Mike Lonergan completed his fifth season as head coach for men's basketball at George Washington University in 2015-16, leading the Colonials to their first-ever postseason title and a school record 28 wins.
Over the last three seasons, GW has experienced its winningest stretch in school history with a total of 74 victories, including three straight postseason appearances and 20-win seasons for just the second time in the 102-year history of the program.
In 2015-16, GW earned its first top 25 national ranking in 10 years, and recorded victories over power conference teams Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, Penn State, UCF, South Florida, Rutgers & Big East Tournament champion Seton Hall. The Colonials had two players selected to the All Atlantic 10 Team in Patricio Garino and Tyler Cavanaugh, while that duo along with Alex Mitola gave GW three of the six representatives on the All-Academic Team.
Under Longergan, GW has created one of the best home court advantages in the country, sporting a 42-6 record in the Smith Center since 2013 which is the best in the Atlantic 10. Additionally, the Colonials have won 24 consecutive non-conference home games, including a pair of wins in the NIT over Hofstra and Florida en route to the championship at Madison Square Garden.
In 2013-14, Lonergan led the Colonials back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2007 with a trip in the Big Dance. He helped guide a team picked 10th in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll to an 11-5 league mark and third in the A-10 standings, and a 24-9 overall record to tie the third-most wins in program history. For his efforts, Lonergan was awarded a contract extension through the 2020-21 season.
A year later, he guided GW to 22 victories and a return trip to the postseason with an at-large selection to the National Invitation Tournament. Lonergan helped the Colonials post a 60-54 opening round victory at Pittsburgh for the program's first-ever win in five NIT appearances.
Lonergan is one of the winningest coaches in all of NCAA Division I, ranking 21st among active coaches with a .677 winning percentage (474-226) and 32nd on the active victories list. He has averaged more than 20 wins per season during his 23 years as a collegiate head coach, highlighted by his 400th career victory with a thrilling 81-80 overtime win over Dayton in the 2012-13 regular-season finale.
Lonergan has reestablished a recruiting pipeline in the fertile D.C. metro area, as well as on the international scene, both of which have paid big dividends for the Colonials during his tenure.
Since arriving in Foggy Bottom in the spring of 2011, Coach Lonergan and his staff have attracted six Washington Post All-Met selections to the program, as well as five foreign-born players with international playing experience.
Born and raised in the D.C. metro area, Lonergan returned to the nation's capital in May 2011 after a successful six seasons as head coach at the University of Vermont.
"The opportunity to return to my roots in the Washington, D.C., area and build a program at an exceptional school like George Washington was too good to pass up. The combination of GW's strong academics, commitment to excellence and athletics tradition make it an ideal position. I am committed to supporting and developing our student-athletes and building a program that will make GW proud," said Lonergan.
Among Lonergan's 23 years experience as a college head coach are 16 winning seasons, 13 NCAA Tournament victories including a NCAA Division III National Championship, 14 postseason appearances, 12 regular season conference titles, 13 years of 20 or more victories, 11 NCAA Tournament qualifications and six conference tournament championships. He was named the 2001 Division III National Coach of the Year and America East Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2011. Deeply committed to academic success for student-athletes, Lonergan has achieved a 100 percent graduation rate as head coach.
Lonergan came to GW after six seasons as the head coach at Vermont, where he led one of the most successful mid-major programs in the nation. Under his leadership, Vermont achieved a 126-68 overall record and 69-27 conference record, both the best in the America East Conference. Vermont captured three America East regular season championships, in 2007, 2009 and 2011, and appeared in three America East Championship games, in 2006, 2007 and 2010, winning the title in 2010. He guided the Catamounts to the 2010 NCAA Tournament and twice to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), in 2007 and 2011. At Vermont, Lonergan also served as Director of the Vermont Basketball Camp, holding two sold out sessions each summer.
Prior to his service at Vermont, Lonergan served from 2004-05 as assistant coach at the University of Maryland under head men's basketball coach Gary Williams. At Maryland, he was involved in every aspect of a top Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) program including recruiting, scouting, practice and game preparation, off season workouts and community service events. He helped lead the team to a season sweep of top ranked Duke and a semifinal appearance in the 2005 NIT.
From 1992-2004, Lonergan served as head coach for The Catholic University of America's men's basketball program and associate athletic director. At Catholic, Lonergan was the winningest coach in the program's 100-year history, with an overall record of 251-88. He led the team to nine of the 13 NCAA Tournament appearances in the history of the program, including the first since 1964. Under his leadership, Catholic won the Division III national title in 2001 and Lonergan was named the 2001 Division III consensus National Coach of the Year.
A native of Bowie, Maryland, Lonergan is a 1984 graduate of Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., where he was class salutatorian. He is a 1988 graduate of Catholic University, where he was a starting point guard and captain of the men's basketball team. He also holds a Master of Science degree from American International College. Lonergan and his wife Maggie have five children: Jack, Margaret, Michael Jr., Robert (Moe) and Regina.
PERSONAL
Michael Thomas Lonergan
Born: Jan. 28, 1966 in Silver Spring, Md.
Age: 49
Hometown: Bowie, Md.
Alma Mater: Catholic University of America (1988), B.A. History
American International College (1989), M.S. Criminal Justice
High School: Archbishop Carroll
Wife: Maggie
Children: Jack, Margaret, Michael Jr., Robert (Moe), Regina
PLAYING CAREER
1980-84 - Archbishop Carroll High School
1984-88 - Catholic University of America - Team Captain (1987-88)
COACHING CAREER
1988-89 - Assistant Coach, American International College Yellow Jackets
1989-92 - Assistant Coach, Colgate University Red Raiders
1992-04 - Head Coach, Catholic University of America Cardinals 2001 NCAA Div. III National Champions
2004-05 - Assistant Coach, University of Maryland Terrapins 2005 NIT semifinalists
2005-11 - Head Coach, University of Vermont Catamounts 2007 America East reg. season champions 2007 NIT First Round
2007 America East Coach of the Year
2007 NABC District I Coach of the Year
2007 Hugh Durham Award Finalist
2009 America East regular season champions
2009 CBI Quarterfinal Round
2010 America East Tournament champions
2010 NCAA First Round
2011 America East regular season champions
2011 NIT First Round
2011 America East Coach of the Year
2011-present - Head Coach, The George Washington University Colonials 2014 NCAA Second Round 2016 NIT Champions
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