Jack Leaman

Who is Jack Leaman?

Jack Leaman was best known as the head coach of the University of Massachusetts Amherst men's basketball team from 1966. to 1979 where his teams compiled an overall record of 217–126, the school's all-time winningest coach. His teams won 8 Yankee Conference titles and earned 6 trips to the National Invitational Tournament. A 2 time New England Coach of the Year, he was inducted into the Boston University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977, the UMass Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988, and the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. Some of the players he coached during his tenure include Julius Erving, Rick Pitino, and Al Skinner. In all, he coached 22 All-Yankee Conference selections during his coaching career. Leaman also served as a radio color commentator for the UMass men's basketball beginning in 1994, and served as head coach for the women's basketball team for the 1986–87 season. The basketball court floor at the Mullins Center is named in his honor.

Born in Boston in 1932, he graduated from Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School in 1951. After 2 years in the United States Army, and after receiving an honorable discharge, Leaman earned both a bachelor's and masters degrees from Boston University. He led the basketball team in both scoring and assists during his 3 year playing career. As senior captain in 1959, he led the Terriers to an overall record of 20–7, culminating with a trip to the NCAA East Regional Final.