John Tauer
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamSt. Thomas
ConferenceSummit League
Record228–70 (.765)
Playing career
1991–1995St. Thomas
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2000–2011St. Thomas (assistant)
2011–presentSt. Thomas
Head coaching record
Overall228–70 (.765)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
NCAA Division III National Champion (2016)
8x MIAC Regular Season (2011–2017, 2018–2020)
4x MIAC Tournament (2011–2013, 2014–2016)

Johnny Tauer is an American psychologist, professor and basketball coach. He is the current head coach of the St. Thomas Tommies men's basketball team.[1][2]

Playing career[edit]

Tauer played collegiately under Steve Fritz at St. Thomas, where he was an all-MIAC selection his senior year, and part of the Tommies 1994 NCAA Division III Final Four team. He ranks 14th in school history in scoring, 15th in rebounding and is sixth all time in MIAC history in three-point baskets.[1]

Coaching career[edit]

After earning his doctorate in social psychology the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Tauer returned to St. Thomas as a professor and assistant men's basketball coach under Fritz.[3] Upon Fritz's retirement in 2011 after the Tommies' 2011 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament title win, Tauer was elevated to head coach on an interim basis before earning the job permanently.[4][5]

As a member of the Tommies staff as an assistant or head coach, Tauer has guided the team to 12-straight MIAC championships from 2005 to 2017, and won a share of 14 of the last 15 MIAC regular season titles along with 14 NCAA tournament appearances, including a national title in 2016.[1][6] Tauer will lead the Tommies into the Division I ranks as St. Thomas joins the Summit League for the 2021–22 season.[7]

Personal life[edit]

Tauer is a tenured professor of psychology at St. Thomas.[2][3]

Head coaching record[edit]

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
St. Thomas Tommies (MIAC) (2011–2021)
2011–12 St. Thomas 22–7 16–4 1st NCAA DIII Second Round
2012–13 St. Thomas 30–2 19–1 1st NCAA DIII Final Four
2013–14 St. Thomas 22–6 18–2 1st NCAA DIII First Round
2014–15 St. Thomas 24–4 17–3 1st NCAA DIII First Round
2015–16 St. Thomas 30–3 18–2 1st NCAA DIII National Champion
2016–17 St. Thomas 19–8 15–5 1st NCAA DIII First Round
2017–18 St. Thomas 14–12 12–8 6th
2018–19 St. Thomas 24–5 18–2 1st NCAA DIII Sweet Sixteen
2019–20 St. Thomas 26–3 19–1 T–1st NCAA DIII Sweet Sixteen
2020–21 St. Thomas 7–0 5–0 1st†
St. Thomas Tommies (Summit League) (2021–present)
2021–22 St. Thomas 10–20 4–14 T–8th
St. Thomas: 228–70 (.765) 161–42 (.793)
Total: 228–70 (.765)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

†Although they were atop the MIAC standings at the time the 2020–21 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the MIAC is not officially recognizing a regular season champion.[8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Johnny Tauer - Head Coach - Men's Basketball Coaches". The University of St. Thomas.
  2. ^ a b "John Tauer | Psychology | College of Arts and Sciences | University of St. Thomas". cas.stthomas.edu.
  3. ^ a b Borzi, Pat (February 17, 2015). "Coach's Ph.D. in Psychology Is Applied on Court and in Classroom" – via NYTimes.com.
  4. ^ Newsroom, St Thomas (May 12, 2011). "After Decorated 40-year Basketball Coaching era, St. Thomas' Steve Fritz Goes out a Winner".
  5. ^ "Interim tag gone as St. Thomas names Tauer head men's basketball coach". MIAC. April 23, 2012.
  6. ^ "John Tauer". www.usab.com.
  7. ^ "St. Thomas receives NCAA waiver to join The Summit League in 2021-22". thesummitleague.org.
  8. ^ "MIAC announces plans for spring competition". Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Bloomington, Minnesota. March 3, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.