CAREER HONORS
• Three-Time SEC Coach of the Year (2006, 2008 and 2022)
• Three-Time Horizon League Coach of the Year (2002, 2003 and 2005)
• Two-Time GLVC Coach of the Year (1993 and 1994)
• 2019 NCAA Final Four appearance
• 2009 Maccabi Games Gold Medalist (Team USA)
• 2008 Adolph Rupp Cup Award recipient
• 2006 Sporting News Coach of the Year
• 1995 NABC Division II Coach of the Year
• 1995 NCAA Division II National Championship

Auburn Head Coach Bruce Pearl is in his 11th season on The Plains.

One of the most prominent men’s basketball coaches in the country, he currently ranks No. 12 among active NCAA Division I head coaches in career wins (662) and No. 46 all-time.

He has guided the Tigers to 200 wins in 10 seasons, the program’s first-ever No. 1 ranking in both national polls and a memorable run to the NCAA Final Four in 2019.

Pearl is 14 wins away from becoming the all-time winningest coach in program history (13 wins away to tie Joel Eaves for the distinction).

Pearl has won the sixth-most SEC Men’s Basketball Championships (4) in conference history and ranks among the Top 5 all-time SEC coaches in overall victories (345) behind Adolph Rupp (876), Billy Donovan (467), Dale Brown (448) and John Calipari (410).

His accomplishments also include two Southeastern Conference regular-season championships, two SEC Tournament championship and five NCAA Tournament berths with the Tigers.

Last season, Auburn compiled a 27-8 overall record which marked the fourth-most wins in school history. The Tigers claimed the SEC Tournament Championship title and league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament by defeating South Carolina, Mississippi State and Florida. They also finished the season with the highest NCAA NET/RPI ranking (No. 5) in program history.

Johni Broome became the 14th player in school history to be honored as an All-American, after being tabbed SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player, All-SEC First Team and a Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award semifinalist.

In 2021-22, Auburn posted a 28-6 overall record - the third-most wins in school history, turned in the program’s first-ever undefeated season at home at Neville Arena (16-0) and earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The Tigers finished the historic campaign ranked No. 8 in the final Associated Press Poll and No. 14 in the final USA TODAY/Coaches Poll. They also finished No. 13 overall in the final NCAA Men’s Basketball NET Rankings.

The postseason saw two of its very own drafted in the NBA First Round with All-American Jabari Smith being selected No. 3 overall by the Houston Rockets and All-American Walker Kessler selected No. 22 overall by the Memphis Grizzlies (traded to Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz).

Smith took home National Freshman of the Year honors, while Kessler was tabbed National Defensive Player of the Year. Both joined Chuma Okeke (No. 16 overall in 2019), Isaac Okoro (No. 5 overall in 2020), JT Thor (No. 37 overall in 2021) and Sharife Cooper (No. 48 overall in 2021) as Tigers drafted into the NBA and developed by Pearl and his coaching staff.

Off-the-court, Auburn was one of six NCAA Division I men’s basketball programs to finish in the Top 25 of the Final Associated Press Top 25 Poll and achieve a 3.0 or higher team grade-point average during the 2021-22 season.

The Tigers were among nine schools to sell out all of its home games during the 2021-22 season.

Since he arrived at Auburn for the 2014-15 season, Pearl has produced one of the biggest turnarounds in the college basketball landscape. Prior to his arrival, Auburn has an average RPI of 191.8.

In the past five seasons, the Tigers finished their campaign 16th, 13th, 27th, 11th and 5th respectively in the final NET Rankings/RPI.

His teams have been just as successful off the court as Auburn has had 40 graduates since 2014 – the most in the SEC.

The 2018-19 season was arguably the greatest season in Auburn basketball history. The Tigers won 30 games for the first time ever en route to becoming the first team from the state of Alabama to reach the Final Four.

During Auburn’s historic March Madness run in the 2018-19 season, the Tigers became the first team ever to knock off the three winningest programs in college basketball history in succession – Kansas, North Carolina and Kentucky.

In 29 seasons as a head coach, he has guided his teams to the NCAA Tournament 22 times (would have been 23 if not for the cancelation of 2020 season) and a 662-264 (.715) winning record.

