JD Gravina
JD Gravina is an American college basketball coach and the current coach of the Western Illinois women's basketball team. In his 9th season at the helm of Western Illinois Women's Basketball, Gravina has transformed the Leathernecks into one of the highest-powered offenses in the Summit League, and his teams have continued to rewrite the record book with his yearly success.
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | Western Illinois |
| Conference | Summit League |
| Record | 133–115 (.536) |
| Biographical details | |
| Alma mater | William Jewell (2000); UMKC (2002); Emporia State (2007) |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2005–2007 | McPherson College |
| 2007–2011 | Quincy University |
| 2011–present | Western Illinois |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 247–176 (.584) |
In 2016-17, Gravina’s team recorded an unprecedented 26-7 record, the best in program history, along with the program’s first Summit League Regular Season Championship in 11 years as well as the first Summit League Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament berth since 1995. Gravina’s program also featured arguably the biggest shot in program history, as Taylor Hanneman’s 3-pointer with 2.2 seconds to go sent the title game against IUPUI into overtime, where the Leathernecks went on to win 77-69. The play was also featured No. 2 on ESPN Sportscenter’s ‘Top-10 Plays.’
Along with the league championship and tournament appearance, Gravina also garnered The Summit League ‘Coach of the Year’ honor and was a recipient of his fourth-career Illinois Basketball Coaches’ Association (IBCA) ‘Coach of the Year’ award. His team also broke a combined 15 individual and team records, including wins (26), home wins (13), home game attendance (1,596 vs. South Dakota, Feb. 25, 2017), scoring (2,640) and 3-pointers made (314). In all, his team led The Summit League in points (80.0), assists (18.0), steals (11.3), blocks (4.3) and 3-pointers made per game (9.5) for the 2016-17 season.
Western Illinois also finished the season ranked in the top-10 nationally for steals, 3-pointers made, 3-pointers made per game, turnover margin, assist to turnover ratio and assists per game.
JD Gravina’s program also saw a record-setting eight regular-season league awards among five different members of the team in Emily Clemens (All-League First Team/Summit League Player of the Year), Morgan Blumer (All-League First Team/All-Newcomer Team/Transfer of the Year), Taylor Higginbotham (All-League Second Team), Olivia Braun (All-Newcomer Team) and himself (Coach of the Year).
Owing the best winning percentage in program history, Gravina last season (2018–19) again helped grow and improve the program in different areas. For the second straight season, he saw one of his seniors, become Western’s all-time leading scorer. Taylor Higginbotham took over the title in her final season and passed former teammate Emily Clemens.
Also last year, Western Illinois sat atop all Division I women’s basketball programs on the WBCA (Women’sBasketball Coaches Association) Academic Team Honor Roll with a 3.767-grade point average. The 2018-19 season featured several academic highlights for the Leathernecks, including their highest term GPA in program history. The team wrapped the spring semester with a 3.807 as six student-athletes boasted a perfect 4.0, 11 finished with a 3.6 or higher, and 13 with a 3.0 or higher.
Gravina has coached 15 All-Summit League selections, six All-Newcomer Team honorees, four of All-Tournament Team recipients, two Summit League Players of the Year (Ashley Luke, 2014–15 and Emily Clemens, 2016-17), a league tournament Most Valuable Player (Clemens) and the program's first-ever CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year (Luke), as well as the program’s first-ever Senior CLASS Award First Team All-American (Clemens).
For the 2017-18 season, Gravina led his team to its second consecutive 20-plus win season, which marks the first time since 2002-04 for the program’s history. He also saw three of his players earn All-League Selections in Emily Clemens (First Team), Morgan Blumer (Second Team) and Taylor Higginbotham (Second Team). The trio also eclipsed the 1,000-point mark individually, which marked the first time in program history that a team had three active 1,000-point scorers. Off the court, his program saw two Academic All-League honorees in Clemens and Michelle Farrow. He also saw his senior, Emily Clemens, become the program’s all-time leading scorer, as well as The Summit League’s record holder in career assists and free throws made.
