Men's Basketball
Beard, Chris
Chris Beard
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Year at Ole Miss:
- First
- Phone:
- 662-915-7534
- Alma Mater:
- University of Texas (1995)
Chris Beard was named the 23rd head men's basketball coach at Ole Miss by Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter on Monday, March 13, 2023. A four-time conference coach of the year and 2019 national coach of the year, Chris Beard brings his long run of success to Oxford and the SEC.
Beard has led three different programs to the NCAA Tournament since 2016, including an appearance in the 2019 National Championship game and Elite Eight run the year before at Texas Tech. As an NCAA head coach, he owns a 257-110 record for one of the top winning percentages among active coaches in the nation at 70.0 percent. Beard also owns a career mark of 11-5 at the NCAA Tournament, highlighted by a perfect 5-0 record in the opening round. As a collegiate head coach, he owns an overall record of 301-128 across 14 seasons.
He guided the Rebels to one of the best starts in program history in his initial season, beginning with a 13-0 record in non-conference play, tying the longest win-streak in Ole Miss history. Beard led the team to a 20-win season, picking up victories over five eventual postseason teams.
From 2021-22, Beard was the head coach at his alma mater, the University of Texas, where he compiled a record of 29-13 over two years, including a 22-12 record and a second-round finish in the 2022 NCAA Tournament in his first season. That year, all five of his starters earned all-conference honors, highlighted by their defensive prowess as Texas led the Big 12 and ranked No. 10 nationally in scoring defense (60.6 points allowed per game) and No. 22 in the country in turnover margin (+3.4).
Prior to his tenure at Texas, Beard spent five seasons at Texas Tech, where he took a program with losing seasons in five of six years before his arrival and turned them into a national powerhouse. Compiling a record of 112-55 (.671) in five seasons, he took the program to new heights, with an Elite Eight appearance in just his second season before guiding the Red Raiders to the national title game in his third year. With no postseason in his fourth year due to COVID-19, he closed out his career at Texas Tech with 18 wins and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Before his time at the helm in the Big 12, Beard was the head coach for one season at Little Rock, where he went 30-5, won the Sun Belt Conference title, and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He previously spent two years as the head coach at Angelo State from 2013-2015, and one season as the head coach of McMurry.
Beard has coached three NBA draft picks since 2018, including first round pick Zhaire Smith by the Phoenix Suns at No. 16 in 2018, and lottery pick Jarrett Culver at No. 6 by the Suns in 2019.
On the recruiting trail, Beard has ranked among the very best in the country, earning top-10 class rankings in 2022, 2020, and 2018. His most recent class of 2022 at Texas was ranked No. 6 in the nation by 247Sports and No. 8 by Rivals, with his final class at Texas Tech in 2020 earning similar praise at No. 7 by Rivals and No. 11 by 247Sports. Prior to his national runner-up season at Texas Tech in 2018-19, his recruiting class was ranked No. 8 by Rivals.
He spent 10 seasons on staff at Texas Tech after he was hired as an assistant coach in 2001 under hall-of-fame coach Bob Knight, and spent three years as associate head coach from 2008 to 2011. Beard was the head coach at Seminole State college in 2000-01, going 25-6. He spent the previous season as the head coach of Fort Scott Community College, and was on staff as an assistant prior at North Texas for two seasons (1997-99) and Abilene Christian for one (1996-97).
Beard graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology from Texas in 1995, where he also worked as a student assistant under head coach Tom Penders. He went on to receive his master’s degree in education from Abilene Christian University in 1998 after spending one year before that as a graduate assistant at Incarnate Word.
Beard has three daughters, Avery, Ella, and Margo.
