Dave Pilipovich

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Position: Head Coach Years at AFA: First Full Season as Head Coach / Sixth Overall

Dave Pilipovich became the eighth head coach in the history of the Air Force men's basketball program on February 8, 2012 and was named permanent head coach on March 3. Pilipovich was in his fifth season as a member of the coaching staff and first as associate head coach when he was promoted to head coach after Jeff Reynolds was relieved of his duties.

After taking over the program, Pilipovich won two of his first three games as head coach, including a 58-53 win at Wyoming in his first road game. He then led his team to one of the biggest victories in program history with a 58-56 triumph over 13th-ranked San Diego State at Clune Arena, marking Air Force's first-ever win over a Top 20 team and just the second against a ranked opponent.

In his nearly five seasons as an assistant coach, Pilipovich helped the Falcons snap a 16-game losing streak in conference tournament play in 2009 and earn AFA's first trip to the postseason since 2007 with an appearance in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament following the 2010 campaign. In his first season at Air Force (2007-08), the Falcons finished fifth in the Mountain West Conference after being picked eighth in the preseason media and coaches poll, the greatest margin between predicted and actual finish in the league that season. He also helped Tim Anderson earn the conference's Defensive Player of the Year award that campaign.

Prior to joining the Falcons, Pilipovich spent two years with the University of Michigan basketball program. In his first season with the Wolverines, he served as the administrative assistant to head coach Tommy Amaker, then was an assistant coach during the 2006-07 campaign.

Pilipovich has 25 years of coaching experience under his belt. He served as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan University for five years (2000-05) prior to joining the Michigan staff. Before his stint at EMU, he served four years as an assistant coach at Robert Morris University (1996-2000), two years an assistant coach at Georgia State University (1994-96) and two years as the assistant head coach at Florida Atlantic University (1989-91) before being named associate head coach the following four years (1991-94).

Pilipovich began his coaching career serving as a graduate assistant at California University (Pa.) for two years (1986-88), before being named as an assistant coach for one season (1988-89).

A 1986 graduate of Thiel College in Greenville, Pa., with a degree in business administration, Pilipovich earned four varsity basketball letters and served as team captain during his senior season. He earned his master's degree from California (Pa.) in 1988 in geography and regional planning. He is an active member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and continues to serve on the NABC Assistant Coaches Committee.

Pilipovich and his wife, Kelly, have a son, Kyle (20), and a daughter, Kelsey (17).