Skip Prosser
George Edward "Skip" Prosser (November 3, 1950 – July 26, 2007) was an American college basketball coach renowned for his success at multiple institutions and his distinctive emphasis on character development alongside athletic achievement.[1][2] Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Prosser graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in 1972 and earned a master's degree in secondary education from West Virginia University in 1980.[1] He began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Xavier University in 1985 under Pete Gillen, serving eight years in that role before becoming head coach at Loyola University Maryland in 1993. He returned to Xavier as head coach in 1994.[3] Prosser's head coaching tenure spanned 14 seasons across three programs, amassing a 291–146 record (.666 winning percentage).[2] At Loyola University Maryland in 1993–94, his first and only season, he led the Greyhounds to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance.[2] He then guided Xavier to seven straight winning seasons, including three Atlantic 10 regular-season titles (1995, 1997, 1998), a conference tournament crown in 1998, four NCAA Tournament berths (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001), and two National Invitation Tournament appearances, finishing with a 148–65 mark that placed him second on Xavier's all-time wins list.[2][4] In 2001, Prosser moved to Wake Forest University, where over six seasons he compiled a 126–68 record, won the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title in 2003 (earning him ACC Coach of the Year honors), achieved the program's first No. 1 AP Poll ranking in 2004–05, and secured four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2002–2005) while coaching future NBA stars Chris Paul and Josh Howard.[1][2][5] Prosser remains the only coach in NCAA history to lead three different schools to the postseason tournament in his debut season at each, a feat underscoring his immediate impact and adaptability.[6] His career highlights his philosophy of holistic coaching, often described by colleagues and players as prioritizing life lessons and integrity over mere victories.[7] Tragically, Prosser died of a heart attack at age 56 on July 26, 2007, while jogging on the Wake Forest campus; he was posthumously inducted into the Xavier Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame in 2025.[1][4][8]Early life and education
Early life
George Edward "Skip" Prosser was born on November 3, 1950, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[9][10] He was the son of George E. Prosser Jr., a signalman for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and Laura Jo Prosser (née Goodwin).[11][12][13] Prosser grew up in the nearby suburb of Carnegie, Pennsylvania, where his father's demanding nature shaped his resilience and work ethic from an early age—for instance, as a child in Little League, he was required to complete a game despite a broken arm.[14][7] Prosser graduated from Carnegie High School, where he excelled as a standout athlete in football and basketball, fostering his passion for competitive sports.[9][15] These formative experiences in athletics and family discipline influenced his transition to higher education and continued involvement in basketball.Education and playing career
Prosser attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nautical science in 1972.[9] He later pursued advanced studies, obtaining a master's degree in secondary education from West Virginia University in 1980.[9] As a student-athlete at the Merchant Marine Academy, Prosser played basketball as a guard for three years and participated in rugby for three years.[9] He earned letters in basketball, though he was not a leading scorer; instead, he was recognized for his qualities of honesty, integrity, and determination, embodying the academy's motto Acta Non Verba ("Deeds, Not Words").[6] His time on the court and in other activities contributed to his induction into the USMMA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011.[6] The rigorous, structured environment of the Merchant Marine Academy, with its emphasis on discipline and leadership training, profoundly shaped Prosser's approach to life and coaching, fostering a philosophy centered on resilience and principled conduct.[6] This nautical background complemented the strong work ethic developed during his upbringing in Pennsylvania.[16]Coaching career
Early coaching positions
Prosser's coaching career began in 1977 when he was hired as the head basketball coach at Linsly Military Institute in Wheeling, West Virginia, where he led the Cadets for two seasons and compiled a 38–9 record.[17][18] In this military academy environment, Prosser emphasized class, professionalism, and discipline, fostering a structured approach that prepared players for competitive success while instilling values of perseverance.[17] In 1979, Prosser moved to Wheeling Central Catholic High School as head coach, a position he held until 1985, during which he achieved a 104–48 record, secured one state championship in 1982, five regional titles, and three conference championships.[19][17] At the Catholic school, he continued to prioritize hard work, toughness, and education alongside basketball, often serving as a history teacher and promoting a 100% graduation rate among his players while adopting the motto "You never quit" to build team resilience.[18][17] These roles honed his ability to develop disciplined teams in regimented institutional settings, blending athletic development with life skills and academic focus. Prosser's transition to the collegiate level came in 1985 when he joined Xavier University as an assistant coach under head coach Pete Gillen, serving in that capacity for eight seasons until 1993.[3][18] During this period, he contributed to the Musketeers' program success by supporting recruitment efforts that brought in talented players and helping implement strategies that elevated the team's competitiveness in the Atlantic 10 Conference.[17][20] His experiences from the high school level informed his assistant role, where he applied lessons in discipline and player development to aid in building a winning culture at Xavier.[17]Head coaching at Loyola Maryland
