Marquette Univ. hires Steve Wojciechowski as men's basketball coach
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Marquette University has hired Duke associate head coach Steve Wojciechowski to coach its men's basketball team. The school made the announcement official in an afternoon press conference on April 1st.
37-year-old Wojciechowski served as an assistant coach at Duke since the 1999-2000 season and was promoted to associate head coach in the summer of 2008. As a player and coach, he is a part of Duke's winning tradition, serving on the coaching staff for two NCAA tournament champions. During his tenure, the Blue Devils posted an incredible 441-92 record and competed in the NCAA tournament every year.
President-Elect Dr. Michael R. Lovell met extensively with Wojciechowski during the past week.
"Steve has led under one of the top coaches in the nation for more than a decade, and he is committed to leading our student-athletes to success both on and off the court," President-Elect Lovell said. "In my conversations with Steve, I quickly became confident and convinced that he will immediately build on Marquette's longstanding tradition of excellence in basketball. His work ethic combined with his experience makes him the perfect fit for our future."
"Steve Wojciechowski is a proven winner and has excelled as both an associate head coach and player at the highest level of men's basketball," Father Wild said. "This follows our historic news of President-Elect Lovell last week and continues our momentum to take a great university and basketball program to even loftier heights."
Wojciechowski also served as court coach and scout for the USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team. He helped lead on-court duties as well as game preparation from 2006-12, including the program's gold-medal performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics. The Olympic teams included NBA greats such as Marquette alumnus Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
"I come from an environment where the expectation is to win, and that is why I chose Marquette," Wojciechowski said. "I am particularly impressed with Marquette's investment in men's basketball and I'm thrilled to join an institution with so much rich history in both basketball and academic excellence. Having been a student-athlete, I know first-hand what it takes to succeed both on and off the court, and I bring tremendous passion when it comes to shaping our players into successful athletes and men."
As a player at Duke, Wojciechowski (who was often referred to as "Wojo,") was named the top defensive player in the country his senior year, a two-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference choice and honorable mention Associated Press All-America.
Wojciechowski is a native of Severna Park, Md., and a first-generation college student, having earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Duke. He and his wife Lindsay have two sons, Jack and Charlie. Lindsay is a Family Nurse Practitioner who also occasionally serves as an instructor in Duke's School of Nursing.