Belmont Bruins men's basketball

Coaching staff

• Casey Alexander – Head coach
• Brian Ayers – Associate head coach
• Kerron Johnson – Assistant coach
• Sean Rutigliano – Assistant coach
• Luke Smith - Director of Player Development
• Harrison Gascho – Director of Basketball Operations
• Graduate Assistant - Clay Holmes
• Graduate Assistant - Bryce Haase

Rivalries

Lipscomb University (Battle of the Boulevard)

The Battle of the Boulevard, also referred to as the Belmont–Lipscomb basketball rivalry is a college basketball rivalry between the Belmont University Bruins and the Lipscomb University Bisons. Its nickname was established because of both school's close placement in Nashville, Tennessee– about three miles apart on the same road.

Murray State University

Recently, the Bruins have been building a rivalry with Murray State University since the Bruins' entry into the OVC in 2012. From that year until both teams' departure from the OVC in 2022, Belmont and Murray State combined to win every regular season championship, including two seasons (2018-19 & 2019-20) where they shared the title. In three consecutive years (from 2018 to 2020), the Racers and Bruins met in the OVC Tournament finals, with Belmont winning the 2020 meeting. With Belmont joining the MVC alongside Murray State, the rivalry will continue in that conference. The Bruins currently lead the all-time series 13 to 12.

Awards

All-Americans

• Robert Barnes – 1956*
• Adam Sonn – 2003*
• Alex Renfroe – 2009*
• Ian Clark – 2013*
• J.J. Mann – 2014*
• Evan Bradds – 2016, 2017

(*) Denotes Honorable Mention

Academic All-Americans

• Wes Burtner – 2001***, 2002*
• Adam Mark – 2002**, 2003*, 2004*
• Justin Hare – 2007**, 2008*
• Andy Wicke – 2009***
• Scott Saunders – 2011**, 2012
• J.J. Mann – 2014*
• Craig Bradshaw – 2015*, 2016
• Evan Bradds – 2016*, 2017
• Dylan Windler – 2018, 2019
• Luke Smith – 2021, 2022

(*) Denotes 1st team

(**) Denotes 2nd team

(***) Denotes 3rd team

NACDA Scholar-Athlete of the Year

• Adam Mark – 2004
• Justin Hare – 2008
• Mick Hedgepeth – 2011
• Craig Bradshaw – 2015

Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year Award

• Rick Byrd – 2011

NCAA Bob Frederick Sportsmanship Award

• Rick Byrd – 2012

Ohio Valley/ASUN Conference Player of the Year

• Adam Sonn – 2003
• Alex Renfroe – 2009
• Ian Clark – 2013
• J.J. Mann – 2014
• Evan Bradds – 2016, 2017

OVC/ASUN Defensive Player of the Year

• Ian Clark – 2012, 2013
• Grayson Murphy – 2020, 2021

OVC/ASUN Coach of the Year

• Rick Byrd – 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019

NAIA National Coach of the Year

• Rick Byrd – 1995

NAIA National Player of the Year

• Joe Behling – 1989

NAIA All-Americans

• Joe Behling – 1988*, 1989*, 1990*
• Kerry West – 1995*
• Al Allen – 1995**
• DaQuinn Goff – 1996*

(*) Denotes 1st team

(**) Denotes 2nd team

Record by year

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Postseason results

They have appeared in eight NCAA Tournaments. Their combined record is 1–8. They qualified for the 2020 NCAA Tournament before it was canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) four times with a combined record of 3–4. They have appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) once with a record of 1–1. Prior to joining NCAA Division I, they participated in five NAIA Division I Tournaments. Their combined record is 9–5.

NCAA Tournament Results

In the 2008 tournament, the #15 seeded Bruins, playing in the West Region, played an exciting, hard-fought first-round game with a perennial powerhouse, the #2 seeded Duke Blue Devils. The Bruins came up one point short of the upset, losing the game 70–71 after Justin Hare's desperation three point attempt barely went wide left of the net. The Bruins rallied from 9 point and 7 point deficits in the second half to take a 70–69 lead late in the game, before Duke scored what proved to be the game's final basket with under a minute left to play.

In 2011 Belmont University won the Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championship and the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament. The Bruins finished 30–4 overall (marking their first 30 win season in the NCAA era) and 19–1 in conference play. By doing this they received their highest seed in their history, a #13. They faced the perennial powerhouse the #4 seed Wisconsin Badgers in the second round of the Southeast Region, where they lost 58–72.

NIT results

CIT Results

NAIA Division I Tournament

Bruins in professional leagues

Current

• Alex Renfroe, CB Miraflores (Spain)
• Ian Clark, Xinjiang Flying Tigers (China)
• J.J. Mann, Okapi Aalst (Belgium)
• Amanze Egekeze, P.A.O.K. BC (Greece)
• Austin Luke, Yoast United (Netherlands)
• Dylan Windler, Perth Wildcats
• Kevin McClain, Baskets Oldenburg (Germany)
• Ben Sheppard (basketball), Indiana Pacers

Record book

Retired numbers

Main article: List of NCAA men's basketball retired numbers

Individual career records

References

References

1. (September 28, 2021). "Belmont University to Join Missouri Valley Conference". Belmont Bruins.
2. (September 28, 2021). "Belmont University to Join Missouri Valley Conference". Belmont Bruins.
3. [https://www.belmontbruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/2020-21/files/bel.mbb.2021_record_book.pdf Belmont Bruins History & Tradition] {{Webarchive. link. (2021-06-25 .Retrieved October 11, 2020)
4. [http://belmont.prestosports.com/information/academicAwards/allamericans Belmont: List of Academic All-Americans]
5. [https://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/public/NCAA/Resources/Latest+News/2012/July/NCAA+honors+student+athletes+with+Sportsmanship+Awards,+Belmonts+Byrd+wins+Bob+Frederick+Award NCAA Bob Frederick Sportsmanship Award] {{webarchive. link. (December 5, 2013)
6. [http://campus.belmont.edu/mp3/bruins/mbb2016/ 2016-17 Media Guide]
7. [https://belmont.prestosports.com/information/hall_of_fame/bios/robert_barnes Robert Barnes bio] at belmont.com
8. [https://belmont.prestosports.com/information/alumni_spotlight/profiles/behling_profile Athlete Alumni Spotlight -- Joe Behling] at belmont.com
9. (2025-01-08). "Belmont to Retire Jersey of Men's Basketball Legend Ian Clark".