Tom Herrion Position: Assistant Coach Years at Virginia: 4

Tom Herrion is in his fourth year as an assistant coach at Virginia. He was elevated from a part-time assistant to a full-time assistant in March of 1999 after then-UVa assistant coach Bobby Gonzalez left to become the head basketball coach at Manhattan College.

Prior to coming to Virginia, Herrion spent four seasons as an assistant coach on head coach Pete Gillen’s staff at Providence College. During that time, the Friars compiled an overall record of 72-53, advanced to the Elite Eight of the 1997 NCAA Tournament and made two NIT appearances.

“Tommy is one of the best teachers of the game I have ever been around,” says Gillen. “He has a spectacular future in this profession.

“He has coaching in his blood. His father was a former high school and college coach. His brother Bill is the head coach at East Carolina University and is a rising star in the college coaching ranks.

“Tommy is in his eighth year with me and has done a great job. He will be on the road a lot recruiting and will continue to do some scouting because that is something he does very well. He also works with our administration in different areas, such as academics, scheduling and facilities. He is tremendously valuable to our basketball program.”

Before going to Providence, Herrion was an assistant coach at his alma mater, Merrimack College, from 1989-94. During that time, he helped lead Merrimack to two NCAA Division II tournament appearances.

Herrion received his bachelor’s degree from Merrimack in 1989. As an undergraduate at Merrimack, he was an assistant coach at Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School in Cambridge, Mass., and head junior varsity coach for two years (1987-89). Herrion was a student assistant coach at Merrimack during the 1986-87 season. A native of Oxford, Mass., Herrion was a three-time letter winner in both basketball and baseball at Oxford High School. As a senior at Oxford, he was a Southern Worcester County All-Star.

His father, the late Jim Herrion, was a successful high school coach in New York City before becoming an assistant coach at Holy Cross and later the head coach at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. His older brother Bill is in his third year as the head coach at East Carolina after seven years as the head coach at Drexel.

Herrion’s Biography-at-a-Glance
Born: November 13, 1967
Education: Graduated from Oxford (Mass.) High School in 1985; received his bachelor’s degree from Merrimack College in 1989.
Coaching Background: Student assistant coach, Merrimack College, 1986-87; assistant coach, Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School, 1987-89; assistant coach, Merrimack College, 1989-94; assistant coach, Providence College, 1994-1998; fourth year as an assistant coach at the University of Virginia.