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Xavier University women's basketball coach Bo Browder   Robert "Bo" Browder
Women's Basketball Head Coach
Xavier University of Louisiana

 Office: (504) 520-7333     Fax: (504) 520-7934     E-Mail: rbrowder@xula.edu
Mail and Shipping: 1 Drexel Drive, Campus Box 92, New Orleans LA 70125
Best Time to Contact Browder: Weekday afternoons
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     Xavier University of Louisiana had an outstanding women's basketball program before Bo Browder became head coach in 1998. The success hasn't stopped during Browder's 14 seasons in charge.
     Browder's phenomenal success with the Gold Nuggets through the 2012-13 season includes:
     • Of the 45 senior student-athletes to play for Browder in 13 seasons, 43 received their degrees from Xavier or are still enrolled.
     • Thirteen 20-victory seasons, including a school-record active streak of 12 straight.
     • Seven Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championships — 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2012 and 2013.
     • Six GCAC Tournament championships — 2001, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
     • Twelve NAIA Division I National Championship appearances, including each of the past four seasons and a school-record seven in a row.
     • Eight victories, seven on the road, against NCAA Division I opponents — Nicholls State three times, Grambling, New Orleans, Northwestern State, Texas Southern and Tulane.
     • Leading NAIA Division I in scoring defense three times, including 2009-10 and 2010-11.
     • Five consecutive appearances in the final NAIA Division I top 25 poll — nine appearances overall, including 16th place in 2011-12. They have an active streak of 43 appearances in the top 25.
     • An average of 25.8 victories during the past 12 seasons.
     • A 185-16 record in games played at Xavier — 15-2 this past season.

 		     Bo Browder's teams have reached the NAIA Division I National Championship eight times in his first 10 seasons at Xavier.

 Bo Browder's teams have reached the NAIA Division I National Championship 12 times in 14 seasons at Xavier.
Louisiana women's college basketball coaches
who produced the most 20-game winners
at their current school:

 13 Bo Browder, Xavier
 12 Lisa Stockton, Tulane
4 Ronnie Howell, LSU-Shreveport
4 Sandy Pugh, Southern
3 Kellie Kennedy, Loyola
3 Jason Tinsley, Louisiana College
2 Nikki Caldwell, LSU
2 Brooks Donald-Williams, McNeese State
2 Mona Martin, Louisiana-Monroe
2 Teresa Weatherspoon, Louisiana Tech
1 Elston King, SUNO

