MOSCOW, Idaho - George Pfeifer's role on the University of Idaho basketball staff took a distinctly upward turn Saturday afternoon when he was introduced as the Vandals' head coach.
"I'm humbled," Pfeifer said. "This is indeed an honor to have an opportunity to be a part of the rich tradition and history that is associated with this program and this university."
"I'm excited, grateful, confident, all those things. I'm dedicated to putting together all the pieces to make this program exciting and successful."
UI president Tim White welcomed Pfeifer in his new role.
"I am very pleased that George has accepted the position of men's head basketball coach," White said. "He has proven to be a successful head coach, and I am confident he will move the program forward. I am so pleased with the very positive response this decision has been given by the student-athletes and other members of the Athletic Department."
Director of Athletics Rob Spear said Pfeifer emerged as a clear choice after two weeks of interviews.
"We were very thorough with this process," Spear said. "I talked with NBA head coaches, Division I head coaches and my contacts across the country. The common denominator is George can coach."
"The best analogy I can draw is, players always know who the best players are. Coaches are the same. They know who the best coaches are. Everyone I talked to said, 'Why don't you look in your own building?' "
Pfeifer's support comes not only from within UI's official ranks but from throughout the Vandal community. Don Monson, the legendary UI coach who put Vandal basketball on the national map with his early 1980s teams, is one of Pfeifer's many fans.
"George Pfeifer is a highly regarded basketball coach," Monson said. "He is an excellent tactician and has proven his ability as a successful recruiter, particularly in the Northwest. And, he has the record that demonstrates his ability to build a winning program."
Down the hall in Vandal Athletics comes support from another within the coaching fraternity.
"I had the opportunity to meet all the candidates," said recently returned football coach Dennis Erickson. "George is the perfect fit for this job, he knows Idaho, he knows the Northwest and he knows basketball. I welcome him as a colleague."
In a storied career at Lewis-Clark State College, Pfeifer compiled a 296-208 record (a winning percentage of 58.7 percent). Prior to Pfeifer taking over as head coach, LCSC had won just one post-season game in school history, and that was in 1947. In his final six seasons, he was 140-56 (71.4) and won back-to-back Frontier Conference titles (2004 and 2005) for the first time in school history. During his tenure, the Warriors qualified for the National NAIA Tournament six times. He is 34-19 in post-season competition.
Prior to accepting the LCSC heading coaching job in 1989, he served as the assistant with the Warriors for two years. He was also head women's coach at Rocky Mountain College and was the men's assistant coach at RMC for one year, during which time RMC won the conference tournament and qualified for the national tournament.
Pfeifer graduated from LCSC in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Science and a minor in Physical Education and Coaching. He earned his master's degree in Educational Secondary Administration from UI in 1989. He and his wife, Susan, have three children, Duncan, Jennifer and Abigail.
Pfeifer's contract will be brought to the Regents of the University of Idaho and the State Board of Education for approval.
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Contact: Becky Paull, UI Athletics, (208) 885-0245, bpaull@uidaho.edu
About the University of Idaho
Founded in 1889, the University of Idaho is the state's premier higher-education institution and its principal graduate education and research university. UI also serves the nation and the world, attracting more than 12,000 students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries. UI's diverse student population includes first-generation college students, ethnically diverse scholars and high academic performers, its student-athletes, for example, graduate at the rate of 68%, exceeding that of the student body at large. The University of Idaho combines the strengths of a large university, offering 106 degree options in nine colleges, with the intimacy of a small community. And attracting more than $100 million in federal research grants and contracts each year, UI is ensuring its cutting-edge academic programs and research benefit the world for years to come. For more information, visit http://www.uihome.uidaho.edu.
