Mike Pollio

Last updated
Mike Pollio
Biographical details
Born (1943-05-12) May 12, 1943 (age 81)
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1975–1980 Old Dominion (assistant)
1980–1985 Kentucky Wesleyan
1985–1989 VCU
1989–1992 Eastern Kentucky
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
c. 1983 Kentucky Wesleyan
2002–2010 Mid-South Conference (commissioner)
Head coaching record
Overall233–105
Tournaments2–1 (NIT)
13–4 (NCAA Division II)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 GLVC regular season (1983–1985)

Mike Pollio (born May 12, 1943) is an American former basketball coach and college athletics administrator.

Contents

Early life and education

Pollio was born May 12, 1943. He graduated from Bellarmine College in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. [1]

Career

After graduating, he was Paul Webb's assistant coach at Old Dominion University for five years. [1]

He was the head men's basketball coach at Kentucky Wesleyan College from 1980 to 1985. Afterwards, Pollio had a choice of going to James Madison University, ODU, or Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). He ultimately chose VCU because his friend Lewis Mills was athletic director there. He coached at VCU from 1985 to 1989. [2]

Eastern Kentucky University

He was head coach at Eastern Kentucky University from 1989 to 1992, compiling a career college basketball coaching record of 233–105. Under Pollio, the Panthers moved from last place to second place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference men's basketball tournament. At Kentucky Wesleyan, he also served as athletic director, reviving the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers football program in 1983 after a 53-year hiatus. [3] He was inducted into the Kentucky Wesleyan Hall of Fame in 2014. [4]

Mid-South Conference

From 2002 until June 2010, he was the commissioner of the Mid-South Conference. [5] During Pollio's tenure as commissioner, the conference expanded from nine members to fourteen members, allowing it to receive two automatic bids to the NAIA football national championship. The conference also established the MSC Radio Network and signed an agreement with Wazoo Sports Network to broadcast games on television and the internet. [6]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers (Great Lakes Valley Conference)(1980–1985)
1980–81Kentucky Wesleyan 16–127–42nd
1981–82Kentucky Wesleyan 27–59–32nd NCAA Division II Third Place
1982–83Kentucky Wesleyan 22–810–21st NCAA Division II Sweet 16
1983–84Kentucky Wesleyan 28–310–21st NCAA Division II Third Place
1984–85Kentucky Wesleyan 24–710–4T–1st NCAA Division II Third Place
Kentucky Wesleyan:117–3546–15
VCU Rams (Sun Belt Conference)(1985–1989)
1985–86 VCU 12–166–85th
1986–87 VCU 17–147–74th
1987–88 VCU 23–1210–42nd NIT quarterfinal
1988–89 VCU 13–159–53rd
VCU:65–5732–24
Eastern Kentucky Colonels (Ohio Valley Conference)(1989–1992)
1989–90 Eastern Kentucky 13–177–54th
1990–91 Eastern Kentucky 19–109–32nd
1991–92 Eastern Kentucky 19–149–52nd
Eastern Kentucky:51–4225–13
Total:233–105

      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

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References

  1. 1 2 "Mike Pollio (Former Head Coach)". Coaches Database. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
  2. correspondent, JERRY LINDQUIST Special (2021-07-23). "Jerry Lindquist's Sports Memories: Catching up with former VCU hoops coach Mike Pollio". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved 2025-01-06.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  3. "Kentucky Wesleyan College". Archived from the original on November 13, 2011. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
  4. "Mike Pollio (2014) - Hall of Fame". Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
  5. "Pollio retiring as Mid-South commissioner". Lexington Herald Leader . February 9, 2010.
  6. jasondannelly (2010-02-09). "Mid-South Conference Commissioner Mike Pollio To Retire June 30". Victory Sports Network. Retrieved 2025-01-06.