          No active women's collegiate coach in Louisiana has more 20-win seasons in the state, more 25-win seasons or more consecutive 20-win seasons.
     "I inherited a great program from Coach Janice Joseph," said Browder. "We've been fortunate to continue the success. We receive great support from our administration, from the president on down. We've had a lot of talented and hard-working young women in this program, ladies who are serious about basketball and their education. And I've got a wonderful assistant coach in Darrilyn Broussard.
     "Xavier women's basketball is truly special, and a lot of people can take credit for that. I've been blessed to be associated with those people."
     The 2013-14 season will be Browder's 16th on
the Nuggets' basketball staff and his 15th as head coach. He spent his first season at Xavier, 1997-98, as an assistant coach. He then was promoted to the top spot when Joseph left after that season.
     Browder will enter 2013-14 with a 14-year Xavier record of 348-117 and 135 victories in the Nuggets' past 157 conference games. His overall record is 350-125 in 15 seasons, which includes two wins in 10 games as the University of Evansville's interim women's coach to close the 1995-96 season.
     Browder's 300th victory came March 16, 2011, when the Nuggets upset Lee (Tenn.) 63-53 in the opening round of the NAIA Division I National Championship at Jackson, Tenn. He collected his 300th Xavier victory on Nov. 8, 2011, when the Nuggets beat Spring Hill 64-54 at The Barn.
     On Feb. 9, 2013, when the Gold Nuggets won 61-53 at Philander Smith, Browder set a Louisiana collegiate women's basketball record with his 12th consecutive season of 20 or more victories. He had shared the record with hall-of-famer Leon Barmore, who led Louisiana Tech to 11 consecutive 20-win seasons from 1991-2002. The Louisiana men's record-holder is Grambling's Fred Hobdy, whose teams posted 11 straight 20-win seasons from 1956-67.
     In 2012-13 the Nuggets were 24-6, won their third consecutive GCAC regular-season championship and qualified for their fourth consecutive NAIA Division I National Championship. They closed the regular season with 12 consecutive victories, their most since 2010. All this by a team with just one senior and 10 newcomers.
     In 2011-12 the Nuggets were 26-9, won GCAC regular-season and tournament championships and, for the second consecutive year, reached the second round of the NAIA Division I National Championship. They were 19-0 when allowing 57 or fewer points, ranked in the NAIA DI top 10 in four defensive categories, and they were the only team to win at national semifinalist Georgetown (Ky.) — 79-76 on Nov. 12 after trailing by 16 points.
     In 2010-11 the Nuggets were 27-7 with three victories against NAIA top-15 teams and reached the second round of the NAIA Division I National Championship for the first time since 2003. In addition to another national scoring defense title, the Nuggets led NAIA Division I in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.233) and were second in total steals (501), fourth in steals per game (14.7) and fifth in field-goal percentage defense (.332).
     In 2009-10 the Nuggets were 28-6 and became the second women's team in GCAC history to go 18-0 in the league. They beat three more GCAC teams en route to the tournament championship and another berth in the NAIA Division I National Championship.
     Browder always has taken pride in teaching his teams to defend. Eleven of his last 12 teams allowed less than 60 points per game, and the 2010-11 Nuggets allowed less than 50 points a school-record 18 times.
     "I can coach defense," Browder said. "I don't think anyone can coach defense better than I can. Maybe as well, but not better."
     In 2007-08 the Nuggets were 27-7 and won 65-64 at top-seeded Loyola in the GCAC Tournament championship game. Although Loyola won its second consecutive GCAC regular-season title and reached the NAIA quarterfinals, Xavier beat the Wolfpack 2-of-3 times that season.
     Another highlight in 2007-08 was Browder's 200th victory as the Nuggets' head coach. He became the first in the program's history to reach that milestone when Xavier defeated the College of the Bahamas 73-42 on Nov. 29, 2007, at The Barn.
     Browder's 2006-07 team was 23-12, finished second in the GCAC regular season and tournament and earned an NAIA tourney bid despite a year's layoff because of Hurricane Katrina and the loss of four preseason starters to season-ending knee injuries. "That definitely was my toughest season of coaching," Browder said, "and it may have been my best."
     Browder's 2004-05 team was 29-5 — tying the school record for victories in a season — ranked 15th in the final poll and finished in the top seven in four statistical categories. The Nuggets were 3-0 on the road against NCAA Division I opponents Tulane, New Orleans and Nicholls State.
     When the Nuggets won 74-64 at GCAC and city rival Loyola on Jan. 26, 2005, Browder surpassed Joseph as the program's winningest coach.
     Browder emphasizes man-to-man defense and occasional backcourt pressure to convert steals into layups. He also likes overstuffed rosters and finding regular playing time for all. Case in point — during the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons, no player averaged more than 25.6 minutes per game or 12.9 points per game. Yet the Gold Nuggets went 56-11 during that time, won both GCAC regular-season championships and earned berths in the NAIA Division I National Championship.
     During the past five seasons, no Gold Nugget averaged more than 26.9 minutes, and 13 freshmen averaged double-figure minutes. The combined record was 128-37.
     "I've always believed in having every player ready to enter a game in any situation," Browder said. "When we put a freshman into the lineup in the middle of a close conference game in February, we trust she won't be scared because she's played significant minutes before that game. That's how you build depth, and that's how you build for the future."
     Prior to his arrival at Xavier, Browder was selected as the Golden Valley Conference Coach of the Year at Lassen College (1994-95) in Susanville, Calif. He then served one season (1995-96) at Evansville, an NCAA Division I member. When his boss, Faith Mimnaugh, resigned after winning only one of 16 games that season, Browder was promoted to interim head coach and led the Lady Aces to victories against Saint Louis and Bradley.
     Browder, 45, is a native of Cotton Valley, La., and moved to Houma, La., at age nine. He and his wife, Joyce, are graduates of Grambling State University. They've been married for 19 years and have one daughter, Camry.

