HEAD COACH JEFF WULBRUN

Head coach Jeff Wulbrun enters his third season as the leader of the men's basketball program in 2023-24.

2022-23 Season
Denver continued to build in its success in year two under Wulbrun, improving to a 15-17, the most by the program since 2017-18. The Pioneers posted the best start in program history, going 8-1 through nine games. Under Wulbrun's guidance, DU became a tough team to beat at home, posting a 9-5 record in Hamilton Gymnasium, the best home record by a Denver team since 2017-18.

The Crimson and Gold set more accolades with Wulbrun in his second season: Denver posted a six-game winning streak from Nov. 18 to Dec. 4, longest by the team since December of 2016 (six games), notching a 6-1 record in the month of November, which was the most wins by team in a month since December of 2016, recorded back-to-back double-digit win seasons since 2016-18, and scoring 72.7 points per game as a team on the year, the most since 2017-18.

Wulbrun's balanced scoring attack continued to improve in 2022-23, recording the first season in the Pioneers' Division I history to have five players average at least 10.0 points per game for the year.

Wulburn continued to show his skill with point guards with the development of Tommy Bruner. The junior made an impact this season for the Pioneers in his debut year, becoming the first player in Denver’s Division I era to average at least 15.5 points and 4.1 assists per game for a single season, resulting in a selection to the All-Summit League Newcomer Team and All-Summit League Honorable Mention.

The second-year coach also was able to reunite with his old big man from Stanford, Lukas Kisunas. As a graduate student, the 6-foot-10 forward had his best collegiate season with Wulbrun, posting career highs in points (10.2), rebounds (5.4) and assists (1.3). Kisunas also tied for first in the NCAA in in total number of games with at least 10 points on 80 percent shooting-or-better this year with 10 games.

2021-22 Season
Wulbrun led a resurgence in the Pioneer program in his in 2021-22. The first-year head coach led the Pioneers to double-digit wins (11), the most by the program since the 2017-18 season. The nine-win improvement tied the most from one season to the next in the program’s DI era (1998-pres.)

That wouldn’t be the only milestone Wulbrun hit in his debut coaching season, he guided the Pioneers to seven Summit League wins, matching the total of the three previous seasons combined. Wulbrun also got his team to get it done on the road, picking up four road wins in year one with DU, matching the total of the previous four years combined. The victory at the Kansas City on Jan. 17 snapped a 42-game road losing streak that dated back to Dec. 11, 2018.

He also got the Crimson and Gold to post back-to-back wins for the first time since 2019 and first set of back-to-back road victories since Dec. 10th (at Air Force) and 13th (at South Alabama) back in 2016.

Under Wulbrun’s guidance, the Pioneers were a much more competitive team, resulting in multiple sweeps of a Summit League opponent (North Dakota and St. Thomas) for the first time since 2017-18.

On offense, DU showed a level of efficiency not seen in some time, posting the highest scoring output (70.5) since 2017-18, highlighted by the team having the highest field goal percentage (46.0), made 3s (232), three-point percentage (36.8) and assists (397) in years for the program. Denver also dialed it up in league play, averaging 74.4 points per game, its best scoring output in league play since 2016-17.

The rise in play was powered by players all brought in by Wulbrun and his staff, starting with transfer KJ Hunt. Under Wulbrun, Hunt posted career highs in points per game (15.1), rebounds (4.4), assists (3.4), field goal percentage (43.0), free throw percentage (78.8), 3s made (27), total assists (103) and total steals (33). Hunt was selected to the Summit League All-Newcomer Team along with earning honorable mention All-Summit League honors.

Wulbrun also delivered with one of the best freshmen classes in Pioneer history with Tevin Smith, Coban Porter and Touko Tainamo. The trio made a major impact in year one with each have huge moments throughout the season. Smith, DU’s highest rated recruit to sign coming out high school ever, showcased his athletic abilities, getting 33 blocks on the season, the most by a Pioneer since Chris Udofia in 2013-14. Smith also made history, becoming the only player in college basketball this season to score at least 23 points and grab 10 rebounds while not missing a shot (7-7 FG, 8-8 FT) in a 63-53 win at Kansas City.

Smith also became the first Denver freshman to ever win Summit League Player of the Week award back on Jan. 24. He was the first true freshman to win the award in the league since South Dakota State's David Jenkins did back on Jan. 22, 2018.

Porter came in and provided elite-level shooting to the program immediately. The sharpshooting guard was just one of four players in all the NCAA freshmen class to make at least 70 3s on the year while shooting at least 41.3 percent as of Mar. 5. The Columbia, Mo. native led the Summit League in 3-point percentage for the season at 41.3 percent.

Porter’s 71 3s made rank tied for eighth out of all freshmen in the NCAA and set a new freshman record for DU in its DI era (1998-pres.). The freshmen also provided a scoring option off the bench with his 11.4 points per game average being the highest by a DU freshman since Joe Rosga’s 12.7 in 2015-16.

Tainamo brought efficient post play not seen by the Pioneers in a while. The Helsinki, Finland native was the first Denver freshman to record at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in a game on Dec. 20 against Western Illinois since Chris Udofia did it back on Jan. 15, 2011.

Tainamo recorded his second double-double of the season against Kansas City on Jan. 27, finishing with 15 points and 15 rebounds, first player since Daniel Amigo (24 points, 16 rebounds) to get at least 15 points and 15 rebounds in a game back on Nov. 25, 2017. His three double-doubles are the most by a Pioneer since Ade Murkey (4) in 2019-20 and most by a DU freshman since Royce O’Neale back in 2011-12.

