Ep. 250. Scott Davenport, Bellarmine Knights

This week Coach Brendan Suhr is joined by Scott Davenport, Bellarmine head coach...  Scott Davenport is a legend in coaching who has amassed multiple national coach of the year honors and also led the Bellarmine Knights to the 2011 NCAA Division II Tournament national championship. His career record of 398-130 (through the 2021-22 season) ranks him as Bellarmine’s all-time winningest coach both in terms of total wins and winning percentage (.754). While Davenport built Bellarmine’s program in a perennial national power at the Division II level, perhaps even more impressively, the Knights have continued to succeed in its recent transition to the NCAA Division I level. This past season (2021-22), Bellarmine posted a 20-win season in just its second year in Division I, finishing 20-13 while playing one of the nation’s toughest schedules. In recognition of his team’s success, Davenport was nominated for the Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year Award, which recognizes coaches from mid-major conferences. The Knights capped their 2021-22 season by winning the ASUN Conference Championship title, hosting the championship game in Freedom Hall in front of the second-biggest crowd in the history of the ASUN Tournament. The victory sparked a national debate on the NCAA rule mandating that schools must wait four years to be eligible for NCAA postseason play following their transition to Division I. (Had Bellarmine not still been in its four-year transition period, the ASUN Championship would have punched the Knights’ ticket to the NCAA tournament.) In this episode, Coach Davenport takes you through the program's transition to Division 1, how the game of basketball has the power to bring everyone together, why he coaches, what he has learned from the coaches he worked under before becoming a head coach, why he believes in having a program instead of a culture, his reasons for scheduling the way he does in non-conference, and the ins and outs of his style of play. Enjoy hearing from Scott Davenport on Episode 250 of the Coaching U Podcast! COACHING U PLUS: The entire Coaching U video library is now at your fingertips. For years we have taken great pride in providing a tremendous learning experience through our annual clinics. Now, we are bringing the clinic to you! Coaching U+ is a must-have for coaches at all levels... Our expanding video library is equipped with strategies & concepts taught by some of the best coaches in the world, allowing you to continue to learn and grow as a coach on a year-round basis! Learn more by clicking here Special Offers! INSTAT BASKETBALL: For more details please visit the official website instatsport.com/basketball and use code “coachingulive” to try InStat free for 1-month! If you have any questions contact Eric Stang at [email protected] FASTMODEL SPORTS: CLICK HERE to Save 15% on FastDraw or other FastModel Products with Promo Code "CoachingU15" DR. DISH: Visit www.drdishbasketball.com/ for more info and don't forget to mention Coaching U or the Podcast to receive $300 off your Dr. Dish.