Utah Valley promotes Todd Phillips to take over as head men’s basketball coach
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- Utah Valley associate head coach Todd Phillips celebrates after the NIT quarterfinal game against Cincinnati Bearcats in the UCCU center on Utah Valley University Campus Orem, Utah, on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.
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- Associate head coach Todd Phillips watches the Utah Valley University men’s basketball team prepare for the Western Athletic Conference Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.
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- Utah Valley coach Todd Phillips watches the game against the Stephen F. Austin State University Lumberjacks in the UCCU Center on the UVU Campus in Orem, Utah on March 3, 2023.
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- Utah Valley associate head coach Todd Phillips cuts down a piece of the net after the game against the University of Texas Arlington Mavericks in the UCCU Center on the UVU Campus in Orem, Utah on March 1, 2023.
After an extensive nationwide search, Utah Valley University Director of Athletics, Dr. Jared Sumsion, announced today the hiring of Todd Phillips as the fourth head coach in UVU men’s basketball’s NCAA Division I history.
Phillips has spent the last four seasons on the Utah Valley staff under Mark Madsen where he served two years as an assistant coach (2019-21) before being promoted to associate head coach in 2021. During his time at UVU, Phillips has helped the team to two Western Athletic Conference regular season championships (2020-21, 2022-23) and an impressive 70-51 record, including 48 wins over the last two seasons.
“This position garnered unprecedented national attention and I believe it is one of the best mid-major jobs in college basketball,” said Sumsion. “Todd Phillips was the evident choice to lead our program with the upward trajectory he has helped build.
“Todd has a tremendous basketball mind who understands the game at its deepest level. His recruiting network in this region and beyond is second to none. He has a tremendous ability to develop players and build a synergistic team environment. With two WAC championships and a deep NIT run, his track record at Utah Valley already speaks for itself.”
Phillips helped the Wolverines to their most successful season ever this past year as the team went 28-9 overall and 15-3 in WAC play. The 28 wins are the most wins ever recorded in a single season. Utah Valley also finished the season with a nation-best 12 road wins. Phillips helped UVU to the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) with wins at New Mexico, at Colorado, and against Cincinnati at home in the quarterfinals. UVU finished the 2022-23 season with a No. 10 ranking in the College Insider Mid-Major Top-25 poll and its best-ever end-of-season rankings in the NCAA NET rankings (58) and on KenPom.com (64).
“I’m incredibly honored and very appreciative of President Tuminez, Jared Sumsion, and the search committee for the opportunity to be the head coach at Utah Valley,” said Phillips. “I love Utah Valley. I love the community and am excited to build on the success that we have already achieved. I want to build a legacy here. We’re going to continue to win, and we are going to win championships.”
Phillips’ responsibilities at UVU over the past four seasons included coaching the forwards and centers on the team. UVU center Aziz Bandaogo was one of the nation’s top shot blockers and rebounders this past season, ranking third nationally with 106 blocks and fourth nationally with 383 rebounds. Bandaogo earned WAC Defensive Player of the Year, WAC Newcomer of the Year, First Team All-WAC, USBWA All-District, and NABC All-District honors.
“Todd Phillips is a proven winner who was instrumental in helping our men’s basketball team to its best season ever,” said Astrid S. Tuminez, president of UVU. “The team made it to the NIT semi-finals for the first time in program history and Todd was a big part of that success. We are confident that his coaching skills will continue to build on the team’s winning tradition and will inspire our student-athletes in and out of competition and in the classroom. We are honored to have him as our men’s basketball coach.”
Under Phillips’ guidance, Fardaws Aimaq became the first player in UVU history to earn both WAC Player of the Year honors and the WAC Defensive Player of the Year award during the 2020-21 season. Aimaq became the first player in 40 years to average 15.0 rebounds a game and was the nation’s leader in total rebounds, rebounds per game, and defensive rebounds per game.
Aimaq earned All-District honors and was named a finalist for both the Lou Henson Player of the Year award and the Lefty Driesell National Defensive Player of the Year award. Aimaq won the Riley Wallace Award, which is given annually to the top transfer in Division I college basketball.
Phillips spent eight seasons as the head coach at Salt Lake Community College where he compiled a 205-58 (.779) overall record and an 82-32 mark in Scenic West Athletic Conference play.
Phillips led SLCC to a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national title in 2016 as the No. 13 seed in the tournament. His 2015-16 team compiled a 31-8 overall record and finished the season with nine straight wins to claim the national championship. He was named NJCAA Coach of the Year after leading the Bruins to the title. Former Wolverine Conner Toolson was named the NJCAA Tournament MVP under Phillips in 2016.
During his tenure at SLCC, Phillips led his team to four NJCAA Tournament appearances, four Region 18 Tournament championships, three SWAC regular season titles, and one NJCAA national championship. He earned SWAC Coach of the Year honors in 2013, 2015, and 2018. He also received the Region 18 Co-Coach of the Year award in 2018.
Prior to his time as head coach of the Bruins, Phillips served three seasons as an assistant coach at SLCC under legendary head coach Norm Parrish. During his time as an assistant coach with SLCC, he helped the Bruins win their first-ever national title in 2009. Phillips also spent eight seasons as an assistant coach at Westminster College in Salt Lake beginning in 2000. During his time at Westminster, he helped the Griffins to eight 20-plus win seasons, six conference titles, and six NAIA National Tournament berths.
Phillips played basketball at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. After his graduation from Snow, Phillips continued his playing career at Lewis-Clark State College from 1997-99. He received his bachelor’s degree in education and kinesiology from Lewis-Clark State and later earned a master’s degree in education administration from the University of Utah.
He and his wife, Bobbi, are both originally from Boise, Idaho and have a daughter, Kinzi and a son, Zach.
Phillips will be formally introduced at a press conference next week.