Pearl is the only head coach (football or men’s basketball) in SEC history to lead two programs to a No. 1 national ranking (Auburn in 2022 and Tennessee in 2008).

Additionally, he is just one of three head coaches to take four programs (three at the Division I level) to the Sweet 16, joining Lon Kruger and Eddie Sutton.

Pearl became the 21st fastest coach to 500 wins in his 691st game in Auburn’s 78-74 win over LSU on Jan. 19, 2017. He reached the historic mark between a pair of Hall of Famers, just behind Lute Olson and ahead of Nolan Richardson.

Through the Bruce Pearl Family Foundation, he and his wife, Brandy, remain committed to giving back to those in Alabama, raising over 2.5 million dollars in support of Children’s Harbor and other children’s charities.

An ambassador for the university, Pearl’s selfless community service work and generous stewardship makes him one of the most influential public figures in the state of Alabama.

In 2020, Pearl helped establish the Together We Will Scholarship and is one of the university’s largest donors to the Melton Scholars Program, which increases access for underrepresented students and supports them throughout their Auburn experience.

Since 2016, Coach Pearl has raised 1.37 million dollars for AUTLIVE – Auburn Basketball’s fight against cancer – with 12 organizations across the state of Alabama receiving funds from this initiative annually. These funds go directly to patients and their families to offset the cost of fighting cancer, including medication, treatment or just paying their bills.

He was given the “Spirit of Auburn” Award in the spring of 2015 and was named “Knoxvillian of the Year” by Knoxville Metro Pulse in 2008 and also received the prestigious “Knoxville Award” in 2010. The UT basketball program also earned the UT Men’s Community Outreach Team Award twice in his six seasons.

Pearl realized a lifelong dream in the summer of 2008 when his country called upon him to serve as head coach of Maccabi USA’s open men’s basketball team at the 18th World Maccabiah Games in Israel. He led the American squad to the gold medal for just the third time in 24 years, toppling favored Israel in the title game.

His 29 years of coaching experience covers four stops. Pearl began his head coaching career with a nine-year stay at Southern Indiana, taking the program to the NCAA Tournament each season, going 231-46 (.834) from 1992-2001.

From there he made the move to Wisconsin-Milwaukee, taking the Panthers to the NIT once and the NCAA Tournament twice, including a 2005 Sweet 16 appearance.

After compiling an 86-38 (.694) record at Milwaukee, Tennessee tabbed him as its leader in 2005 and he responded by taking the program to six straight NCAA Tournament appearances, two Sweet Sixteens (2007, 2008) and the 2010 Elite Eight, which was the most successful six-year run in Volunteers history.

Pearl’s coaching career began at his alma mater, Boston College, as a student assistant coach to the legendary Dr. Tom Davis. After 14 seasons seated to the right of Davis, the 32-year-old Pearl embarked on his own head coaching career.

But Pearl’s first break came during his undergraduate career at BC when Davis offered him a position of student assistant in 1978. In 1981, the Eagles won the Big East Conference championship and reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament. The following season, BC advanced to the Elite Eight.

When Davis moved on to Stanford in 1982, Pearl joined his staff as an assistant coach and then, at the age of 23, was promoted to associate head coach for the Cardinal. While in Palo Alto, Calif., they ended a streak of 20 consecutive losing seasons with a 19-12 overall record in 1983-84, laying the groundwork for a resurgence in Stanford Basketball.

During that time, they recruited four players who were drafted by the NBA, including Todd Lichti, who finished his career as Stanford’s all-time leading scorer with 2,336 career points.

After four seasons on the West Coast, Pearl followed Davis to Iowa in 1986. Over the course of the next six seasons, the Hawkeyes received five NCAA Tournament berths while compiling a 129-63 overall record. In 1987, the Hawkeyes recorded a 30-5 mark and advanced to the Elite Eight before falling to UNLV.

And in 1988, Pearl was recognized as one of the top Division I assistants in the country by Basketball Weekly while helping direct the Hawkeyes to the Sweet 16.

His six seasons in Iowa City helped produce 11 NBA draft picks for the Hawkeyes, including Brad Lohaus, Kevin Gamble, B.J. Armstrong, Roy Marble and Acie Earl.

