Ed Jucker
From Hoopedia
Edwin Louis "Ed" Jucker (b.March 15, 1916 in Norwood, Ohio, d. February 2, 2002 on Callawassie Island, South Carolina), was the former head basketball coach at the University of Cincinnati. Jucker also attended Cincinnati as an undergraduate student and played on the school's basketall teams during the 1938, 1939, and 1940 seasons. He was the captain of the 1940 team. Also, while an undergraduate Ed Jucker became a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. Under Jucker's coaching direction in the early 60s, Cincinnati won back-to-back NCAA basketball championships in 1961 and 1962 and almost won a then-unprecended third consecutive title in 1963 until the Bearcats were upended 70-68 in overtime by Loyola of Chicago and All-American Jerry Harkness. Jucker holds the record for the highest winning percentage (.917) in NCAA tournament play.
Ed Jucker was a professional baseball prospect until he decided to start coaching instead of trying to make it into Major League Baseball. His coaching career began at Batavia High in Clermont County, Ohio, east of Cincinnati. Following service in the Navy during World War II, he joined the college coaching ranks as assistant basketball coach at the Merchant Marine Academy in 1946. Two years later, he became head basketball coach at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Jucker returned to Cincinnati in 1953 as assistant basketball coach and baseball mentor. He directed the UC freshman to a 67-21 record in six years as the freshmen team coach while his baseball teams were 87-39 over seven years.
In 1954, Jucker recruited and coached Sandy Koufax at UC. After watching Koufax in his first practice, Jucker got him a work-study scholarship.
Jucker left UC after the 1965 season. In 1967, he became the Head Coach of the Cincinnati Royals, a position he held for two seasons finshing 5th both years with a 80-84 record. Jucker then went to Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida where he built the school's basketball program into a national contender in NCAA Division II.
Ed Jucker is the only eligible college coach who won 2 NCAA national titles and not make the Hall of Fame. He was however nominated in 1980, and 1981.
Ed Jucker died in 2002 at age 85. The basketball floor in Fifth-Third Arena where the University of Cincinnati plays its home games is named "Ed Jucker Court in his honor.
