Men's Basketball
Beard, Chris
Chris Beard
- Title:
- Head Coach
HONORS & AWARDS - TEXAS TECH
2018-19 Associated Press National Coach of the Year
2018-19 Big 12 Coach of the Year
2018-19 USBWA District VII Coach of the Year
2018-19 Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Coach of the Year
2017-18 John McClendon National Coach of the Year
2017-18 NABC District 7 Coach of the Year
2017-18 USBWA District VII Coach of the Year
2017-18 Big 12 Co-Coach of the Year
HONORS & AWARDS - LITTLE ROCK
2015-16 NABC District 24 Coach of the Year
2015-16 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year
Chris Beard has led Texas Tech to a 112-55 record through five seasons where the Red Raiders have advanced to the 2019 National Final after reaching the Elite Eight in 2018 for the first time in program history. Beard and the Red Raiders advanced to the 2021 NCAA Tournament Second Round and have earned a spot in the tournament four straight years which is a program record. Under Beard, Tech has an impressive 9-3 NCAA Tournament record with the team competing in the 2018, 2019 and 2021 NCAA Tournaments with the 2020 tournament canceled due to the coronavirus.
He was named the program’s 17th head coach on April 15, 2016 by Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt and Interim University President Dr. John Opperman. Beard was named the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2019, led Tech to the 2019 Big 12 Conference regular-season championship and 2019 Final Four and was named the 2019 Associated Press National Coach of the Year. Keenan Evans and Jarrett Culver each earned Consensus All-American honors under Beard while the program has had 13 All-Big 12 and 21 Academic All-Big 12 selections in the past five seasons. Beard is 74-13 in home games leading the program, including going 33-12 in Big 12 games at the United Supermarkets Arena.
Along with team success, three players have been selected in the NBA Draft in the past three seasons. Smith was the program’s first one-and-done NBA prospect and program’s second NBA Draft First Round selection when he was chosen No. 16 overall by the Phoenix Suns and traded to the Philadelphia 76ers as part of a draft night trade. He was followed by Jarrett Culver who was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves for Beard’s first lottery pick and Jahmi’us Ramsey left after his first season and was picked by the Sacramento Kings in the second round. Beard and the program has also seen multiple players sign two-way contracts with Keenan Evans, Tariq Owens and Matt Mooney earning NBA call-ups.
2020-21: Beard led the Red Raiders back to the NCAA Tournament and to the second round in his fifth season. Tech was nationally ranked throughout the season for the first time in program history with a No. 21 spot in the final polls and as high as No. 7 in February. The Red Raiders finished the season with an 18-11 record, including going 9-8 in Big 12 play. Advancing to the national tournament, Tech earned a 65-53 win over Utah State in the first round before falling 68-66 to Arkansas to end its season. TTU led the Big 12 by limiting opponents to 63.2 points per game for the season, including holding 13 of 29 opponents under 60. The Red Raiders had four players earn All-Big 12 honors during the season with Mac McClung, Terrence Shannon, Jr., Kyler Edwards and Kevin McCullar securing selections while McClung was tabbed an All-District performer by the NABC and USBWA. Six Red Raiders earned Academic All-Big 12 honors which established a new program record.
2019-20: In the shortened 2019-20 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, Beard led the Red Raiders to an 18-13 overall record and to a third-place tie in the Big 12 standings before the postseason was canceled due to the virus. The season was highlighted by knocking off No. 1 Louisville with a 70-57 win at the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York and a 46-point victory over TCU (88-42) which is the largest margin of victory in Big 12 play in the program’s history. Beard’s record in home games is at 74-13 as the Texas Tech head coach. Ramsey earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors, while Davide Moretti earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. Ramsey and Shannon were named to the All-Big 12 Freshman Team.
2018-19: Beard led the 2018-19 team to a national runner-up finish and a 31-7 overall record after earning NCAA Tournament wins over Northern Kentucky and Buffalo in the first and second rounds in Tulsa, a Sweet 16 victory over Michigan and then an Elite Eight win over Gonzaga in Anaheim. The program reached the Final Four for the first time in program history under Beard and knocked off Michigan State with a 61-51 victory to advance to the title game. Beard and the Red Raiders took Virginia to overtime in the championship game before falling 85-77 to finish as the national runner-up. Culver was named an All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year under Beard's leadership after the season, while also securing All-Big 12 First Team honors. Matt Mooney secured All-Big 12 Second Team honors and Tariq Owens was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection. Culver was Tech's first ever Big 12 Player of the Year.