On Nov. 18, 2017, Gravina and his Leathernecks earned perhaps the most monumental win in program history: a victory over then-No. 18 Stanford. This marked the first-ever win over a nationally-ranked opponent in Western Illinois Women’s Basketball history. Gravina also helped guide his team to its third-straight appearance in a postseason (the WNIT in 2018). Once again, his Leathernecks ranked in the top-10 nationally in multiple categories (steals, steals per game, three-point field goals made, three-point field goals made per game and turnover margin) and saw a combined 11 individual and team records broken. The team also set a new program record with an 81.1 scoring average that ranked 12th nationally.
In 2015-16, Michelle Maher and Sophie Reichelt each earned Second Team All-League honors while Taylor Higginbotham was named to the All-Newcomer Team. 2014-15 saw Luke earn Player of the Year while Tori Niemann earned honorable mention honors. 2013-14 was the first time WIU had three All-League honorees since 2003-04, as Luke (First Team) was joined by Tori Niemann and Michelle Maher (Honorable Mention).
Gravina took his 2015-16 team to new heights, as the Leathernecks qualified for the 2015-16 Women's Basketball Invitational. The WBI bid was the first postseason bid under Gravina, Western's first in 10 years (2005–06), and just the fourth postseason tournament appearance in program history. Western's run to the postseason was highlighted by a first-round overtime victory over in-state rival Southern Illinois, 99-97. Mallory Boyle's layup with .3 seconds left gave Western Illinois its first-ever Division I postseason basketball victory, men's or women’s. Gravina's team broke five team records, including most points in a season (2,434) most 3-point field goals in a season (292), and most field goals in a season (856) while ranking in the top-10 all-time in seven additional categories.
Gravina guided the Leathernecks to their best record under his direction in 2014-15, as the team finished tied for third in the league with a 9-7 mark and 17-13 overall. The league finish was the highest finish for the Purple and Gold since the 2007-08 team that went 12-6 and claimed a tie for second in the league. Gravina's 17 wins also mark the most victories in a season since the 2005-06 squad that went 23-7.
The 2014-15 team led by Gravina was one of the best teams statistically. WIU ranked in the top-two in six different categories, including leading the league in fewest turnovers committed per game (14), steals per game (8.4) and fewest fouls committed per game (15.1). Western made the second-most 3-pointers per game in the league last year, with their 7.6 made per game ranking 29th nationally.
Since inheriting an offense that averaged just 57.3 points per game prior to his arrival, Gravina's teams have posted three of the program's four highest-scoring seasons all-time, including a record 2,392 points in 2013-14, and a second-best total of 2,173 points in 2014-15.
Additionally, WIU's 2013-14 season was highlighted by several other marks that rank second in Western's history, including scoring average (79.7), field-goal percentage (45.3 percent), 3-pointers made (220) and free throws made (480).
Fan interest increased throughout the 2012-13 season, including when 1,156 fans packed Western Hall when the Leathernecks defeated Oakland at home on March 2, 2013, the second-highest attendance in program history. Fans in Macomb saw the Leathernecks record an impressive 10-4 home record.
In his first season at the helm, Gravina began the process of returning the Leathernecks to atop The Summit League with a 12-win season with seven of those coming in league play. The Purple & Gold tied for sixth in the regular season after being picked to finish last in the preseason poll.
The regular season was highlighted by a three-game winning streak (first since 2009) and winning five in a seven-game stretch, including a 33-point home win over Oakland followed by a victory over IPFW. The 33-point victory was the third-highest margin of victory over a Summit League program in program history as Western made 15 triples in the contest, also a program high.
Western took a definitive step forward in The Summit League Tournament with a first-round upset over No. 2 seed Oral Roberts, 83-71. In addition, Gravina and his staff helped set new marks in the program's record book.
In 2011-12, Western scored a program-record 2,050 points, and also set new standards in 3-point field goals made (215) and attempted (678). The Summit League 'Newcomer of the Year' Saule Kontautaite made a program-record 67 three-pointers. Valencia Kelly was named All-Tournament Team and Sadie Webb was named Second Team All-Summit League as well as being a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.