In April 1993, Skip Prosser was appointed head coach of the Loyola University Maryland men's basketball team, succeeding Mark Amatucci after serving as an assistant coach at Xavier University for eight years.[21] Prosser inherited a program that had struggled, finishing 2-25 the previous season, and immediately focused on revitalizing team morale through physical and symbolic changes, including overhauling the locker room with new uniforms, lockers, carpeting, and motivational slogans such as "Family" and "Play Hard Play Together," as well as relocating the bench and refinishing the court.[21] Prosser's recruitment efforts were aggressive despite the late timing, securing three freshmen including guard Darius Johnson, while adding two transfers from New York—John McDonald and Ahmad Jackson—in the fall to bolster the roster.[21] His team-building strategies emphasized fundamental skills like trapping and pressing man-to-man defense, an up-tempo offense averaging 87.6 points per game, and superior conditioning to build mental toughness, rejecting any notion of a "rebuilding" year in favor of an immediate push to compete at the highest level.[21] Prosser motivated his players by linking on-court effort to broader life principles, stating, "You have to work hard to be a better husband, a better father," and challenging them to perform at their peak potential.[21] During the 1993–94 season, Prosser's Greyhounds achieved a 17–13 overall record, marking the program's first winning season since 1986–87 and finishing fifth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) regular season with a 6–8 mark.[22] In the MAAC Tournament, they advanced by defeating St. Peter's 87–80 in overtime in the quarterfinals and upsetting top-seeded Canisius 88–70 in the semifinals, before clinching the championship with an 80–75 victory over Manhattan in the final before 6,461 fans at Knickerbocker Arena, broadcast nationally on ESPN.[23][24] This triumph earned Loyola its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance as a Division I program since joining in 1981–82, where they faced Wake Forest in the first round.[25][23]Head coaching at Xavier
Skip Prosser was appointed head coach at Xavier University in 1994, following a successful stint at Loyola Maryland where he guided the Greyhounds to their first NCAA Division I tournament appearance.[26] Over his seven-year tenure from 1994 to 2001, Prosser transformed the Musketeers' program, compiling an overall record of 148–65 and establishing Xavier as a consistent contender in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference (MCC) before the school's transition to the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) in 1995.[2] His emphasis on disciplined play and player development elevated the team's performance, resulting in six 20-win seasons and positioning Xavier among the mid-major powerhouses of the era.[27] Prosser's first season in 1994–95 was a breakout year, as the Musketeers went undefeated in MCC play at 14–0 to claim the regular-season conference title and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, where they fell in the first round as an 11-seed.[28] After a transitional 13–15 campaign in 1995–96 amid the move to the A-10, Prosser led Xavier back to prominence with back-to-back regular-season A-10 titles in 1996–97 (23–6 overall) and 1997–98 (22–8 overall).[29][30] In 1998, he also secured the A-10 tournament championship, defeating George Washington 77–63 in the final to clinch another NCAA bid.[31] These accomplishments marked multiple conference titles during his time at Xavier, including the MCC crown in 1995 and two in the A-10.[4] Under Prosser, Xavier made four NCAA Tournament appearances (1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001), advancing to the second round in 1997 after defeating Jacksonville in the first round.[29] The team also earned two National Invitation Tournament (NIT) berths in 1999 (25–11 overall, reaching the semifinals) and 2000 (21–12 overall).[4] A standout 1998–99 season highlighted the program's depth, with the Musketeers tying for second in the A-10 West and showcasing balanced scoring led by players like Lenny Brown and James Posey. Prosser's recruitment and coaching fostered NBA talent, notably developing forward David West, who arrived as a freshman in 2000–01 and immediately led the A-10 in rebounding while earning All-Conference honors under Prosser's guidance.[32] This period solidified Xavier's reputation for producing professional players and competing at a high level in postseason play.[33]Head coaching at Wake Forest