2017-18: Beard elevated the Red Raiders to an elite level of success following a 27-10 record and the program’s first NCAA Elite Eight trip in 2017-18. The 27 wins are the second-highest in program history only behind the 30-2 mark put together by the 1995-96 team under James Dickey. He came away as the 2018 Big 12 Co-Coach of the Year, the 2018 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 8 Coach of the Year, the 2018 United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) District VII Coach of the Year and the 2018 John McClendon National Coach of the Year award recipient. Evans earned All-American and All-Big 12 First Team honors, while Zhaire Smith was named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. Texas Tech garnered a program-best No. 6 final ranking in the USA Today/Coaches Top 25 poll. The Red Raiders checked in as a consensus Top 15 program for the final 10 weeks of the regular season highlighted by six Top 10 rankings. The 1995-96 season was the only other time the program was ranked among the nation’s Top 10.
2016-17: Beard led the Red Raiders to an 18-14 overall record and to a 16-3 mark in home games during his first season as the program’s head coach. The Red Raiders earned an 84-78 win over No. 4 Baylor on their home court, knocked off No. 7 West Virginia in overtime and a 66-65 win over No. 25 Kansas State to highlight the season with three ranked wins. Keenan Evans was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team and Zach Smith secured All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection.
PRIOR TO TECH
Beard guided Little Rock to a historic turnaround in 2015-16 fueled by 30 victories, which was a program single season record and Sun Belt single season mark. The Trojans claimed the Sun Belt regular season and tournament titles en route to the program’s fifth NCAA Tournament bid.
Little Rock overcame a 14-point deficit during the final five minutes of the second half and won an 85-83 double overtime thriller over No. 12-ranked and fifth-seeded Purdue in the NCAA Tournament. The Trojans also registered road victories over San Diego State, Tulsa and DePaul to spark a 10-0 regular season start. The 10-game winning streak to start the season matched a Little Rock program record.
Beard’s 30-5 record in his only season at Little Rock was a 15-game improvement from a 13-18 campaign prior to his arrival. The 15-game improvement was tied for the NCAA’s top spot in 2015-16, while his 30 victories was tied for sixth by a first-year Division I head coach. Little Rock’s 27 wins and .871 winning percentage led the nation during the regular season. For his efforts, Beard collected National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 24 and Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year honors.
Beard’s roots in Lubbock and West Texas run deep. He spent 10 years at Texas Tech which included seven seasons as an assistant coach under Hall of Fame Coach Bob Knight and three seasons as an associate head coach under Pat Knight. He was on the Texas Tech bench on January 1, 2007, when the Red Raiders defeated New Mexico making Bob Knight the NCAA’s men’s all-time career wins leader.
The Red Raiders racked up 188 victories -- the best 10-year stretch in program history -- while Tech piled up four NCAA Tournament bids and three NIT appearances. His tenure with the Red Raiders was highlighted by Tech’s run to the 2005 NCAA Sweet 16 where the Red Raiders defeated UCLA and No. 11-ranked and three-seeded Gonzaga in the first two rounds.
Beard spent two seasons at Angelo State from 2013-15 where he secured NABC South Central Region and Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year after he guided the Rams to a program record-setting 28 wins and the program’s first NCAA Division II Sweet 16 appearance in 2014-15. Angelo State began the season with a 17-0 record and finished with a No. 19 national ranking. Prior to Beard’s arrival, the Rams suffered three consecutive losing seasons which included a 9-17 mark in 2012-13.
Before Angelo State, Beard was the head coach at McMurry University and for the American Basketball Association’s (ABA) South Carolina Warriors. McMurry went 19-10 with Beard at the helm during the program’s first season as a Division II member in 2012-13. The Warriors won the 2012 Mid Atlantic Championship, advanced to the ABA finals and notched a 31-2 mark as a first-year franchise.
Along with developing successful players throughout his career, Beard has helped three of his assistant coaches land head coaching roles with Wes Flanigan taking over the Little Rock program in 2016, Chris Ogden being named the UT Arlington head coach in 2018 and Brian Burg’s hire at Georgia Southern in 2020.
Raised in Irving, Texas, Beard’s coaching career began in the Lone Star State as a graduate assistant at Incarnate Ward followed by a pair of assistant coaching stints at Abilene Christian and North Texas. He worked under the guidance of Danny Kasper at UIW, Shanon Hays at ACU and Vic Trilli at UNT.
