Head Coach

John Tharp

email: john.s.tharp@lawrence.edu

John Tharp - Coaching Record Year by Year

                                YEAR                        Conference                    Overall (NCAA)

                                2005-2006                   16-0*                              25-1 (Sweet 16)

                                2005-2004                   12-4*                              20-6 (2nd Round)

                                2003-2004                   13-3*                              24-5 (Elite 8)

                                2002-2003                   12-4                                18-6

                                2001-2002                   7-9                                  9-14

                                2000-2001                   6-10                                9-13

                                1999-2000                   9-7                                  13-11

                                1998-1999                   9-7                                  13-9

                                1997-1998                   10-3                                16-8

                                1996-1997                   12-2*                              22-3 (1st Round)

                                1995-1996                   7-7                                  14-8

                                1994-1995                   4-10                                8-14

                                TOTALS           117-66                   191-98

                        * Denotes Midwest Conference Champions

Head Coach John Tharp

with Seniors #40 Matt Osland, #4 Ryan Knox, and #24 Nate Dineen

    John Tharp has driven the Lawrence University Men's Basketball program to unprecedented success.  As he enters his 13th season as the Vikings' head coach, Tharp is coming off three of the finest seasons in school history.  The Vikings finished the 2005-06 season with a 25-1 record and finished the regular season ranked #1 in the nation.  Lawrence won a third consecutive Midwest Conference Championship and advanced to the sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second time in three years.

    The Vikings went 20-6 in 2004-05 and won their second consecutive MWC title.  Lawrence then advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.  The Vikings finished with a 24-5 record in 2003-04, won the conference championship, and advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III Tournament; farther than any other team in the history of the Midwest Conference.

    Over the past three seasons, Lawrence has a 69-12 record for an .852 winning percentage, the best among any team in all of NCAA Division III basketball.  "We have enjoyed the great success over the past three seasons," Tharp said.  "We are not content to rest on our laurels.  We want to prove that Lawrence Basketball can consistently compete with the best teams in the nation."  Tharp has a career record of 191-98, which makes him the winningest coach in school history.  His .661 winning percentage is the best of any Lawrence coach with more than 25 victories.  Tharp led the Vikings to their first Midwest Conference championship in 53 years when his team took the title in 1997.  That championship gave Lawrence its first appearance in the NCAA Division III National Tournament.

    The Vikings have now hosted the Midwest Conference Tournament three straight years from 2004 to 2006 and are a perennial contender for the conference championship.  The Vikings have played in the 4-team conference tournament in seven of Tharp's 12 at the helm, including the last four.  "The one thing we've talked about is that, when you put a Lawrence University jersey on, winning comes with that."  Tharp said.  "You have to have pride to wear that jersey and represent our university."

    Before coming to Lawrence, Tharp spent 3 years as an assistant at his alma mater, Beloit College.  At Beloit, he earned his bachelor's degree in History in 1991 and his master's degree in education.  He was a two-time all-conference performer and was an NCAA Division III assists leader during his career.  Tharp is a native of Sheboygan and was a standout on the 1986 WIAA Class A State Championship team at Sheboygan North, playing for legendary coach Tom Desotell.  Tharp and his wife, Jennifer, have three children; McKayla, Logan, and Lukas.  The Tharp's reside in Appleton.

Tharp with Team Captains #40 Matt Osland and #10 Ben Rosenblatt