Years At BYU:
7
Jeff Judkins begins his eighth year as head coach of the womens basketball program, after garnering back-to-back MWC Coach of the Year honors in 2006 and 2007.
Prior to heading up the womens program, he served one year (1999-2000) as Director of Basketball Operations for the BYU mens team. In (2000-2001) he was an assistant coach on the womens team.
In five of the last seven seasons, the Cougar team has participated in postseason tournaments including back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances in 2006 and 2007. This past season BYU compiled a 13-16, 7-9 record on the year with senior co-captain Mallary Carling garnering MWC Second Team accolades while senior center Lauren Varley, the other co-captain, picking up MWC Honorable-Mention honors.
Most recently, the Cougar team recorded back-to-back MWC Regular Season Titles in 2006 and 2007 with players Ambrosia Anderson and Dani Wright being named MWC Co-Players of the Year those same seasons.
During Judkins fifth season, the 2005-06 campaign, the Cougar squad compiled its best finish in school history with a 26-6 record, clinched its first MWC regular season title since 1992 and received a no. 7 seed in the NCAA tournament, the highest seed for any BYU program.
For the first time since the 2002-03 season, the 2005-06 squad and its 13-1 record to start the year, broke into the womens basketball collegiate polls, ranked no. 23 by the AP Poll and the USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches Poll. They would move up the poll to as high as 18 and 16 in the two respective polls, finishing the year at no. 20.
In that same season Judkins picked up his 100th win, a 69-67 victory over CSU on Mar. 2, the same time the team clinched the leagues regular season title. Under Judkins tutelage the womens basketball program has had consistent success with four postseason appearances including three NCAA Championships, guiding the team to its first ever Sweet Sixteen finish in 2002. In 2005, the 19-11 team played in the first round of the WNIT.
Judkins has also coached two All-Americans in Erin Thorn and Ambrosia Anderson. Both have gone on to play in the WNBA. Thorn has been with the New York Liberty team for five years while Anderson completed one season with the Liberty team.
The longtime University of Utah coach and player came to Provo with a proven record of success dating back to his high school days at Highland High School in Salt Lake City. An all-state selection in basketball, football and baseball, Judkins went on to play for the University of Utah from 1974-78.
While playing at Utah, Judkins helped lead the Utes to one conference championship and two berths in the NCAA tournament. He was a second-team academic All-American and three-time District VII academic selection. He also earned three First Team All-WAC honors and was a member of the 1977 United States World Games team that captured the gold medal.
Judkins also played five years in the National Basketball Association for the Boston Celtics, Portland Trailblazers, Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz. He was a second-round pick of the Celtics in 1978, the same year the Celtics selected Larry Bird with the sixth pick overall.
After his NBA career, he returned to Utah in 1989 and was an instrumental part of the programs success during his 10 years with the program, recruiting such players as Keith Van Horn, Andre Miller, Mike Doleac, Hanno Mottola, Alex Jensen, Trent Whiting, Garner Meads, Jeff Johnsen and Britton Johnsen.
Judkins, graduated from the University of Utah in 1978 with a degree in health and physical education. He and his wife Mary Kaye are the parents of five children: Jessica (28), {married to Paul}, Jordan (26), Jenna (24), {married to Whitney Neves who is a pole vaulter on the BYU mens track & field team} Jaime (21), and Jaxson (18). Jenna played four years on the volleyball team at BYU.
Hobbies: waterskiing, horseback riding, hunting, golf, softball, listening to music, and watching ESPN.
Statistics:
Judkins' Record - As BYU Women's Basketball Head Coach BYU 2007-08 13-16 DNC BYU 2006-07 23-10 NCAA First Round BYU2005-0626-6NCAA Second round BYU 2004-0519-11WNIT First Round BYU2003-0415-14 BYU2002-0319-12NCAA First Round BYU2001-0224-9NCAA SWEET 16