Leading into his time as an assistant with Texas Tech, Beard’s first two head coaching opportunities came at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas and Seminole State College in Oklahoma. He led Seminole State College to a 25-6 record and a No. 14 national ranking in 2000-01 after Fort Scott came away with 19 victories and a NJCAA Regional appearance in 1999-2000.
Beard earned his Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology from the University of Texas in 1995 where he worked as a student assistant for Tom Penders. He completed his master’s degree in education from Abilene Christian in 1998.
Beard played his high school basketball for Mike Kunstadt at Irving High School and for Terry Priest at McCullough High School. He has three daughters: Avery, Ella and Margo.
The Chris Beard File
Season, School, Position
1995-96, Incarnate Ward, Graduate Assistant
1996-97, Abilene Christian, Assistant Coach
1997-99, North Texas, Assistant Coach
1999-2000, Fort Scott Community College, Head Coach
2000-01, Seminole State College, Head Coach
2001-11, Texas Tech, Assistant Coach/Associate Head Coach
2011-12, South Carolina Warriors (ABA), Head Coach
2012-13, McMurry University, Head Coach
2013-15, Angelo State University, Head Coach
2015-16, Little Rock, Head Coach
2016-Present, Texas Tech, Head Coach
Beard's Head Coaching Record
Season, School, Record
1999-2000, Fort Scott Community College, 19-12
2000-01, Seminole State College, 25-6
2011-12, South Carolina Warriors (ABA), 31-2
2012-13, McMurry University. 19-10
2013-15, Angelo State University, 47-15
2015-16, Little Rock, 30-5
2016-current, Texas Tech, 112-55
Texas Tech Record, 5 Seasons, 112-55
NCAA Division I Record, 7 Seasons, 142-60
NCAA Record, 9 Seasons, 208-85
2018-19 Associated Press National Coach of the Year
2018-19 Big 12 Coach of the Year
2018-19 USBWA District VII Coach of the Year
2018-19 Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Coach of the Year
2017-18 John McClendon National Coach of the Year
2017-18 NABC District 7 Coach of the Year
2017-18 USBWA District VII Coach of the Year
2017-18 Big 12 Co-Coach of the Year
HONORS & AWARDS - LITTLE ROCK
2015-16 NABC District 24 Coach of the Year
2015-16 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year
Chris Beard has led Texas Tech to a 112-55 record through five seasons where the Red Raiders have advanced to the 2019 National Final after reaching the Elite Eight in 2018 for the first time in program history. Beard and the Red Raiders advanced to the 2021 NCAA Tournament Second Round and have earned a spot in the tournament four straight years which is a program record. Under Beard, Tech has an impressive 9-3 NCAA Tournament record with the team competing in the 2018, 2019 and 2021 NCAA Tournaments with the 2020 tournament canceled due to the coronavirus.
He was named the program’s 17th head coach on April 15, 2016 by Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt and Interim University President Dr. John Opperman. Beard was named the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2019, led Tech to the 2019 Big 12 Conference regular-season championship and 2019 Final Four and was named the 2019 Associated Press National Coach of the Year. Keenan Evans and Jarrett Culver each earned Consensus All-American honors under Beard while the program has had 13 All-Big 12 and 21 Academic All-Big 12 selections in the past five seasons. Beard is 74-13 in home games leading the program, including going 33-12 in Big 12 games at the United Supermarkets Arena.
Along with team success, three players have been selected in the NBA Draft in the past three seasons. Smith was the program’s first one-and-done NBA prospect and program’s second NBA Draft First Round selection when he was chosen No. 16 overall by the Phoenix Suns and traded to the Philadelphia 76ers as part of a draft night trade. He was followed by Jarrett Culver who was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves for Beard’s first lottery pick and Jahmi’us Ramsey left after his first season and was picked by the Sacramento Kings in the second round. Beard and the program has also seen multiple players sign two-way contracts with Keenan Evans, Tariq Owens and Matt Mooney earning NBA call-ups.
2020-21: Beard led the Red Raiders back to the NCAA Tournament and to the second round in his fifth season. Tech was nationally ranked throughout the season for the first time in program history with a No. 21 spot in the final polls and as high as No. 7 in February. The Red Raiders finished the season with an 18-11 record, including going 9-8 in Big 12 play. Advancing to the national tournament, Tech earned a 65-53 win over Utah State in the first round before falling 68-66 to Arkansas to end its season. TTU led the Big 12 by limiting opponents to 63.2 points per game for the season, including holding 13 of 29 opponents under 60. The Red Raiders had four players earn All-Big 12 honors during the season with Mac McClung, Terrence Shannon, Jr., Kyler Edwards and Kevin McCullar securing selections while McClung was tabbed an All-District performer by the NABC and USBWA. Six Red Raiders earned Academic All-Big 12 honors which established a new program record.
