# Jamie Dixon
**Jamie Dixon** (born 1965) is an American college basketball coach, the head coach of the TCU Horned Frogs and formerly the head coach of the Pittsburgh Panthers, with a career Division I head coaching record of 527 wins and 261 losses, a .669 winning percentage, over 23 seasons.[1](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/jamie-dixon-1.html) A TCU graduate who played for the Horned Frogs, he returned to his alma mater as its 22nd head coach on March 22, 2016, after 13 seasons at [Pittsburgh](https://www.edgepedia.org/pittsburgh).[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / alma mater | 1965; TCU, 1987; played 109 games at TCU, averaging 8.1 points per game[1](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/jamie-dixon-1.html) |
| Career record | 23 years, 527-261 (.669): Pittsburgh 328-123, Texas Christian 199-138[1](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/jamie-dixon-1.html) |
| NCAA Tournament | 16 appearances with a 15-16 record; no Final Fours[1](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/jamie-dixon-1.html) |
| Pitt highlights | 11 NCAA berths in 13 seasons, three Sweet Sixteens, one Elite Eight (2009), and Pitt's first two No. 1 seeds, in 2009 and 2011[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334) |
| Early-career record | NCAA Division I all-time record for most wins after eight seasons of a coaching career, 216[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334) |
| Major honors | 2008-09 Naismith Coach of the Year; 2003-04 Big East Coach of the Year; 2009-10 Phelan Award; 2010-11 TSN Coach of the Year[1](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/jamie-dixon-1.html) |
| Other roles | NABC President 2020-22; USA U19 head coach, gold medals in 2009 and 2021[3](https://nabc.com/nabc_releases/2020/dixon/) • [2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334) |
## Playing career and education
Dixon played at TCU, appearing in 109 games and averaging 8.1 points per game, and was on the 1987 team that reached the NCAA Tournament.[1](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/jamie-dixon-1.html) • [2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334) He received a bachelor's degree in finance from TCU in 1987 and a master's degree in economics from UC-Santa Barbara in 1992.[4](https://pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jamie-dixon/402) He was inducted into the TCU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame in 2025.[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334)
## Assistant coaching years
Before becoming a head coach, Dixon served as an assistant at Los Angeles Valley Junior College under Jim Stephens (1989-90 and 1990-91), at UC Santa Barbara under Jerry Pimm (1991-92 and 1992-93), at Hawaii under Riley Wallace (1993-94 and 1998-99), at Northern Arizona under Ben Howland from 1994-95 through 1997-98, and at Pittsburgh under Howland from 1999-2000 through 2002-03, where he was promoted to associate head coach.[5](https://collegehoopedia.com/coaches/Jamie-Dixon) • [6](https://pittsburghpanthers.com/documents/download/2017/6/26/RMUGameNotes112310.pdf) At Northern Arizona, the team made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history in 1998.[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334)
## Pittsburgh (2003-2016)
Dixon was introduced as Pittsburgh's 14th head basketball coach on April 15, 2003.[4](https://pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jamie-dixon/402) Over 13 seasons the Panthers went 328-123, earned 11 NCAA Tournament berths, made three Sweet Sixteen appearances and one Elite Eight, and received the program's first two NCAA No. 1 seeds, in 2009 and 2011.[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334) His first Pittsburgh team went 31-5, won the Big East regular season, and reached the Sweet 16.[1](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/jamie-dixon-1.html)
**Early-career records.** Dixon set an [NCAA Division I](https://www.edgepedia.org/ncaa-division-i) all-time record for the best start to a coaching career after eight seasons, with 216 victories, and tied the record for most wins after seven seasons (188 in 2009-10) after previously setting the mark for the first six years (163 in 2008-09).[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334) • [6](https://pittsburghpanthers.com/documents/download/2017/6/26/RMUGameNotes112310.pdf) He is one of only 11 coaches in Division I history to win more than 100 games in his first four seasons.[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334) Only Mark Few and [Roy Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/roy-williams-basketball-coach) took a school to the NCAA Tournament more often in a first 13 seasons as head coach.[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334)
**Big East standing.