Gravina was named as the seventh head coach in program history on April 15, 2011, after a highly successful four-year stint at nearby Quincy University. A six-year head coaching veteran prior to Western, Gravina built a powerhouse during his time at Quincy by posting an overall record of 93-28 and taking the Hawks to the NCAA Division II National Tournament three times.
During the 2010-11 season, Gravina led Quincy to a 26-4 record and an appearance in the NCAA Division II regional semifinals. That same season the Hawks climbed as high as No. 11 in the national polls. A two-time Great Lakes Valley Conference 'Coach of the Year', Gravina also led Quincy to national tournament appearances during the 2007–08 and 2008-09 campaigns.
He was also selected as the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Division II 'Coach of the Year' three times. Gravina was named as the Women's Basketball Association Region 4 'Coach of the Year' following the 2009 season and was one of eight finalists for the 'National Coach of the Year' award.
Under his direction, Quincy won two GLVC regular-season titles and saw three players named First Team All-GLVC selections. He also coached Ali Schwagmeyer to GLVC 'Player of the Year' honors during the 2010-11 season and had three players named to the 2011 Daktronics All-Midwest Region team. During his final season with the Hawks, Gravina's team averaged 87.3 points per game, the second-best mark in the nation. His teams also excelled in the classroom, earning a cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or better every season.
Off the court, Gravina has kept both his team and himself active in community service events. His team's work with the WBCA 'Pink Zone' initiative was featured in the NCAA magazine Champions.
Prior to his tenure at Quincy, Gravina spent two seasons at McPherson College where, during the 2006-07 campaign, he helped the Bulldogs record their third winning season in 25 years.
Gravina graduate from William Jewell College in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in Mathematics and Computer Science. He competed in basketball, tennis and track and field as a student-athlete. He received his first master's degree from UMKC in Economics in 2002 and another in Health, Physical Education and Recreation from Emporia State in 2007.
He and his wife Meredith, welcomed their first child, Maryn Elizabeth, on September 3, 2014, their second child, Dominic James, on May 7, 2016, and their third child, Miller Lucille Gravina, on September 5, 2018. They are also joined by their dogs Annie and Mollie.[1]
Head coaching record
| Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McPherson College (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) (2005–2007) | |||||||||
| 2005-06 | McPherson College | 7-20 | 4-14 | ||||||
| 2006-07 | McPherson College | 14-13 | 8-10 | ||||||
| Quincy University (Great Lakes Valley Conference) (2007–2011) | |||||||||
| 2007-08 | Quincy University | 20-10 | 14-5 | 3rd | NCAA DII Tournament (Second Round) | ||||
| 2008-09 | Quincy University | 27-5 | 20-9 | 1st | NCAA DII Tournament (Second Round) | ||||
| 2009-10 | Quincy University | 20-9 | 10-8 | 7th | |||||
| 2010-11 | Quincy University | 26-4 | 16-2 | 1st | NCAA DII Tournament (Second Round) | ||||
| Western Illinois (Summit League) (2011–present) | |||||||||
| 2011–12 | Western Illinois | 12-19 | 7-11 | T-6th | |||||
| 2012–13 | Western Illinois | 14-16 | 7-9 | T-5th | |||||
| 2013–14 | Western Illinois | 14-16 | 6-8 | 5th | |||||
| 2014–15 | Western Illinois | 17-13 | 9-7 | T-3rd | |||||
| 2015–16 | Western Illinois | 16-16 | 8-8 | 5th | Women's Basketball Invitational (Second Round) | ||||
| 2016–17 | Western Illinois | 26-7 | 13-3 | 1st | NCAA Tournament (First Round) | ||||
| 2017–18 | Western Illinois | 22-10 | 10-4 | 3rd | Women's Basketball Invitational (First Round) | ||||
| 2018–19 | Western Illinois | 12-18 | 8-8 | 5th | |||||
| Western Illinois: | 133-115 (.536) | 70-58 (.547) | |||||||
| Total: | 247–176 (.584) | ||||||||
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National champion
Postseason invitational champion
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References
- "Western Illinois Athletics". goleathernecks.com.