2019-20: In the shortened 2019-20 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, Beard led the Red Raiders to an 18-13 overall record and to a third-place tie in the Big 12 standings before the postseason was canceled due to the virus. The season was highlighted by knocking off No. 1 Louisville with a 70-57 win at the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York and a 46-point victory over TCU (88-42) which is the largest margin of victory in Big 12 play in the program’s history. Beard’s record in home games is at 74-13 as the Texas Tech head coach. Ramsey earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors, while Davide Moretti earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. Ramsey and Shannon were named to the All-Big 12 Freshman Team.
2018-19: Beard led the 2018-19 team to a national runner-up finish and a 31-7 overall record after earning NCAA Tournament wins over Northern Kentucky and Buffalo in the first and second rounds in Tulsa, a Sweet 16 victory over Michigan and then an Elite Eight win over Gonzaga in Anaheim. The program reached the Final Four for the first time in program history under Beard and knocked off Michigan State with a 61-51 victory to advance to the title game. Beard and the Red Raiders took Virginia to overtime in the championship game before falling 85-77 to finish as the national runner-up. Culver was named an All-American and Big 12 Player of the Year under Beard's leadership after the season, while also securing All-Big 12 First Team honors. Matt Mooney secured All-Big 12 Second Team honors and Tariq Owens was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection. Culver was Tech's first ever Big 12 Player of the Year.
2017-18: Beard elevated the Red Raiders to an elite level of success following a 27-10 record and the program’s first NCAA Elite Eight trip in 2017-18. The 27 wins are the second-highest in program history only behind the 30-2 mark put together by the 1995-96 team under James Dickey. He came away as the 2018 Big 12 Co-Coach of the Year, the 2018 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 8 Coach of the Year, the 2018 United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) District VII Coach of the Year and the 2018 John McClendon National Coach of the Year award recipient. Evans earned All-American and All-Big 12 First Team honors, while Zhaire Smith was named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. Texas Tech garnered a program-best No. 6 final ranking in the USA Today/Coaches Top 25 poll. The Red Raiders checked in as a consensus Top 15 program for the final 10 weeks of the regular season highlighted by six Top 10 rankings. The 1995-96 season was the only other time the program was ranked among the nation’s Top 10.
2016-17: Beard led the Red Raiders to an 18-14 overall record and to a 16-3 mark in home games during his first season as the program’s head coach. The Red Raiders earned an 84-78 win over No. 4 Baylor on their home court, knocked off No. 7 West Virginia in overtime and a 66-65 win over No. 25 Kansas State to highlight the season with three ranked wins. Keenan Evans was named to the All-Big 12 Third Team and Zach Smith secured All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection.
PRIOR TO TECH
Beard guided Little Rock to a historic turnaround in 2015-16 fueled by 30 victories, which was a program single season record and Sun Belt single season mark. The Trojans claimed the Sun Belt regular season and tournament titles en route to the program’s fifth NCAA Tournament bid.
Little Rock overcame a 14-point deficit during the final five minutes of the second half and won an 85-83 double overtime thriller over No. 12-ranked and fifth-seeded Purdue in the NCAA Tournament. The Trojans also registered road victories over San Diego State, Tulsa and DePaul to spark a 10-0 regular season start. The 10-game winning streak to start the season matched a Little Rock program record.
Beard’s 30-5 record in his only season at Little Rock was a 15-game improvement from a 13-18 campaign prior to his arrival. The 15-game improvement was tied for the NCAA’s top spot in 2015-16, while his 30 victories was tied for sixth by a first-year Division I head coach. Little Rock’s 27 wins and .871 winning percentage led the nation during the regular season. For his efforts, Beard collected National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 24 and Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year honors.
Beard’s roots in Lubbock and West Texas run deep. He spent 10 years at Texas Tech which included seven seasons as an assistant coach under Hall of Fame Coach Bob Knight and three seasons as an associate head coach under Pat Knight. He was on the Texas Tech bench on January 1, 2007, when the Red Raiders defeated New Mexico making Bob Knight the NCAA’s men’s all-time career wins leader.
