Temple University Athletics
Dean Demopoulos Named Men's Basketball Coach at UMKC
6.19.00 | Men's Basketball
KANSAS CITY, MO. -- Dean Demopoulos, assistant head basketball coach at
Temple
University, has been named men's basketball coach at UMKC, Director of
Athletics
Bob Thomas announced today.
Demopoulos comes to the Kangaroo program after 17 years as the top assistant
to
Temple coach John Chaney. He concentrated on the areas of player
development,
recruiting and assisting in the decision-making process.
"We're excited to have Dean join our UMKC family," said Thomas. "He brings a
wealth of experience and is eager to get to work implementing his plan for
success."
Alongside Chaney, Demopoulos' hard work over the past 17 years helped turn
the
Owls into a national power. Temple has made 16 NCAA tournament appearances,
including 11 consecutive trips to the tournament, and is the sixth
winningest
program in NCAA history with 1,547 wins. The current 11 straight NCAA
Tournament
appearances is a school record and is tied with Kansas for the fifth longest
streak in the nation behind North Carolina, Arizona, Indiana and UCLA. In
Demopoulos' 17 years on staff, the Temple record was 393-151, a winning
percentage of .722. During that span, the Owls were in the Elite Eight four
times (1988, 1991, 1993, 1999), won seven Atlantic 10 Conference
regular-season
titles (1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2000) and five A-10 tournament
crowns (1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 2000). Temple completed the 1987-88 season
with
a 32-2 record and was ranked first in the final Associated Press, UPI, and
USA
Today/CNN polls.
Demopoulos is recognized throughout the collegiate coaching ranks as a man
with
a keen eye for talent. With Temple, he traveled extensively seeking players
for
the program, succeeding in signing players from near and far. A quick check
of
past Temple rosters included players from the United States and all over the
world.
In addition to recruiting, Demopoulos worked with the Owl players in
improving
their skills. He worked with both the big men and guards, and experienced
success in improving the games of former Temple players Tim Perry, Ramon
Rivas,
Duane Causwell and Donald Hodge. Under Demopoulos' tutelage, each of those
players went on to NBA careers.
"It's obvious that Dean has an eye for talent and an ability to motivate and
develop players," Thomas said. "As Coach Chaney and I talked, a lot of
credit
for the successes of the Temple program and its personnel was given to Dean.
He's obviously a man with a vision and a drive to succeed."
Demopoulos' sharp recruiting eye also helped the Owls land current NBA
players
Eddie Jones (Charlotte Hornets) and Aaron McKie (Philadelphia 76ers). Temple
center Marc Jackson, the 1997 Atlantic 10 player-of-the-year as a junior,
also
was a Demopoulos find. Jackson gave up his senior season to enter the NBA
draft
and was selected by the Golden State Warriors.
Demopoulos joined Temple's staff as a full-time assistant coach prior to the
1983-84 season. A native of Philadelphia, he coached at Kennett (Pa.) High
School prior to being hired at Temple.
Demopoulos has been a head coach twice in all-star basketball tournaments.
In
1992 and 1993, he coached a summer all-star team in the Jin Dragon Super
Commercial Cup Tournament, held in Hong Kong. His teams placed first (1992)
and
third (1993) and posted a combined 9-1 record in the those competitions.
He holds a bachelor's degree in comprehensive social services from West
Chester
(Pa.) University, graduating in 1977.
Demopoulos and his wife, Pam, have two children, a daughter, Allie (11) and
a
son, James (7).
Demopoulos becomes the third men's basketball coach at UMKC in the Division
I era.
The Demopoulos File
Coaching Experience
1983-00 Temple University (Assistant Coach)
Season Record Accomplishments
1983-84 26-5 Atlantic 10 Regular Season Champion
NCAA Tournament
1984-85 25-6 NCAA Tournament
1985-86 25-6 NCAA Tournament
1986-87 32-4 Atlantic 10 Regular Season Champion
Atlantic 10 Post-season Champion
NCAA Tournament
1987-88 32-2 Atlantic 10 Regular Season Champion
Atlantic 10 Post-season Champion
NCAA Tournament (East Region finalist)
1988-89 18-12 NIT Tournament
1989-90 20-11 Atlantic 10 Regular Season Champion
Atlantic 10 Post-season Champion
NCAA Tournament
1990-91 24-10 NCAA Tournament (East Region finalist)
1991-92 17-13 NCAA Tournament
1992-93 20-13 NCAA Tournament (West Region finalist)
1993-94 23-8 NCAA Tournament
1994-95 19-11 NCAA Tournament
1995-96 20-13 NCAA Tournament
1996-97 20-11 NCAA Tournament
1997-98 21-9 Atlantic 10 Regular Season Champion
NCAA Tournament
1998-99 24-11 Atlantic 10 Regular Season Champion
NCAA Tournament (East Region finalist)
1999-00 27-6 Atlantic 10 Regular Season Champion
Atlantic 10 Post-season Champion
NCAA Tournament
