Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Men's Basketball Head Coach
Wolff has been recognized nationally for his stellar efforts at BU. The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) named Wolff its District 1 Coach of the Year following the Terriers 23-6 season in 2003-04. The award recognizes the country[apos]s best men[apos]s collegiate basketball coaches.
The 2006-07 season featured a gifted nucleus of freshmen who faced a difficult schedule and came out with volumes of experience. The Terriers finished in the top three in the America East for the sixth straight year and among the top 20 in the nation in scoring defense for the fourth straight season.
Although Boston University[apos]s 2005-06 season was beset by injury, the Terriers still produced highlights. BU opened the season with a solid defensive effort against No. 1 Duke in the pre-season NIT. On Jan. 25, Wolff notched his 200th victory as head coach of the Terriers with a 54-40 win over Hartford.
In 2004-05, Boston University went 20-9, reaching the 20-win plateau for the fourth straight year - another school first - and prior to the current run, Terrier hoops claimed just seven 20-win seasons in its 104-year history. BU advanced to the NIT for the third time in four years, and the Terriers led the nation in field goal percentage defense (37.1%). BU was 14-4 in league play and handed 2005 NCAA tournament darling Vermont one of its two America East losses during the regular season.
In 2003-04, the Terriers put up one of the program[apos]s best regular-season performances ever, going 23-4 and winning 23 of their last 24 games. Included in that total was a 12-game winning streak, one shy of the program[apos]s best-ever 13-game streak (1996-97). The team also won its third straight America East regular-season championship. A loss in the first round of the America East tournament did not diminish the tremendous season the Terriers had. BU accepted its second straight NIT bid, going to the post-season for a third straight year.
The 2001-02 season kicked off a terrific run for the Terriers that included the 2002 America East regular season and conference titles (22-10 overall, 13-3 AE) and the program[apos]s sixth trip the NCAA tournament that same year, followed by another America East regular season title in 2003 (20-11 overall) and three consecutive post-season appearances in the NIT through 2005.
Wolff is 216-167 (.564) in 13 years at BU, and is the school[apos]s all-time leader in victories. He became the Terriers[apos] all-time leader in coaching wins with a 69-42 victory over Hartford at Case Gym on January 22, 2001. He passed Mike Jarvis (1985-90, 101-51) to move into the top spot. Wolff is also 141-82 (.632) in America East play while at BU. Including two years at Connecticut College in the early 1980[apos]s, Dennis Wolff is 246-185 (.571) in 15 years as a head coach.
Defense Continues to Be a Constant At BU
As the Terriers[apos] stingy defense epitomizes, Wolff preaches an aggressive approach, which has proven successful over the years. In 2004-05, the Terriers were 17-1 when foes scored 55 points or less, and BU held Hartford to just 22 points in a 73-22 romp - the fewest points allowed by a Terrier squad since 1940.
In 2003-04, the Terriers led America East in scoring defense, and finished second in field goal defense. In 2002-03, they held opponents to just .404 percent shooting from the field and 62.3 points per game. In 2001-02, BU led the conference in field goal defense at .390 percent and scoring defense at 64.0 points per game allowed. That team[apos]s field goal defense was the 10th-best mark in the country.
In 1996-97, BU established a league record for scoring defense in conference games, allowing a remarkably low 60.4 points per game. Overall, the Terriers allowed just 62.0 points per game that season, marking the best defensive performance for a BU team since the 1958-59 season, when the Terriers allowed only 58.6 points per game. That season was the team[apos]s first NCAA appearance.
Before Boston University
Wolff arrived at BU following a four-year (1990-94) stint as an assistant coach under head coach Jeff Jones at the University of Virginia. During his tenure in Charlottesville, Wolff was an integral part of three Cavalier NCAA appearances, including a [quote]Sweet Sixteen[quote] appearance in 1993, and one N.I.T. Championship in 1992.
Prior to his tenure at Virginia, Wolff spent four years (1985-89) as an assistant coach under Bob Staak at Wake Forest, and one year (1989-90) at Southern Methodist University under John Shumate.
Wolff began his coaching career at Trinity College, a Division III school in Hartford, Conn., where he served as an assistant from 1978-80. At the age of 25, he was named as the head coach at Connecticut College and guided the Camels to a two-year mark of 30-18, including a successful 16-8 record in 1980-81, his first year as a head coach.
In 1982, he began his first of three years as an assistant coach at St. Bonaventure under Jim O[apos]Brien. There, he helped lead the Bonnies to a 20-10 record, resulting in an NIT berth in 1983.
Personal
A 1978 graduate of the University of Connecticut, Wolff was a two-year letterman under head coaches Dee Rowe and Dom Perno after transferring from Louisiana State University in 1975. In his first season, Wolff appeared in 26 games for the 17-10 Huskies, averaging 6.0 points and 2.2 rebounds.
In his senior season, Wolff received the team[apos]s Most Inspirational Player Award after averaging 8.2 points and 3.6 rebounds a game. Second on the team in assists with 77, Wolff led the Huskies with an 84.0 percent success rate from the free-throw line.
During his playing days, Wolff and his Husky teammates faced Boston University on four occasions, winning three. The lone loss was a 66-61 decision in Case Gymnasium on Dec. 10, 1977. However, Wolff did score 14 points in the losing effort.
Born March 1, 1955 in New York City, Wolff was a standout guard for Holy Cross High School, helping his team to an overall mark of 55-11 as a three-year varsity starter. As a senior captain, he guided the club to the 1973 Brooklyn-Queens Championship. In recognition of his scholastic efforts, Wolff has since been inducted into the Holy Cross Athletic Hall of Fame.
Wolff and his wife JoAnn reside in Walpole and have three children, Nicole, 22, Matt, 21, and Michael, 18. Nicole, the 2002 McDonald[apos]s National Player of the Year, recently graduated from the University of Connecticut after a four-year career on the Huskies[apos] women[apos]s basketball team. Matt will be a senior on this year[apos]s team, and Michael plays ice hockey for Brown.