Previous Coaching History
Wulbrun, who owns nearly three decades of experience as a basketball coach, spent five seasons at Stanford prio to coming to Denver. After serving the first two years as an assistant coach, Wulbrun was elevated to the James C. Gaither Associate Head Coach of Men’s Basketball prior to the 2018-19 season.

Working directly with the Cardinal forwards and centers, post play has been one of Wulbrun's specialties for over 30 years. He has developed a plethora of All-Pac-12 performers at Stanford, including Reid Travis and Michael Humphrey, who formed one of the top tandems in the conference, Josh Sharma, who excelled at his highest level during his senior season, and Oscar da Silva, who has emerged as a player who can work both the low and high post and take his opponents off the dribble. All four players feature heavily in the Cardinal record books.

Wulbrun oversaw Stanford’s scheduling, where he has secured home games against some of the top programs in the nation, with both North Carolina (2017) and Kansas (2019), among others, visiting Maples Pavilion. A force in recruiting, Wulbrun has helped Stanford land back-to-back-to-back top-tier recruiting classes, including top-10 classes in 2017 and 2020.

Stanford finished 20-12 overall in 2019-20, and remained solidly in contention for an NCAA Tournament berth throughout a season shortened by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Boasting the nation's No. 16-ranked scoring defense (KenPom No. 7), the Cardinal also shot its highest field goal percentage (.469) since 2003-04 and was led by junior Oscar da Silva (All-Pac-12 first team, 15.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and Tyrell Terry (All-Pac-12 honorable mention, 14.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.2 apg), who emerged as one of the nation's top freshmen.

The 2018-19 team won 15 games, and was led by NBA Draft choice KZ Okpala, who went to the Miami Heat. He joined over 30 players under Wulbrun that have gone on to professional careers, including NBA All-Stars Jason Kidd and Kevin Johnson. He also served as an assistant coach for the gold-medal-winning United States at the Maccabi Games in 2019 in Budapest, Hungary.

In Wulbrun’s second season, Stanford won 19 games overall and returned to the postseason for the first time in three years. Stanford finished third in the Pac-12 standings and won 11 conference games in 2017-18, its best finish and most conference wins in 10 years. The '17-18 team posted its highest scoring average (75.9 ppg) in 16 seasons, and led the conference in rebounding (39.1 rpg).

Wulbrun has been a member of Haase’s staff each of the last eight seasons at both Stanford and UAB. Wulbrun’s relationship with Haase dates back nearly three decades when he first recruited and signed Haase as a member of the California coaching staff.

Over a successful coaching career that spans 30 years (20 years in college and 10 in high school), Wulbrun has helped guide three different collegiate programs – California, Illinois State and UAB – to the NCAA Tournament.

At each stop, Wulbrun has played a key role in bringing in highly-regarded recruiting classes, highlighted by top-10 classes at Stanford in 2017 and 2020, a top-30 class with the Cardinal in 2018 and a top-five class at California that included Haase and Jason Kidd. At UAB, Wulbrun was responsible for landing the top recruiting class in Conference USA. Known for identifying and recruiting international talent, Wulbrun has helped bring in top prospects from Australia, Germany and Lithuania to Stanford.

At UAB, Wulbrun was part of a coaching staff that guided the Blazers to 80 wins in the four-year span, including the 2016 Conference USA regular-season championship and the 2015 conference tournament title. In 2015, UAB earned its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2011 and captured the Blazers’ first win in the NCAAs since 2005. The Blazers’ 26 wins in 2015-16 were a school record. He recruited and helped develop UAB all-conference selections Chris Cokley and William Lee during his time with the Blazers. Lee finished his career as UAB’s all-time leader in blocked shots (291) and Cokley completed his career third in UAB history in career scoring with 1,660 points.

Before reuniting with Haase at UAB, Wulbrun served on the staff at Virginia Tech (2011-12), Illinois State (1993-97) and California (1986-93).

A Cypress, California, native, Wulbrun was an assistant coach at California under Lou Campanelli for seven seasons, helping lead the Golden Bears to five postseason appearances. During his time in Berkeley, Wulbrun helped sign Haase out of South Lake Tahoe High School, along with Jason Kidd and Lamond Murray. Wulbrun also coached three-time NBA All-Star Kevin Johnson, who served eight years as the Mayor of Sacramento.

Wulbrun helped lead Illinois State to three postseason appearances, including the 1997 Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament title and berth in the NCAA Tournament in his four seasons with the Redbirds. He was also was active in real estate sales and development in Illinois. He was appointed the Chief Operating Officer of Distinctive Designs, a residential construction company, in 1998.

During his seven successful years in the business world, Wulbrun also served as the head coach of Central Catholic High School in Bloomington, Illinois. He developed Central Catholic into one of the top high school programs in Illinois.

Wulbrun jumped back into collegiate coaching full time in 2011, working with Seth Greenberg at Virginia Tech for one season. He then reunited with Haase on his staff at UAB, when Haase was named the head coach of the Blazers in 2012.

Wulbrun holds a bachelor of arts in communications from Cal State Fullerton (1984). He and his wife, Jennie, are the proud parents of daughter, Kendall, and son, Jared. Kendall attended TCU, and is now the assistant director of admissions at Santa Clara University, and Jared attends Purdue University, where he is a member of the men’s basketball team. Jennie works as a programs & events manager for the Positive Coaching Alliance.