BEARD COACHING CAREER
1995-96: Incarnate Word (Graduate Assistant), 20-9
1996-97: Abilene Christian (Assistant Coach), 15-12
1997-98: North Texas (Assistant Coach), 5-21
1998-99: North Texas (Assistant Coach), 4-12
1999-2000: Fort Scott CC (Head Coach), 19-12, NJCAA Regional
2000-01: Seminole State College (Head Coach), 25-6
2001-02: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 23-9, NCAA Round of 64
2002-03: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 22-13, NIT 3rd Place
2003-04: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 23-11, NCAA Round of 32
2004-05: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 22-11, NCAA Sweet 16
2005-06: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 15-17
2006-07: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 21-13, NCAA Round of 64
2007-08: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 16-15
2008-09: Texas Tech (Associate Head Coach), 14-19
2009-10: Texas Tech (Associate Head Coach), 19-16, NIT Quarterfinals
2010-11: Texas Tech (Associate Head Coach), 13-19
2011-12: South Carolina Warriors, American Basketball Association (Head Coach), 29-2
2012-13: McMurry (Head Coach), 19-10, NCAA Central Regional
2013-14: Angelo State (Head Coach), 19-9
2014-15: Angelo State (Head Coach), 28-6, NCAA Division II Sweet 16
2015-16: Little Rock (Head Coach), 30-5, NCAA Round of 32
2016-17: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 18-14
2017-18: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 27-10, NCAA Elite Eight
2018-19: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 31-7, NCAA Runner-Up
2019-20: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 18-13 (no postseason, COVID-19)
2020-21: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 18-11, NCAA Round of 32
2021-22: Texas (Head Coach), 22-12, NCAA Round of 32
2022-23: Texas (Head Coach), 7-1
2023-24: Ole Miss (Head Coach), 20-12
BEARD FAST FACTS
• Led three different programs to NCAA Tournament since 2016
• 2019 AP National Coach of the Year
• Guided Texas Tech to 2019 National Championship Game
• Owns a 70.0%-win percentage as a head coach in the NCAA
• 11-5 all-time at the NCAA Tournament, including a 5-0 record in opening round games
• A four-time conference coach of the year award winner
• Top-10 nationally ranked recruiting classes by Rivals in 2022 (No. 8, Texas), 2020 (No. 7, Texas Tech), and 2018 (No. 8, Texas Tech).
• 2015-16 Sun Belt Regular Season and Tournament Champions at Little Rock
• Upset No. 5 seed Purdue in first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament in double overtime at Little Rock
• 2018-19 Big 12 Regular Season Co-Champions
Beard has led three different programs to the NCAA Tournament since 2016, including an appearance in the 2019 National Championship game and Elite Eight run the year before at Texas Tech. As an NCAA head coach, he owns a 257-110 record for one of the top winning percentages among active coaches in the nation at 70.0 percent. Beard also owns a career mark of 11-5 at the NCAA Tournament, highlighted by a perfect 5-0 record in the opening round. As a collegiate head coach, he owns an overall record of 301-128 across 14 seasons.
He guided the Rebels to one of the best starts in program history in his initial season, beginning with a 13-0 record in non-conference play, tying the longest win-streak in Ole Miss history. Beard led the team to a 20-win season, picking up victories over five eventual postseason teams.
From 2021-22, Beard was the head coach at his alma mater, the University of Texas, where he compiled a record of 29-13 over two years, including a 22-12 record and a second-round finish in the 2022 NCAA Tournament in his first season. That year, all five of his starters earned all-conference honors, highlighted by their defensive prowess as Texas led the Big 12 and ranked No. 10 nationally in scoring defense (60.6 points allowed per game) and No. 22 in the country in turnover margin (+3.4).
Prior to his tenure at Texas, Beard spent five seasons at Texas Tech, where he took a program with losing seasons in five of six years before his arrival and turned them into a national powerhouse. Compiling a record of 112-55 (.671) in five seasons, he took the program to new heights, with an Elite Eight appearance in just his second season before guiding the Red Raiders to the national title game in his third year. With no postseason in his fourth year due to COVID-19, he closed out his career at Texas Tech with 18 wins and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Before his time at the helm in the Big 12, Beard was the head coach for one season at Little Rock, where he went 30-5, won the Sun Belt Conference title, and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He previously spent two years as the head coach at Angelo State from 2013-2015, and one season as the head coach of McMurry.
