April 13, 2019
Graham Sims levels up again this spring. He's now a Level 9 coach. Was it his 200th career win that did it, or his trip to the Final Four? Either way, I'll take it.
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COACH DETAILS
Graham Sims - Head Coach - Lafayette
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Age: 40
High School: St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School
Hometown: Alexandria, VA
Alma Mater: Villanova
Current Level: 9
Career Record: 211 - 62
Recruiting: 82
Scouting: 58
Offense: 62
Defense: 78
Coaching History:
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Season Team Position W L CW CL Postseason
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2018 Lafayette Head Coach 34 4 13 1 Loss in NCAA Final Four
2017 Lafayette Head Coach 31 5 13 1 Loss in NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2016 Lafayette Head Coach 28 7 12 2 Loss in NCAA Round of 32
2015 Lafayette Head Coach 27 6 14 0 Loss in NCAA Round of 32
2014 Lafayette Head Coach 27 6 12 2 Loss in NCAA Round of 32
2013 Lafayette Head Coach 26 7 12 2 Loss in NIT Round 2
2012 Lafayette Head Coach 20 13 10 4 Loss in NCAA Round 1
2011 Lafayette Head Coach 18 14 7 7 Loss in CIT Round 2
Awards & Achievements:
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Season Award
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2018 Patriot League Champion
2017 Patriot League Champion
2016 Conference Coach of the Year (Patriot League)
2016 Patriot League Champion
2015 Patriot League Champion
2014 Conference Coach of the Year (Patriot League)
2014 Patriot League Champion
2013 Conference Coach of the Year (Patriot League)
2013 Patriot League Champion
Job Movement:
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Season Move
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2011 Hired by Lafayette (Head Coach)
This time I raise each of Graham's scores five points each.
Graham's assistants,
Steven Manion,
Donn McClinton, and
Thomas Liang have all leveled up, too; they're Level 5 coaches now. They'd all like raises, and I decide to honor their requests.
All three are all very good at their jobs. Coach Liang, in particular, hasn't received the credit he's due for his work to make Lafayette's defense so impermeable.
Once again, our AD decides to upgrade our
training facilities. Our score is now
46, which is 13 points higher than that of any other Patriot League program.
No jobs that would interest Coach Sims open up this spring. It looks like it will be a fairly uneventful spring...and then
Steven Manion receives an offer to become the head coach at Delaware State.
I'm not surprised that Coach Manion will get the chance to run his own program. I'll miss his recruiting expertise very much.
Now it's time for me to pick my new Recruiting Coordinator. Coach Manion was slated to earn $110,000 this season, so I have the funds available to hire a talented coach to replace him.
When I look at the list of available assistants, I notice that Lafayette alumnus
Louis Hewett is looking for work. I also notice that I created him as a very talented recruiter! Coach Hewett is seeking a $90,000 salary. I offer him what we were going to pay Coach Manion...and he turns it down!
I'm amazed at Hewett's decision. I wouldn't have offered a Level 2 coach like him anywhere near that amount of money if he weren't one of Graham's former players.
In the next round, I offer the position to
Gregg Woods. Coach Woods, 42, is a Butler alumnus. He's followed his mentor,
Charles Burns, from Winthrop to Davidson to Niagara to Alabama-Birmingham. Coach Burns retired this year (with a fine 185-82 career record), freeing Woods up to look for a new job. When I offer him $100,000/year for two seasons, he takes the job. Welcome to Lafayette, Coach.