|
 After
a first season that saw him guide Virginia Tech to
new heights in its quest to re-establish its place
among collegiate basketball's elite, Seth Greenberg
is in his second season as the head coach of the
Hokies.
A new era in Virginia Tech men's basketball began on
April 3, 2003, as the Hokies introduced Greenberg as
their 27th head coach. A proven program builder, an
admired and innovative tactician and an experienced
recruiter, Greenberg guides a Tech program that made
tremendous strides in his first season and looks to
improve even more next year, in the Atlantic Coast
Conference.
"I believe we have found someone who has extensive
head basketball coaching experience and beneficial
recruiting ties throughout the Eastern Seaboard,"
Virginia Tech Director of Athletics Jim Weaver said
at the time of Greenberg's hiring.
Optimism was high as Greenberg began his tenure at
Tech, but his first season in Blacksburg turned out,
possibly, better than anyone could have hoped for.
The Hokies played well throughout the season,
despite being limited by injuries. And, most
importantly, the team improved consistently
throughout the year.
The aggressive, up-tempo style that Greenberg
installed in his first season with the Hokies has
seen immediate dividends and has brought a renewed
sense of excitement to Cassell Coliseum, as well as
to the "Hokie Nation". The Hokies led the BIG EAST
Conference in steals, turnover margin and
assist/turnover ratio in 2003-04.
When the team needed to step up, it did. The Hokies
finished the 2003-04 season strong with a 15-14
overall record and a best ever 7-9 BIG EAST mark.
The Hokies entered the BIG EAST Tournament as the
eighth seed and defeated Rutgers, 61-58, in the
first round before falling in the quarterfinals to
nationally ranked Pittsburgh. Tech finished the
regular season winning its last three games and last
five home games. Picked to finish last in the league
in the coach's preseason poll, the Hokies finished
the regular season in eighth place.
A proven recruiter, Greenberg has captured the
excitement of the pending ACC move and signed
perhaps Tech's best recruiting class. With the loss
of only one starter, the future looks bright for the
Hokies.
Perhaps the biggest influences seen in the program
have been the work ethic and attention to detail
that Greenberg and his staff have instilled. And
when speaking of hard work, the principle begins at
the top, Greenberg himself. Long hours of watching
film, instructing players and program development,
along with tireless work in promoting the program
and university and being involved in the community
have made Greenberg a popular face on the Blacksburg
campus and in the "Hokie Nation."
Greenberg came to Virginia Tech from the University
of South Florida, where he served as head coach for
seven seasons. At USF, Greenberg had a record of
108-100. Prior to USF, Greenberg was the head coach
at Long Beach State University, where his overall
record was 105-70. In his 14 years as a head coach,
Greenberg has an overall record of 227-183. An
important side note is that, following his initial
seasons at LBSU and USF, Greenberg compiled a
194-134 record at the two schools.
During his time at Long Beach and USF, Greenberg's
teams posted impressive records against major
conference opponents. Included during his Long Beach
State tenure were wins over four nationally ranked
teams, including a 64-49 victory against then-No. 1
Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse in 1992-93. At South
Florida, his teams were 2-0 against Ohio State, had
two wins over Texas, and won at Pittsburgh during
the Panthers' run to the Sweet 16 in the 2001-02
season. The Bulls defeated eventual Final Four team
Wisconsin in the 1999-2000 season.
At South Florida, Greenberg led the Bulls to two
National Invitation Tournament appearances and
victories in Conference USA play against nationally
ranked opponents.
During his years in collegiate coaching, Greenberg
has helped develop many outstanding players. From
his time at Long Beach State, former 49er Lucious
Harris is the Big West Conference's all-time leading
scorer. And in just his first season at Virginia
Tech, Bryant Matthews led the Big East Conference in
scoring and was second in assists, behind teammate
Jamon Gordon.
While at South Florida, Greenberg recruited and
coached Conference USA's all-time leading scorer
Altron Jackson and number-four scorer B.B. Waldron.
Waldron is second in career rebounds in C-USA and
the pair is one-two in field goals made in the
league. Also, Reggie Kohn is C-USA's all-time leader
in assists and former Bull Cedric Smith and Waldron
are first and second in league history in steals.
A 1978 graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson, Greenberg
was a four-year letterwinner under head coach Al
Lobalbo. His father, the late Ralph Greenberg,
played at Long Island University under coaching
legend Clair Bee, one of college basketball's
all-time winningest coaches.
Greenberg began his coaching career as an assistant
at Columbia in 1978. He moved to Pittsburgh two
years later where he made two trips to the NCAA
Tournament in three years with the Panthers. He then
spent the 1983-84 season at Virginia, helping the
Cavs reach the Final Four before moving on to Miami
as an assistant under future Virginia Tech head
coach Bill Foster. There, he helped revive a program
that had been dormant for a number of years.
Greenberg first went to Long Beach as associate head
coach under Joe Harrington and, three years later,
replaced Harrington when he accepted the head
coaching position at Colorado. In his six seasons at
LBSU, Greenberg led the 49ers to two NCAA Tournament
appearances and one NIT appearance. He led LBSU to
two Big West Conference championships and one Big
West regular season title. While at LBSU, the 49ers
defeated four nationally ranked teams. Greenberg
also tutored two current NBA players - Bryon Russell
(Utah), and Lucious Harris (New Jersey) - and former
NBA player Juaquin Hawkins. The hope is that former
Hokie Bryant Matthews will join that list of NBA
players this season.
This past summer, Greenberg received a lofty honor,
when he was inducted into the Five Star Basketball
Camp's Hall of Fame. The honor, shared by some of
the greatest coaches like Rick Pitino and Hubie
Brown, was bestowed for the many years that
Greenberg has been a part of the nation's top summer
basketball camp, as an instructor and guest speaker.
Known as one of the more insightful and
knowledgeable coaches in the college game, Greenberg
served as an analyst for College Sports Television's
coverage of the NCAA Tournament last season and is
often a guest on national, regional and local sports
talk shows, including ESPN Radio and the Jim Rome
Show.
Greenberg and his wife, Karen, are the parents of
three daughters, Paige (16), Ella (13) and
Jacqueline (9). The Greenbergs are active in a
number of organizations and causes, including the
Boys and Girls Club. This May, The Greenbergs, along
with Roanoke College coach and former Hokie Page
Moir and his wife and VMI coach Bart Bellairs and
his wife will initiate "An Evening at Center Court,"
a fund-raising dinner at the Hotel Roanoke for
benefit the American Cancer Society's Coaches vs.
Cancer campaign. |