Bo Browder's record as head coach of Xavier women's basketball

  —All Games— —GCAC Games—  
Season W L Pct.   W L Pct. Rank GCAC Tournament NAIA Tournament Final Poll
1998-99 23 10 .697   14 4 .778 2nd 2-1, 2nd Place 1st Round RV (tie-32nd)
1999-2000 15 16 .484   11 7 .611 5th 0-1, Quarterfinals — —
2000-01 27 5 .844   14 2 .875 tie-1st 3-0, Champion 1st Round 20th
2001-02 25 10 .714   11 5 .688 3rd 2-1, Second Place 1st Round 24th
2002-03 24 9 .727   15 1 .938 tie-1st 1-1, Semifinals 2nd Round 13th
2003-04 27 6 .818   17 1 .944 1st 1-1, Semifinals 1st Round 12th
2004-05 29 5 .853   15 3 .833 1st 3-0, Champion 1st Round 15th
2005-06 no team due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina
2006-07 23 12 .657   13 5 .722 2nd 2-1, Second Place 1st Round RV (26th)
2007-08 27 7 .794   14 4 .778 2nd 3-0, Champion 1st Round 24th
2008-09 23 9 .719   13 5 .722 3rd 1-1, Semifinals — RV (tie-35th)
2009-10 28 6 .824   18 0 1.000 1st 3-0, Champion 1st Round 20th
2010-11 27 7 .794   6 0 1.000 — 2-0, Champion 2nd Round 20th
2011-12 26 9 .743   12 2 .857 1st 3-0, Champion 2nd Round 16th
2012-13 24 6 .800   12 2 .857 1st 0-1, quarterfinals 1st Round TBA
14 Years 348 117 .748   185 41 .819 7 titles 26-8, 6 titles 12 trips, 3-12 record final top 25:
9 times
Louisiana lists
 Where Bo Browder ranks among state coaches
 Most 20-game winners at current school: 1st with 13
Most 20-game winners all-time: 3rd with 13
Most 25-game winners all-time: 2nd with 8
Most consecutive 20-game winners all-time: 1st with 12 (active streak and Louisiana collegiate women's basketball record)
What Coach Bo's former players say
     Crystal Fleming (1997-2001): "I had a very wonderful experience at Xavier. Coach Bo was not only a coach to me, but he was also a father figure, a role model. His spirituality always came first for him. Family was always important, too. Our team was like a family. He had a lot to prove when he got the job, but he fit in well. It was a different style than Coach Joseph's, but it worked well. He turned a lot of heads. He won all the challenges thrown at him. At Xavier you can play sports and still go to medical school, dentistry school, pharmacy school or nursing school. It's possible to keep very good grades here while still playing basketball."

     Alisheian Graham (1999-2003): "Coach Bo is a very compassionate person. He cares about all his players. And it's not just about basketball. It's other areas. He cares about your education and your growth as a person. If you have problems you can always talk to him. He's a good person. Coming to Xavier from North Carolina, I didn't know anybody when I got here, so it was good to have somebody like Coach Bo around. I loved my teammates, too. I played point guard at Xavier, and Coach Bo made me think the game more. My favorite moment was when we won the GCAC Tournament on my birthday in 2001. I had the most fun that season."

 
 
Gulf Coast Athletic Conference

 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics 		The Xavier Gold Rush and Gold Nuggets compete in Division I of the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) as a member of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC). Xavier fields men's teams in basketball, cross country, tennis and track and field and women's teams in basketball, cross country, tennis, track and field and volleyball.

Department of Intercollegiate Athletics
Xavier University of Louisiana
1 Drexel Drive
Campus Box 92
New Orleans, LA 70125
(504) 520-7329 phone
(504) 520-7934 fax

 
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