Turgeon Named Court Coach for U.S. Pan American Team Training Camp
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Maryland men's basketball head coach Mark Turgeon has been selected as one of three court coaches for the U.S. Pan American Team training camp. He will join Jason Flanigan (Holmes Community College) and Ron Hunter (Georgia State) as court coaches on the staff.
The USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team Committee selected the court coaches. It will be the first USA Basketball coaching assignment for Turgeon.
"In coach Flanigan, coach Hunter and coach Turgeon, we have three successful coaches who are also excellent teachers," said Jim Boeheim, Syracuse Hall of Fame head coach and chair of the USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team Committee.
"Their involvement as court coaches will help have our USA Basketball squad fully prepared for the high level of competition in the Pan American Games."
Training camp will be held July 7-13 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the court coaches will assist the USA staff of head coach Mark Few (Gonzaga) and assistant coaches Tad Boyle (Colorado) and Mike Brown.
Turgeon has been a head coach for 17 years (1998-99 to present), compiling an overall record of 362-214 (.625 winning percentage). In four seasons at Maryland (2011-12 to present), he has led the Terps to a 117-40 record (.745 winning percentage). The 2014-15 season, which added 28 wins and seven losses to his coaching record, concluded in the NCAA Tournament third round.
Prior to Maryland, Turgeon was the head coach at Jacksonville State for two seasons (1998-99 and 1999-2000); at Wichita State for seven seasons (2000-01 to 2006-07), where he was 128-90 (.587 winning percentage); and at Texas A&M for four years (2007-08 to 2010-11), where he was 97-40 (.701 winning percentage).
"I'm very humbled and honored to be a part of USA Basketball and have this outstanding opportunity to be a part of the Pan American Games coaching staff," Turgeon said. "I truly admire Mark Few, Tad Boyle and Mike Brown, and I am excited to work alongside these outstanding coaches and players."
The USA Basketball Men's Junior National Team Committee also includes NCAA appointees: Bob McKillop (Davidson), Matt Painter (Purdue) and Lorenzo Romar (Washington); and athlete representative Curtis Sumpter, who won a gold medal with USA Basketball at the 2004 FIBA Americas U20 Championship and a bronze medal at the 2011 Pan American Games.
Organized by the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO)., the Pan American Games is a multi-sport competition open to men and women representing countries from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean.
The USA men have captured a record eight Pan American Games gold medals and added three silver and two bronze medals in the 16 editions of the event, which first was held in 1951. Played every four years, the USA men own an all-time record of 87-15 at the event.
For the 2015 Pan American Games, the USA has drawn preliminary round Group A and will play Venezuela on July 21, Puerto Rico on July 22 and Brazil on July 23. Playing in preliminary round Group B will be Argentina, Canada, Dominican Republic and Mexico.
The top two placing teams in each preliminary round group will advance to the medal-round semifinals on July 24, while the third and fourth place finisher in each preliminary round group will compete out for 5th-8th places. The finals are on July 25.
In all, 34 Pan Am athletes have been a member of a U.S. Olympic squad, including Ernie Grunfeld, Grant Hill, Luscious Jackson, Michael Jordan, Christian Laettner, Danny Manning, Chris Mullin, Emeka Okafor, Sam Perkins, Oscar Robertson, David Robinson, Isiah Thomas, Jerry West and Jo Jo White.