Orr named Bowling Green's new basketball coach

Apr 4, 2007, 20:40 GMT

Bowling Green, OH - Bowling Green State University named Louis Orr as its new head men's basketball coach on Wednesday. Orr, an Ohio native, becomes the 15th head coach in Falcons' basketball history.

The 48-year old Orr was most recently the head coach at Seton Hall University, where he compiled a record of 80-69 in five seasons (2001-06) for the Pirates. He was the first former Big East player to coach at a conference institution.

Orr was named the Big East Conference's Coach of the Year in 2003 becoming the first person in league history to receive league honors as a player and as a coach and took the Pirates to two NCAA tournaments.

'My family and I are very excited about this new chapter in our life,' said Orr. 'We have a unique opportunity to do what we love and at the same time share this with those who are closest to us. It is the perfect situation. Through the process, I have been tremendously impressed with the quality of the individuals who care about the program and the kindness they have extended to my family.'

Orr began his coaching career as an assistant under Pete Gillen at Xavier University in his hometown of Cincinnati, spending four years there (1991-94). He also served assistant-coaching stints at Providence College (1994-96) and Syracuse (1996-2000), helping those three teams to a combined four NCAA tourney appearances and four NIT trips.

Orr, a star player out of Cincinnati's Withrow High School, attended Syracuse, where he was the first recruit of head coach Jim Boeheim. He earned All- America honors his senior season and was chosen by the Indiana Pacers with the 28th pick of the 1980 NBA Draft.

Orr played two seasons with the Pacers and six more with the New York Knicks. He averaged 9.8 points per game over his professional career, with a career- high 12.7 ppg. for the Knicks in the 1984-85 campaign.

'I am excited to welcome Louis and his family to BGSU,' said BGSU director of athletics Greg Christopher. 'He has a passion for coaching and teaching young men that is evident. It is that inner drive that he was able to share with us during this process that gives me great confidence that we have attracted an individual to our campus who will mentor and develop champions both on the court and in life.'

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