Pearl’s first head coaching opportunity came at Southern Indiana, a Division II school located in Evansville, Ind.

Off the court, Pearl also serves as Chairman of the Board of the U.S. Israel Education Association (USIEA) – an organization dedicated to educating and serving government leaders who are directly involved in advancing important dialogue between the United States and Israel.

A native of Boston, Mass., Pearl received his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Boston College in 1982, graduating cum laude. He has two daughters: Jacqui and Leah, two sons: Steven and Michael, and three grandchildren: Chaya, Jaden and Noa Rose.

Pearl is married to the former Brandy Miller of Sevierville, Tenn.

“BP put me in perfect positions to showcase my game. A lot of guys get to college and some coaches don’t showcase their full arsenal with what they can do. BP put me in perfect position to show everybody my skill-set. he worked me every single day, and he was on me. We have a great relationship. He is one of my favorite coaches to play for just because of his energy and passion. ... BP is like a father figure to me on and off the court. I think that was the biggest thing that sold me and why we still have a tight relationship today.” - Philadelphia 76ers’ Tobias Harris “What Bruce has done at Auburn is beyond ridiculous. I’ve known him a long time and am well-aware of his track record and the  success he’s had at every spot, but I didn’t think he’d ever get this program to this level - and in a position to sustain it. He’s obviously a terrific motivator and gets the most out of his players, but what sometimes gets lost is what a great tactician that he is. He’s become one of the best X’s and O’s guys in the game to go along with his ability to get his guys to play hard on a consistent basis - which is unto itself a skill.” - Jeff Goodman, Stadium “Bruce Pearl is one of the game’s best teachers, game planners and tacticians. What he has done with the Auburn program is nothing short of remarkable.” - Jay Bilas, ESPN “Bruce Pearl is the total package. He understands the business of college. He is a world-class coach and teacher.  He can not only recruit but more importantly evaluate. He has an infectious energy and has created a culture that includes ownership from the War Eagle Nation. What he has accomplished at Auburn is beyond belief.” - Seth Greenberg, ESPN “Only one coach has ever taken Wisconsin-Milwaukee to the Sweet 16: Bruce Pearl. Only one coach has ever taken Tennessee to the Elite Eight: Bruce Pearl. And only one coach has ever taken Auburn to the Final Four: Bruce Pearl. So we’re talking about somebody who has done literally unprecedented things at three different schools, and it’s a testament to BP’s ability to identify talent, develop it and maximize what’s possible for a team. He’s made Auburn a better basketball program, and the SEC a better basketball league. He’s a major figure in college basketball and probably will be for many years to come.” - Gary Parrish, CBS “It’s remarkable what Bruce Pearl has accomplished at Auburn. His teams fear no one, and play as hard as anyone in college basketball right now. That’s a testament to who he is and what he demands. Attack, attack and attack some more. His teams are relentless and every coach in the country knows it. Auburn basketball is in the ring fighting with the blue bloods of this sport. And it all starts with Bruce Pearl.” - Jimmy Dykes, ESPN “Bruce Pearl has done one of the great building jobs in the history of college basketball at Auburn. A dual-threat both tactically and in recruiting, Pearl has made an irrelevant program beyond relevant in college basketball, as evidenced by the 2019 run to the Final Four.” - Jon Rothstein, CBS “Bruce has done a tremendous job of impacting the program in all facets. His energy and passion is unmatched. He has an infectious personality that connects his players to a common goal. Auburn is relevant. Bruce won’t take credit but he should. The Tigers aren’t going away anytime soon.” - Andy Katz, NCAA.com "Bruce Pearl is so smart ... there is a culture change happening with Auburn Basketball." - Laura Rutledge, ESPN "This (Auburn Arena) is a loud building. The energy and electricity in this building is second to none in the league right now. The energy in Auburn Arena is worth 10 points a night." - Tom Hart, ESPN "I think what Bruce Pearl has done at Auburn is amazing, the amount of excitement he has brought and the expectations have been raised. I saw them go on that run in the SEC Tournament and to do that with a team like that is such an incredibly, encouraging starting point for a program like that. I think the SEC is going to be on the rise on the whole, but Auburn hiring Bruce Pearl kick-started that across the board for the conference." - Nicole Auerbach, The Athletic