Prosser was hired as head coach of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on April 25, 2001, following Dave Odom's departure to South Carolina, marking his transition to the competitive Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).[34] In his six seasons leading the program through 2007, Prosser compiled an overall record of 126–68, achieving a .649 winning percentage while navigating the rigors of major-conference play, where his teams averaged 21 wins per season.[2] This tenure represented a period of resurgence for Wake Forest basketball, as Prosser adapted his disciplined, high-tempo style—honed during his time at Xavier—to the ACC's intense recruiting battles and physical demands.[8] Under Prosser, Wake Forest qualified for four consecutive NCAA Tournaments from 2002 to 2005, a streak that highlighted the program's return to national prominence after several down years.[35] The Deacons advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in 2004, defeating Virginia Commonwealth and St. Joseph's before falling to Saint Joseph's in a regional semifinal.[8] These appearances underscored Prosser's ability to build consistent contenders in a league known for its depth, with his teams posting a 43–41 ACC record over the six years.[2] The 2004–05 season marked the pinnacle of Prosser's Wake Forest tenure, as the Deacons achieved a school-record 27 wins with a 27–6 overall mark and finished second in the ACC at 13–3.[36] During this campaign, Wake Forest ascended to the No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press Poll for two weeks in November 2004, the program's first time reaching the top spot since the 1996–97 season.[37] The team earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament but was upset in the second round by No. 6 seed Utah, ending a season that blended balanced scoring, elite defense, and standout performances from sophomore guard Chris Paul.[36] Prosser's recruiting prowess further elevated the program, most notably with the 2003 signing of highly touted point guard Chris Paul from nearby West Forsyth High School, a move that paid immediate dividends as Paul became a two-time All-American and ACC Player of the Year.[10] Earlier, in the 2002–03 season, Prosser's squad captured the ACC regular-season championship with a 25–6 record and 13–3 conference mark, the Deacons' first title in 40 years and securing a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament where they reached the second round.[8] These accomplishments solidified Prosser's legacy at Wake Forest as a coach who restored elite status amid the ACC's evolution into one of college basketball's premier conferences.[38]Coaching style
Skip Prosser's coaching philosophy centered on an uptempo, fast-paced offensive system that prioritized quick transitions, ball movement, and floor spacing to empower players in decision-making during games. This approach allowed his teams to exploit fast breaks while maintaining efficiency in half-court sets, fostering a sense of ownership among athletes to execute plays dynamically.[39] A hallmark of Prosser's motivational techniques was his incorporation of literary and philosophical quotes into team meetings and practices, drawing from figures like William Shakespeare, Thomas Paine, and Ralph Waldo Emerson to inspire resilience and focus. For instance, he often referenced Shakespeare's line from Henry V, "Fatigue makes cowards of us all," to encourage perseverance during grueling sessions, or Paine's "These are the times that try men's souls" amid challenging seasons, using such references to connect historical wisdom with on-court challenges. He also employed aphorisms like "Carpe diem" to promote seizing opportunities, tailoring these insights to individual players for personalized motivation.[40][3][41] Beyond tactical execution, Prosser emphasized holistic player development, viewing his role as shaping young men through intellect, character, and life skills rather than solely pursuing victories. He cultivated an environment of kindness, humility, and mutual respect, treating all individuals—from star players to support staff—with equal regard, which built lasting personal bonds and encouraged academic success, as evidenced by high graduation rates among his athletes. This focus on broader growth included instilling values like gratitude and hard work, often reflected in his practice mantras that linked effort to personal integrity.[39][40]Head coaching record
Skip Prosser's head coaching career at the NCAA Division I level spanned 14 seasons from 1993 to 2007, during which he amassed an overall record of 291–146 (.666 winning percentage).[2] His record by institution was 17–13 in one season at Loyola Maryland (1993–94), 148–65 in seven seasons at Xavier University (1994–2001), and 126–68 in six seasons at Wake Forest University (2001–07).[2] Prosser's teams qualified for 12 postseason tournaments, including nine NCAA Tournament appearances (with a 6–9 record in those games) and three National Invitation Tournament (NIT) berths.[2] The following table summarizes his year-by-year head coaching results, including overall records, conference finishes (where notable), and postseason outcomes.[2]| Season | School | Overall | Conference Finish | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | Loyola (MD) | 17–13 | MAAC Tournament Champion | NCAA (1st round) |
| 1994–95 | Xavier | 23–5 | Midwestern Collegiate—Regular season champion | NCAA (1st round) |
| 1995–96 | Xavier | 13–15 | None | None |
| 1996–97 | Xavier | 23–6 | Atlantic 10—Regular season champion | NCAA (2nd round) |
| 1997–98 | Xavier | 22–8 | Atlantic 10—Regular season & Tournament champion | NCAA (2nd round) |
| 1998–99 | Xavier | 25–11 | Atlantic 10 West—2nd (12–4) | NIT (semifinals) |
| 1999–00 | Xavier | 21–12 | Atlantic 10 West—T–2nd (9–7) | NIT (2nd round) |
| 2000–01 | Xavier | 21–8 | None | NCAA (1st round) |
| 2001–02 | Wake Forest | 21–13 | None | NCAA (2nd round) |
| 2002–03 | Wake Forest | 25–6 | ACC—Regular season champion | NCAA (2nd round) |
| 2003–04 | Wake Forest | 21–10 | None | NCAA (Sweet 16) |
| 2004–05 | Wake Forest | 27–6 | None | NCAA (2nd round) |
| 2005–06 | Wake Forest | 17–17 | None | NIT (1st round) |
| 2006–07 | Wake Forest | 15–16 | None | None |