JERRY TARKANIAN TO SPEAK AT GREAT SOUTHERN WOOD BASKETBALL LUNCHEON
Oct 10th, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: OCTOBER 10, 2003Contact: Kelley Wright
kelley@gmacbowl.com
Mobile, Ala.- Former Fresno State head basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian will be in Mobile during "Bowl Week Festivities" as the guest speaker at the Great Southern Wood Basketball Luncheon on Monday December 15, 2003. The luncheon is scheduled for noon and will be held at the Mobile Marriott Hotel. Tarkanian will address an expected crowd of over 300 people consisting of bowl sponsors, participating basketball team members and guests. The Great Southern Wood Basketball Luncheon will tip-off a day of activities that ends with the Coors Classic Basketball Doubleheader.
"Jerry Tarkanian is an excellent addition to an outstanding list of speakers who have participated in the Great Southern Wood Basketball Luncheon. He will have a very unique perspective on college athletics and I am sure will be well received in Mobile" exclaimed GMAC Bowl Executive Director Frank Modarelli.
Tickets for the luncheon are $20 per seat with a maximum of 8 per table. The tickets are now on sale at the GMAC Bowl offices at 1000 Hillcrest Road, or by calling 251-635-0011.
After spending 38 seasons as a collegiate basketball coach, Jerry Tarkanian retired March 15, 2002, spending the last seven years at the helm of Fresno State. In those 38 seasons "Tark" compiled an incredible record that included 29 20-win seasons and a winning percentage of .803(fourth best all-time).
Tark made his first mark at Riverside (California) City College, where in five seasons at Riverside, Tarkanian led his teams to a 143-22 record and three consecutive state junior college championships. He then moved to Pasadena City College (1967-68) leading the Lancers to a 67-4 record and a state title. His seven-year junior college winning percentage of .891 (212-26) is the best at that level.
In 1968, Tark was named head coach at Long Beach State. In five seasons (1968-73) with the 49'ers Tarkanian's record was 116-17 that included four straight Big West Conference Championships (1969-‘72) and 4 NCAA Tournament appearances (1969-‘72).
In 1973, Tarkanian was on the move again, this time stopping at UNLV. Tark's stint at UNLV secured him as one of college basketball's elite coaches. While at UNLV, Tarkanian's Running Rebels made four appearances in the NCAA Final Four (1977, 1987, 1990 and 1991), winning the national championship in 1990. He led UNLV to Top 10 finishes in wire-service polls nine times (1976, 1977,1983, 1985 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992).
Tarkanian finished out his coaching career at Fresno State. In seven seasons with the Bulldogs, Tark compiled a 153-80 mark with trips to the postseason every year.
Jerry Tarkanians accomplishments as a basketball coach are truly incredible. Tark ended his career with 778 victories, becoming only the eighth coach at the major college level to reach that plateau. He averaged 25.3 wins per season during his 30-year major college coaching career. Tark is one of only a handful of coaches to lead three different schools to 20-win seasons. He has a 38-18 record in 18 NCAA tournament appearances. In 38 years at the major college and junior college levels, he never suffered a losing season. Forty-two of his players have been drafted by NBA teams, including 12 first round selections.
The 5th annual GMAC Bowl will be played on Thursday, December 18th and will feature a representative from Conference USA and the Mid-American Conference or Western Athletic Conference. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 at 6:30 p.m. CST.
For more information about the GMAC Bowl and the Coors Classic Basketball Doubleheader, please call the GMAC Bowl at 635-0011.