| John Tauer, right, will stay
on as head men's basketball coach at St. Thomas, under former head
coach and current athletic director Steve Fritz. UST athletics photo by Mike Ekern |
St. Thomas announced that John Tauer will become its head coach of men’s basketball after serving as interim head coach for the 2011-12 season.
Tauer, who went through formal interviews earlier in April, was
a four-year standout player and 11-year assistant at St. Thomas
before directing a season as interim coach in 2011-12.
The St. Paul native and 1991 Cretin-Derham Hall graduate was
appointed interim coach in May 2011 after the retirement of
head coach Steve Fritz shortly after the 2010-11 Tommies
won the NCAA Division III championship.
Fritz guided UST men’s hoops to a .708 winning percentage,
594 victories and 16 MIAC regular-season championships in his 31
seasons.
Tauer remains the 22nd head coach in St. Thomas’ 106-year
varsity history but just the third since 1954 following Tom Feely
(1954-1980) and Fritz (1981-2011).
UST graduated four starters from its 2011 national title team,
then the lone returning starter, center Tommy Hannon, was lost last
December with a season-ending knee injury. Yet Tauer was able to
guide St. Thomas to a share of the conference title and the MIAC
playoff championship. The Tommies, who finished 22-7, won an
overtime game on a neutral court in the NCAA playoffs before losing
on the road to eventual national champ UW-Whitewater.
St. Thomas became the first program in 60 years to win or share
seven consecutive MIAC men’s basketball championships. The
Tommies’ 105 victories over the last four seasons are the
most in Division III.
“I am ecstatic to be the head men’s basketball coach
at the University of St. Thomas,” Tauer said. “This is
a dream come true for me. This university and this basketball
program are both very special to me. I started attending St.
Thomas games with my parents when I was six years old, and now my
sons Jack and Adam love attending our games.”
Fritz, who continued as the St. Thomas director of athletics, said
Tauer is a dream candidate. “John Tauer is a
wonderful fit to guide our men’s basketball program moving
forward,” Fritz said. “He understands the university
and our Division III philosophy. He’s earned the respect of
his players and his peers in coaching and is a tremendous
ambassador for St. Thomas. We know he’ll be very successful
as he carries on the tradition of Tommie basketball.”
Tauer said that St. Thomas basketball is like a family and he
credits many for their contribution.
“I am indebted to Steve Fritz, who coached me for four
years, and who I served as an assistant coach for 11 years,”
Tauer said. “Steve has been a tremendous mentor, role model,
and friend. I am also thankful for all of my wonderful colleagues
in the Psychology department who have been outstanding to work with
the past 12 years, and to all of the members of the athletic
department who I now get to interact with and learn from on a daily
basis. We are also grateful to President Dease, Dr. Mark Dienhart,
Mark Vangsgard, and Dr. Jane Canney for their dedicated support of
UST basketball.
“I want to acknowledge our assistant coaches. Jon Hughes,
Don Johnson, Tommy Fritz, B.J. Viau, Mike Keating, and Jim Hayes
have all been instrumental in our success. They contribute so much
to our program, and in the development of our players. Each of them
brings a plethora of skills to help our players and our
program.
“I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge all the former
Tommies, guys who played before and after me, my teammates at UST,
and the players we have coached the past 12 years. They have laid
the groundwork and set the bar high for our expectations of
success. They are outstanding examples of the balance of excellence
between academics and athletics. Our alumni network is one that we
take great pride in, and is a group of individuals that continues
to give back to UST Basketball in myriad ways.
“Our priorities and mission in the basketball program have
been and will continue to be faith, family, academics, and
athletics. We encourage our players to honor the first two and
excel in the last two as we strive to be at the top of the MIAC, to
be prominent nationally, and to help our players develop and excel
personally and professionally. The confluence of academics,
athletics, and career preparation are a special foundation that
serve as the incubator for our players to grow intellectually,
socially, spiritually, physically, and emotionally during their
time at St. Thomas.
“I am blessed to have had two different positions at St.
Thomas that allow me to blend two of my passions -– teaching
psychology and coaching basketball,” Tauer explained.
“My situation has been unique in my work as a college
basketball coach because the motivation research I conduct is
closely tied to the courses I teach and the work we do as
basketball coaches. “I am blessed to have the opportunity to
coach and teach at a university so committed to developing
outstanding people. As a staff and program, we share that
commitment as we pursue excellence on the court, and in working
with and developing outstanding student-athletes.”