Beard has coached three NBA draft picks since 2018, including first round pick Zhaire Smith by the Phoenix Suns at No. 16 in 2018, and lottery pick Jarrett Culver at No. 6 by the Suns in 2019.
On the recruiting trail, Beard has ranked among the very best in the country, earning top-10 class rankings in 2022, 2020, and 2018. His most recent class of 2022 at Texas was ranked No. 6 in the nation by 247Sports and No. 8 by Rivals, with his final class at Texas Tech in 2020 earning similar praise at No. 7 by Rivals and No. 11 by 247Sports. Prior to his national runner-up season at Texas Tech in 2018-19, his recruiting class was ranked No. 8 by Rivals.
He spent 10 seasons on staff at Texas Tech after he was hired as an assistant coach in 2001 under hall-of-fame coach Bob Knight, and spent three years as associate head coach from 2008 to 2011. Beard was the head coach at Seminole State college in 2000-01, going 25-6. He spent the previous season as the head coach of Fort Scott Community College, and was on staff as an assistant prior at North Texas for two seasons (1997-99) and Abilene Christian for one (1996-97).
Beard graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology from Texas in 1995, where he also worked as a student assistant under head coach Tom Penders. He went on to receive his master’s degree in education from Abilene Christian University in 1998 after spending one year before that as a graduate assistant at Incarnate Word.
Beard has three daughters, Avery, Ella, and Margo.
BEARD COACHING CAREER
1995-96: Incarnate Word (Graduate Assistant), 20-9
1996-97: Abilene Christian (Assistant Coach), 15-12
1997-98: North Texas (Assistant Coach), 5-21
1998-99: North Texas (Assistant Coach), 4-12
1999-2000: Fort Scott CC (Head Coach), 19-12, NJCAA Regional
2000-01: Seminole State College (Head Coach), 25-6
2001-02: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 23-9, NCAA Round of 64
2002-03: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 22-13, NIT 3rd Place
2003-04: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 23-11, NCAA Round of 32
2004-05: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 22-11, NCAA Sweet 16
2005-06: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 15-17
2006-07: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 21-13, NCAA Round of 64
2007-08: Texas Tech (Assistant Coach), 16-15
2008-09: Texas Tech (Associate Head Coach), 14-19
2009-10: Texas Tech (Associate Head Coach), 19-16, NIT Quarterfinals
2010-11: Texas Tech (Associate Head Coach), 13-19
2011-12: South Carolina Warriors, American Basketball Association (Head Coach), 29-2
2012-13: McMurry (Head Coach), 19-10, NCAA Central Regional
2013-14: Angelo State (Head Coach), 19-9
2014-15: Angelo State (Head Coach), 28-6, NCAA Division II Sweet 16
2015-16: Little Rock (Head Coach), 30-5, NCAA Round of 32
2016-17: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 18-14
2017-18: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 27-10, NCAA Elite Eight
2018-19: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 31-7, NCAA Runner-Up
2019-20: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 18-13 (no postseason, COVID-19)
2020-21: Texas Tech (Head Coach), 18-11, NCAA Round of 32
2021-22: Texas (Head Coach), 22-12, NCAA Round of 32
2022-23: Texas (Head Coach), 7-1
2023-24: Ole Miss (Head Coach), 20-12
BEARD FAST FACTS
• Led three different programs to NCAA Tournament since 2016
• 2019 AP National Coach of the Year
• Guided Texas Tech to 2019 National Championship Game
• Owns a 70.0%-win percentage as a head coach in the NCAA
• 11-5 all-time at the NCAA Tournament, including a 5-0 record in opening round games
• A four-time conference coach of the year award winner
• Top-10 nationally ranked recruiting classes by Rivals in 2022 (No. 8, Texas), 2020 (No. 7, Texas Tech), and 2018 (No. 8, Texas Tech).
• 2015-16 Sun Belt Regular Season and Tournament Champions at Little Rock
• Upset No. 5 seed Purdue in first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament in double overtime at Little Rock
• 2018-19 Big 12 Regular Season Co-Champions