Coach Bob Bolen
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Bob Bolen arrived at Mountain State University in 1993 to rebuild a basketball program that had lain dormant since the late '70's. Under the guidance of Coach Bolen, in thirteen short years, the Cougars have risen to the top of the NAIA in basketball. In 2004, MSU became National Champions with a 74-70 victory over California's Concordia University in the NAIA tournament. Bolen was named the 2004 NAIA National Coach of the Year, 2004 Basketball Times National Coach of the Year, and 2004 West Virginia AP College Coach of the Year. Bolen's Cougars have won 373 games in only 13 seasons, averaging over 27 wins a year. MSU had the best record, 38-1, of any college team in the country during the 03-04 campaign. MSU has been ranked one of the top five scoring teams in the nation for 14 consecutive seasons. Coach Bolen was selected as the NAIA Independent Region Coach of the year ten times and MSU has been in three National Championship games, three "sweet sixteen" rounds, and has qualified for the National Tournament nine successive years (99, 00 ,01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07,08). The Cougars have been ranked #1 in the country in 35 of the last 65 national polls. MSU has finished #1 in the final poll for 3 consecutive years (04, 05, 06). This is the first time in NAIA history that this feat has been accomplished. Coach Bolen is married to the former Lisa Toler. They have 3 children; Katie (10), Jaysen (6), and Andrew (4). |
