State | L 74–81 |
The Cougars have appeared in theCollege Basketball Invitational (CBI) three times. Their combined record is 2–3.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | First round Quarterfinals | Troy Richmond | W 93–91 L 72–74 |
| 2010 | First round Quarterfinals | Eastern Kentucky VCU | W 82–79 L 86–93 |
| 2013 | First round | George Mason | L 77-78 |
The Cougars have appeared in theNAIA tournament six times. Their combined record is 15–5. They were National Champions in 1983.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | First round Second round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship | Saint John's (MN) Oklahoma Panhandle State Santa Fe Chaminade West Virginia Wesleyan | W 67–43 W 64–62OT W 67–62 W 66–65 W 57–53 |
| 1985 | First round Second round Quarterfinals | Castleton State Southeastern Oklahoma State Wayland Baptist | W 68–52 W 60–43 L 68–73 |
| 1986 | First round Second round Quarterfinals | Taylor Cumberland Arkansas–Monticello | W 57–47 W 59–46 L 60–63 |
| 1987 | First round Second round | Western State Hawaiʻi–Hilo | W 67–51 L 57–65 |
| 1988 | First round Second round Quarterfinals Semifinals National third-place game | Defiance University of the Ozarks Saint Thomas Aquinas Auburn–Montgomery Waynesburg | W 78–62 W 73–59 W 67–61 L 70–74 W 89–61 |
| 1989 | First round Second round | Olivet Nazarene Central Washington | W 79–64 L 55–66 |
| Season | Player of the Year | Coach of the Year | First Team All-TAAC | Second Team All-TAAC | Third Team All-TAAC | Rookie of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year | Sixth Man of the Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | Marion Busby | John Kresse | Marion Busby | Thaddeous Delaney | ||||
| 1994–95 | Marion Busby (2), Thaddeous Delaney | |||||||
| 1995–96 | Thaddeous Delaney | Thaddeous Delaney (2) | Stacy Harris | Anthony Johnson | ||||
| 1996–97 | Anthony Johnson | John Kresse (2) | Thaddeous Delaney (3), Anthony Johnson | Rodney Conner | ||||
| 1997–98 | Sedric Webber | John Kresse (3) | Sedric Webber | Jermel President |
| Season | Player of the Year | Coach of the Year | First Team All-SoCon | Second Team All-SoCon | Third Team All-SoCon | Rookie of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year | Sixth Man of the Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | Sedric Webber | John Kresse | Sedric Webber | Danny Johnson, Jermel President | ||||
| 1999–00 | Jody Lumpkin | Jeff Bolton | ||||||
| 2000–01 | Jody Lumpkin | Jody Lumpkin (2) | Jeff Bolton (2) | |||||
| 2001–02 | Jeff Bolton | |||||||
| 2002–03 | Troy Wheless | Troy Wheless | Thomas Mobley | |||||
| 2003–04 | Thomas Mobley | Tony Mitchell | ||||||
| 2004–05 | Tony Mitchell | |||||||
| 2005–06 | Dontaye Draper | Ian Johnson | Josh Jackson | Jermaine Johnson | ||||
| 2006–07 | Dontaye Draper (2) | David Lawrence | ||||||
| 2007–08 | Andrew Goudelock, Jermaine Johnson | Tony White Jr. | ||||||
| 2008–09 | Andrew Goudelock | Jermaine Johnson | ||||||
| 2009–10 | Andrew Goudelock (2) | Jeremy Simmons | Donavan Monroe | Jeremy Simmons | ||||
| 2010–11 | Andrew Goudelock | Bobby Cremins | Andrew Goudelock (3) | Donavan Monroe (2), Jeremy Simmons | ||||
| 2011–12 | Andrew Lawrence, Antwaine Wiggins | Trent Wiedeman | ||||||
| 2012–13 | Andrew Lawrence (2) |
| Season | Player of the Year | Coach of the Year | First Team All-CAA | Second Team All-CAA | Third Team All-CAA | Rookie of the Year | Defensive Player of the Year | Sixth Man of the Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013–14 | Willis Hall | |||||||
| 2014–15 | — | |||||||
| 2015–16 | Jarrell Brantley, Cameron Johnson | Jarrell Brantley | ||||||
| 2016–17 | Earl Grant | Joe Chealey | Jarrell Brantley | |||||
| 2017–18 | Joe Chealey (2), Grant Riller | Jarrell Brantley (2) | ||||||
| 2018–19 | Jarrell Brantley, Grant Riller (2) | |||||||
| 2019–20 | Grant Riller (3) | |||||||
| 2020–21 | Zep Jasper | |||||||
| 2021–22 | John Meeks | Dimitrius Underwood | ||||||
| 2022–23 | Dalton Bolon | Ante Brzovic, Ryan Larson | Pat Robinson III | |||||
| 2023–24 | Pat Kelsey | Ante Brzovic | Reyne Smith | Ben Burnham | Bryce Butler | |||
| 2024–25 | Ante Brzovic (2) | Derrin Boyd, CJ Fulton | ||||||
Source[69]
Five former College of Charleston players have played in theNBA.
| Name | Years Played | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Jarrell Brantley | 2020–2021 | UTA |
| Joe Chealey | 2019–2020 | CHA |
| Andrew Goudelock | 2012–2016 | LAL andHOU |
| Anthony Johnson | 1998–2010 | SAC,ATL,ORL,CLE,NJN,IND, andDAL |
| Grant Riller | 2021 | CHA |
