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Northeastern University Athletics

Northeastern Huskies

Bill Coen

  • Title
    Head Coach
  • Phone
    2936
AWARDS/CAREER
  • All-Time Northeastern record 270 wins
  • 2018 CAA Coach of the Year
  • 2010 and 2013 USBWA District I Coach of the Year
  • 2013 Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year Finalist
  • 2013 and 2018 NABC District 10 Coach of the Year
  • No. 2 all-time in the CAA (regular season + postseason) with 181 wins
• Bill Coen Year-by-Year Record

Bill Coen is the all-time winningest coach in Northeastern history and has led the Huskies to a CAA-best four regular-season championships since 2006 and two NCAA tournaments over the last nine seasons. Coen has recruited some of the most talented players across the globe, including 26 players that have gone on to play professional basketball.

Coen broke the all-time CAA record with 19 tournament wins and his 181 regular season and postseason wins in the CAA are second most in league history, two shy of matching the record held by former George Mason and current Miami (FL) coach Jim Larranaga. The Huskies are an impressive 13-7 (.684) in the CAA tournament since 2015, and have advanced to the CAA quarterfinals in each of Coen's 17 seasons at the helm.

The Huskies lead the conference with 162 league wins since Coen's arrival in 2005-06, and produced 34 All-CAA first team selections and nine All-Rookie accolades. Northeastern became the fifth program in CAA history to make three consecutive trips to the championship game in 2018, '19 and '20, and have advanced to the semifinals in four of the last six seasons.

NCAA TOURNAMENTS

  • 2015: The Huskies captured their first-ever CAA tournament championship, defeating No. 1 seed William & Mary, 71-60 in Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Md., and Quincy Ford earned Most Valuable Player. Northeastern took on No. 9 Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA tournament, and the Huskies had the ball in the final seconds with a change to tie or take the lead, but turned it over with two seconds left as the Irish held on to defeat NU, 69-65, in Pittsburgh inside the CONSOL Energy Center.
  • 2019: After falling in overtime in the 2018 CAA title game, the Huskies rebounded by defeating the top seed Hofstra in the CAA championship game, 82-74, behind a tremendous performance from tournament MVP Vasa Pusica. The Huskies drew No. 17 Kansas in the opening round out in Salt Lake City, Utah, falling 87-53.

CAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
The Huskies lead the conference with five championship game appearances since 2013. Northeastern made three straight title games from 2018-20, and advanced to the semifinal round in each of the last four seasons.

BOSTON CONNECTIONS
Coen has built a reputation for success in the Boston area. He came to Northeastern after spending nine seasons coaching at Boston College. A longtime member of head coach Al Skinner’s staff, Coen served four years as an assistant coach before being promoted to the role of associate head coach in May 2001.

During Coen’s nine years at Boston College, the Eagles posted a 175-108 (.618) overall record and enjoyed six postseason berths, while winning three Big East regular season crowns. In 2000-01, the Eagles went 27-5 and defeated Pittsburgh to take home the school’s first-ever Big East Tournament Championship. Between 2000-01 and 2005-06, the Eagles posted the most victories in any six-year span in school history. BC entered the ACC in 2005-06, and made a run to their first NCAA Sweet 16 since the 1991 season in 2006, falling to Villanova in a thrilling overtime game, 60-59.

RHODE ISLAND
Prior to his arrival in Boston, Coen worked under Skinner for eight seasons at the University of Rhode Island, six as an assistant coach and two as a graduate assistant. During that time, the Rams enjoyed four seasons of postseason play, heading to the NCAA Tournament in 1993 and 1997, while receiving NIT bids in 1992 and 1996. Combined, the Rams’ postseason record while Coen was on staff was 5-4. In 1991, Coen received his MBA from Rhode Island.

UNDERGRADUATE WORK
A 1983 graduate of Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., Coen played four years for the Continentals, winning three ECAC Championships. As a senior, he served as team captain and led Hamilton to a national ranking.

After graduation, Coen spent three years working in the computer software industry, before accepting his first coaching position at Canajoharie (N.Y.) High School. In his one year as head coach, he led the school to a 19-3 mark and was named Coach of the Year. The following year, he returned to his alma mater and served two seasons as assistant varsity coach and head junior varsity coach. During his tenure, Hamilton compiled a 38-10 mark.

Coen is an active member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and resides in Charlestown.


Bill Coen Year-by-Year Record
Year Overall Pct. Conf. (finish) Pct. Postseason
2006-07 13-19 .406 9-9 (T-5th) .500 CAA quarterfinals
2007-08 14-17 .452 9-9 (T-6th) .500 CAA quarterfinals
2008-09 19-13 .594 12-6 (T-3rd) .667 CAA quarterfinals; CBI quarterfinals
2009-10 20-13 .606 14-4 (2nd) .778 CAA semifinals; NIT first round
2010-11 11-20 .355 6-12 (T-9th) .333 CAA first round
2011-12 14-17 .452 9-9 (7th) .500 CAA quarterfinals
2012-13 20-13 .606 14-4 (1st) .778 CAA runner-up; NIT first round
2013-14 11-21 .344 7-9 (5th) .438 CAA semifinals
2014-15 23-12 .657 12-6 (T-1st) .667 CAA champions; NCAA tournament
2015-16 18-15 .545 9-9 (6th) .500 CAA semifinals
2016-17     15-16 .484 8-10 (6th) .444 CAA quarterfinals
2017-18     23-10 .697 14-4 (T-1st) .778 CAA runner-up
2018-19     23-11 .676 14-4 (2nd) .778 CAA champions; NCAA tournament
2019-20     17-16 .515 9-9 (T-6th) .500 CAA runner-up; NCAA canceled postseason
2020-21     10-9 .526 8-2 (T-1st) .800 CAA semifinals
2021-22 9-22 .290 2-16 (10th) .111 CAA quarterfinals
2022-23 10-20 .333 6-12 (t-9th) .333 CAA quarterfinals
TOTAL 270-264 .506 162-134 (CAA) .551 4 regular-season titles, 2 tournament championships