Providence Friars basketball — program history

Providence College, a Dominican Catholic institution founded in 1917, began its basketball program in 1921. The 'Friars' nickname naturally reflects the school's Dominican religious heritage. Providence has been a Big East Conference member since the league's founding in 1979 and reached the Final Four in 1973 and 1987. The program has produced notable NBA players including Jimmy Walker and Billy Donovan, who went on to become one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history at Florida.

The name

The 'Friars' name reflects Providence College's founding by Dominican friars, members of the Order of Preachers

Signature moment

The 1987 Final Four run under Rick Pitino, marking Providence's second and most recent trip to the national semifinals

Former Providence player Billy Donovan went on to become the head coach at Florida, winning back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007

The Providence Friars compete in the Big East and hold an all-time record of 1363–881 (.607 winning percentage) across 77 recorded seasons dating back to 1928-29. The program has reached 2 Final Fours.

Season-by-season results

SeasonRecordConferenceCoachAP peak
2025-2615-187-13 (Big East)Kim English
2024-2512-206-14 (Big East)Kim English
2023-2421-1410-10 (Big East)Kim EnglishAP #23
2022-2321-1213-7 (Big East)Ed CooleyAP #17
2021-2227-614-3 (Big East)Ed CooleyAP #8
2020-2113-139-10 (Big East)Ed Cooley
2019-2019-1212-6 (Big East)Ed Cooley
2018-1918-167-11 (Big East)Ed Cooley
2017-1821-1410-8 (Big East)Ed Cooley
2016-1720-1310-8 (Big East)Ed Cooley
2015-1624-1110-8 (Big East)Ed CooleyAP #8
2014-1522-1211-7 (Big East)Ed CooleyAP #24
2013-1423-1210-8 (Big East)Ed Cooley
2012-1319-159-9 (Big East)Ed Cooley
2011-1215-174-14 (Big East)Ed Cooley
2010-1115-174-14 (Big East)Keno Davis
2009-1012-194-14 (Big East)Keno Davis
2008-0919-1410-8 (Big East)Keno Davis
2007-0815-166-12 (Big East)Tim Welsh
2006-0718-138-8 (Big East)Tim Welsh
2005-0612-155-11 (Big East)Tim Welsh
2004-0514-174-12 (Big East)Tim Welsh
2003-0420-911-5 (Big East)Tim WelshAP #12
2002-0318-148-8 (Big East)Tim Welsh
2001-0215-166-10 (Big East)Tim Welsh
2000-0121-1011-5 (Big East)Tim WelshAP #25
1999-0011-194-12 (Big East)Tim Welsh
1998-9916-149-9 (Big East)Tim Welsh
1997-9813-167-11 (Big East)Pete Gillen
1996-9724-1210-8 (Big East)Pete Gillen
1995-9618-129-9 (Big East)Pete Gillen
1994-9517-137-11 (Big East)Pete Gillen
1993-9420-1010-8 (Big East)Rick Barnes
1992-9320-139-9 (Big East)Rick Barnes
1991-9214-176-12 (Big East)Rick Barnes
1990-9119-137-9 (Big East)Rick Barnes
1989-9017-128-8 (Big East)Rick Barnes
1988-8918-117-9 (Big East)Rick BarnesAP #20
1987-8811-175-11 (Big East)Gordon Chiesa
1986-8725-910-6 (Big East)Rick PitinoAP #17
1985-8617-147-9 (Big East)Rick Pitino
1984-8511-203-13 (Big East)Joseph Mullaney
1983-8415-145-11 (Big East)Joseph Mullaney
1982-8312-194-12 (Big East)Joseph Mullaney
1981-8210-172-12 (Big East)Joseph Mullaney
1980-8110-183-11 (Big East)Gary Walters
1979-8011-160-6 (Big East)Gary Walters
1978-7910-16IndDave Gavitt
1977-7824-8IndDave GavittAP #9
1976-7724-5IndDave GavittAP #8
1975-7621-11IndDave GavittAP #15
1974-7520-11IndDave GavittAP #10
1973-7428-4IndDave GavittAP #5
1972-7327-4IndDave GavittAP #4
1971-7221-6IndDave GavittAP #12
1970-7120-8IndDave Gavitt
1969-7014-11IndDave Gavitt
1968-6914-10IndJoseph Mullaney
1967-6811-14IndJoseph Mullaney
1966-6721-7IndJoseph MullaneyAP #7
1965-6622-5IndJoseph MullaneyAP #3
1964-6524-2IndJoseph MullaneyAP #3
1963-6420-6IndJoseph Mullaney
1962-6324-4IndJoseph MullaneyAP #10
1961-6220-6IndJoseph MullaneyAP #3
1960-6124-5IndJoseph MullaneyAP #13
1959-6024-5IndJoseph MullaneyAP #14
1958-5920-7IndJoseph Mullaney
1957-5818-6IndJoseph Mullaney
1948-497-19IndLawrence Drew
1934-3517-5IndAlbert McClellan
1933-3412-5IndAlbert McClellan
1932-3313-3IndAlbert McClellan
1931-3219-5IndAlbert McClellan
1930-3114-5IndAlbert McClellan
1929-3015-4IndAlbert McClellan
1928-2917-3IndAlbert McClellan

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