Jim Jabir obit

Jim Jabir, UD women’s basketball’s winningest head coach, dies at 63

 

He was not on the list.

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – The University of Dayton athletics community was rocked by the tragic passing of former Flyers women’s basketball head coach Jim Jabir on Thursday night.

Jabir was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July of 2024, following his retirement that March.

Jabir coached the Flyers for 13 seasons from 2003-2016, amassing 238 wins and 140 losses, becoming the winningest head coach in program history.

Over his 28-year head coaching career, he finished with a total record of 458-363, with stops at Siena, Marquette, Providence, Florida Atlantic and Buffalo State.

He boasts six consecutive NCAA appearances (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015) during his illustrious career.

Jabir led Dayton to its first NCAA Elite Eight in 2015, two post-season Women’s NIT appearances, three-consecutive Atlantic 10 Finals, the program’s first A-10 Tournament title in 2012, followed by the program’s first A-10 Regular Season title in 2013.

In 2014, Jabir led the Flyers to another A-10 Regular Season crown. He has 27 A-10 All-Conference performers under his belt while at the helm of the Flyers.

Undoubtedly, he led the University of Dayton to its most successful stint in modern program history.

The two-time Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year has transformed the program, taking the Flyers from 3-25 in his first season to their highest national ranking at No. 11 in both the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls in 2013.

In the last six seasons UD has accrued a 162-60 overall record (.730 winning percentage) and posted a 81-23 record (.779 winning percentage) in Atlantic 10 games.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Jabir graduated from Nazareth College in 1984 with a degree in English. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Nazareth in 1984–85. He was the head coach of Buffalo State College in the NCAA Division 3 in 1986–87, guiding the team to a SUNYAC Championship and the NCAA Regionals. At Buffalo State, he earned a Master's degree in Student Personnel Administration.

At age 24, Jabir was named Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Siena College. Between 1987 and 1990, he had a record of 50–29 at Siena, followed by head coaching stints at Marquette University (1990–1996) and Providence College (1996–2002). He guided Marquette Women’s Basketball Team to NCAA Tournament appearances in 1994 and 1995, Jabir earned Reebok/Great Midwest Coach of the Year honors twice. During his tenure at Providence, he led the Women’s team to 62 wins and 102 losses.

In 2002–03, Jabir was an assistant coach at the Colorado University Women’s Basketball Team, helping the squad to a Sweet 16 appearance. Jabir moved to the University of Dayton, where he was the Head Women’s Basketball Coach from 2003 to 2016. At Dayton, he compiled a record of 252 wins and 155 defeats and became the winningest coach in program history. In 2013, his Dayton Flyers’ team was ranked 11th nationally in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls. He coached Dayton to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2015. Jabir received Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year honors in 2008 and 2013 and was a finalist for the Naismith College Coach of the Year Award in 2013. On September 7, 2016, Jabir stepped back for health reasons. Jabir said, he has had heart problems in the past and a pacemaker and defibrillator.

In parts of the 2016–17 season, he coached in the professional ranks, serving as head coach for SISU's men's team in Denmark’s Basketligaen, where he signed in January 2017. He guided the team to a semifinal appearance and was named 2016–17 Basketligaen Coach of the Year. Under his guidance, SISU won eleven of its 18 games