Augie Men's Basketball
Head Coach

Tom Billeter
Head Coach

Tom Billeter has recharged the Augustana men’s basketball program while elevating the enthusiasm of the Viking faithful.

Billeter’s teams have produced winning records each of the last five seasons, including an 18-9 mark in 2010-11. Augustana has been to the NCAA Tournament three of the last four seasons.

Augustana’s overall record for the past five seasons is 101-47, including a three-year stretch of 20-plus wins culminating in a 67-26 mark.

Now in his ninth season, Billeter’s 2009-10 team set a school record for wins in a season (24). His Vikings advanced to the Central Region championship game in 2009 and 2010.

Through much of the 2009-2010 campaign the Vikings appeared in the National Association of Basketball Coaches’ Division II Top-25 Poll. The Vikings have finished no lower than third place in each of their three seasons as a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

Viking standouts Cody Schilling and Cameron McCaffrey were named to the 2010-11 All-NSIC first team, making Augustana one of three teams to land two players on the elite squad. Schilling was a NABC All-Central District first-team choice, while McCaffrey was named to the second team. The Daktronics All-Central Region included Schilling (first team) and McCaffrey (second team). Schilling was also a two-time choice as NSIC Player of the Week.

Billeter notched his 200th career coaching win in 2009-10 and begins 2011-12 with an overall record of 224-154.

In five seasons as the head coach at North Dakota State, he compiled a 97-50 record. During his tenure, the Bison logged four consecutive 20-win seasons and earned four straight appearances in NCAA Division II Tournament play. In 1994-95 the Bison corralled a share of the North Central Conference championship with a 12-6 record. Billeter forged a 57-33 record against NCC opponents and the Bison were conference runners-up three times.

Billeter graduated from Illinois in 1983 and began his coaching career at Arizona, where he worked two years (1985-1987) with legendary coach Lute Olson. The Wildcats were 23-9 in 1985-86 and won the Pac-10 title. Both seasons resulted in Arizona advancing to the NCAA tournament.

During his time at Arizona, Billeter coached Sean Elliott, Steve Kerr, Tom Tolbert, Jud Buechler and Kenny Lofton. He then moved to Rice, where he served as an assistant coach from 1987 to 1992. In 1991-92 the Owls won 20 games, the first 20-win season since 1953-54, and narrowly missed berths in the NCAA and NIT tournaments. While at Rice, Billeter coached the Owls’ star center, Brent Scott.

Billeter’s 28 years in coaching includes experience beyond the shores of the United States. In 1996 he coached Team America, a squad compiled of Division-I players ages 22 and younger. His team participated in the Turgut Atakol Tournament in Istanbul, Turkey.

Following his five-year run at NDSU, Billeter spent one season (1997-98) at St. John’s (N.Y.), where he served under head coach Fran Fraschilla and helped the Red Storm to a 22-10 record. Led by Felipe Lopez and Ron Artest, St. John’s advanced to the NCAA tournament.

Billeter then began a five-year run at Texas A&M under head coach Melvin Watkins. Together, they helped the Aggies gain respect in the demanding Big 12 Conference. In 2002-03 the Aggies posted a 14-14 record, only the second .500 or better season in 14 years. Again Billeter had the opportunity to coach prominent players including Bernard King and Antoine Wright. King is Texas A&M’s career scoring leader and the second all-time leading scorer in the history of the Big 12. Wright was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year in 2002-03 and the No. 15 NBA draft pick in 2005 by the New Jersey Nets.

Billeter earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from Illinois in 1983 and his master's in exercise physiology from Arizona in 1987. He resides in Sioux Falls with his wife, Paula. The Billeters have four children: Mike (Lindsie), Kelsey, Kyle and Brett.