The Red Raiders racked up 188 victories -- the best 10-year stretch in program history -- while Tech piled up four NCAA Tournament bids and three NIT appearances. His tenure with the Red Raiders was highlighted by Tech’s run to the 2005 NCAA Sweet 16 where the Red Raiders defeated UCLA and No. 11-ranked and three-seeded Gonzaga in the first two rounds.
Beard spent two seasons at Angelo State from 2013-15 where he secured NABC South Central Region and Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year after he guided the Rams to a program record-setting 28 wins and the program’s first NCAA Division II Sweet 16 appearance in 2014-15. Angelo State began the season with a 17-0 record and finished with a No. 19 national ranking. Prior to Beard’s arrival, the Rams suffered three consecutive losing seasons which included a 9-17 mark in 2012-13.
Before Angelo State, Beard was the head coach at McMurry University and for the American Basketball Association’s (ABA) South Carolina Warriors. McMurry went 19-10 with Beard at the helm during the program’s first season as a Division II member in 2012-13. The Warriors won the 2012 Mid Atlantic Championship, advanced to the ABA finals and notched a 31-2 mark as a first-year franchise.
Along with developing successful players throughout his career, Beard has helped three of his assistant coaches land head coaching roles with Wes Flanigan taking over the Little Rock program in 2016, Chris Ogden being named the UT Arlington head coach in 2018 and Brian Burg’s hire at Georgia Southern in 2020.
Raised in Irving, Texas, Beard’s coaching career began in the Lone Star State as a graduate assistant at Incarnate Ward followed by a pair of assistant coaching stints at Abilene Christian and North Texas. He worked under the guidance of Danny Kasper at UIW, Shanon Hays at ACU and Vic Trilli at UNT.
Leading into his time as an assistant with Texas Tech, Beard’s first two head coaching opportunities came at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas and Seminole State College in Oklahoma. He led Seminole State College to a 25-6 record and a No. 14 national ranking in 2000-01 after Fort Scott came away with 19 victories and a NJCAA Regional appearance in 1999-2000.
Beard earned his Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology from the University of Texas in 1995 where he worked as a student assistant for Tom Penders. He completed his master’s degree in education from Abilene Christian in 1998.
Beard played his high school basketball for Mike Kunstadt at Irving High School and for Terry Priest at McCullough High School. He has three daughters: Avery, Ella and Margo.
The Chris Beard File
Season, School, Position
1995-96, Incarnate Ward, Graduate Assistant
1996-97, Abilene Christian, Assistant Coach
1997-99, North Texas, Assistant Coach
1999-2000, Fort Scott Community College, Head Coach
2000-01, Seminole State College, Head Coach
2001-11, Texas Tech, Assistant Coach/Associate Head Coach
2011-12, South Carolina Warriors (ABA), Head Coach
2012-13, McMurry University, Head Coach
2013-15, Angelo State University, Head Coach
2015-16, Little Rock, Head Coach
2016-Present, Texas Tech, Head Coach
Beard's Head Coaching Record
Season, School, Record
1999-2000, Fort Scott Community College, 19-12
2000-01, Seminole State College, 25-6
2011-12, South Carolina Warriors (ABA), 31-2
2012-13, McMurry University. 19-10
2013-15, Angelo State University, 47-15
2015-16, Little Rock, 30-5
2016-current, Texas Tech, 112-55
Texas Tech Record, 5 Seasons, 112-55
NCAA Division I Record, 7 Seasons, 142-60
NCAA Record, 9 Seasons, 208-85
*2019-20 season shortened due to coronavirus pandemic
NBA DRAFT PICKS
2018 • Zhaire Smith (1st Round - 16)
2019 • Jarrett Culver (1st Round - 6)
2020 • Jahmi’us Ramsey (2nd Round - 43)
ALL-AMERICANS
2017-18: Keenan Evans (Consensus)
2018-19: Jarrett Culver (Consensus)
ALL-BIG 12 SELECTIONS
2016-17: Keenan Evans (3rd Team)
2017-18: Keenan Evans (1st Team); Zhaire Smith (HM)
2018-19: Jarrett Culver (1st Team, Player of Year); Matt Mooney (2nd Team), Tariq Owens (HM)
2019-20: Jahmi’us Ramsey (2nd Team); Davide Moretti (HM)
2020-21: Mac McClung (2nd Team); Terrence Shannon, Jr. (3rd Team); Kyler Edwards (HM); Kevin McCullar (HM)