** When he left the conference after the 2012-13 season, his .658 winning percentage in Big East league games (127-66) was the best all-time mark in league play, ahead of John Thompson, Jim Calhoun, Jim Boeheim, Rick Pitino, and Lou Carnesecca.[4](https://pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jamie-dixon/402) He led Pitt to three Big East championships: two outright regular-season titles (2003-04 and 2010-11) and one tournament championship (2007-08).[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334) • [1](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/jamie-dixon-1.html) His 2008-09 team reached No. 1 in the AP poll, the program's first top ranking.[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334)
His final Pittsburgh seasons were weaker: the 2011-12 team went 22-17 and won the CBI, and his last two ACC seasons included a 19-15 NIT year in 2014-15.[1](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/jamie-dixon-1.html) • [7](https://gofrogs.com/documents/download/2018/7/16/2172__m_baskbl_2016_17_release__release_20161216aaa.pdf) In March 2016 he accepted TCU's offer to return to Fort Worth.[8](https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pitt/2016/03/21/jamie-dixon-pitt-coach-tcu/stories/201603210131)
## TCU (2016-present)
When Dixon took over, TCU had gone 2-16 in Big 12 play, after finishing 0-18 in conference the season before; the 12-win jump between 2015-16 and 2016-17 ranked as the second-biggest turnaround in the school's history.[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334) His first TCU team went 24-15 and won the 2017 NIT championship.[9](https://baylorbears.com/documents/download/2022/1/6/TCU_Game_Notes_12_Baylor_1.pdf)
After a 21-12 NCAA Tournament season in 2017-18, results dipped, with a 16-16 season in 2019-20 and 12-14 in the shortened 2020-21 season.[1](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/jamie-dixon-1.html) The program then reached sustained success: three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 2022 to 2024, wins in back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2022 and 2023, a program-best fifth-place Big 12 finish each year from 2021 to 2024, and a program-best eight NET Quadrant 1 wins in 2022-23.[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334) In the 2025-26 season TCU went 23-12, won a program-record 11 Big 12 games, defeated three top-10 teams in one season for the first time in program history, and returned to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in five seasons.[1](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/jamie-dixon-1.html) • [2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334)
His TCU record of 199-138 is the second-most wins by any TCU head coach and the most victories in any 10-year period in program history.[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334) In June 2026, [Orlando Magic](https://www.edgepedia.org/orlando-magic) guard and TCU graduate [Desmond Bane](https://www.edgepedia.org/desmond-bane) joined the staff as Chief Basketball Officer, a volunteer advisory role supporting player development and serving as a liaison to the NBA.[10](https://d3h8hkdb4o069q.cloudfront.net/news/2026/6/22/mens-basketball-bane-named-chief-basketball-officer)
## Coaching style and recognition
Dixon has described defense as the foundation of his coaching: in a 2007 NCAA tournament interview he said he had always believed that to win, teams had to defend and guard, and that defense wins games and championships.[11](https://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=41854) Pittsburgh Magazine described his program's signature as an emphasis on defense, rebounding, and offensive efficiency.[12](https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/jamie-dixon-winning-his-way/)
He has earned four national Coach of the Year honors, including the 2009 Naismith Coach of the Year, plus the 2003-04 Big East Coach of the Year, the 2009-10 Phelan Award, and the 2010-11 TSN award.[1](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/jamie-dixon-1.html) • [2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334) He served as president of the NABC Board of Directors for 2020-21, succeeding Mike Brey of Notre Dame, after 31 years of NABC membership.[3](https://nabc.com/nabc_releases/2020/dixon/) • [2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334) As head coach of the USA U19 team he won gold medals in 2009 and 2021, and he helped bring the 2021 U19 team's training to Fort Worth.[2](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334)
## References
1. [Jamie Dixon Coaching Record, Sports-Reference](https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/coaches/jamie-dixon-1.html)
2. [Jamie Dixon - Head Coach, TCU Athletics Staff Directory](https://gofrogs.com/staff-directory/Jamie-Dixon/334)
3. [TCU's Dixon Begins Term as NABC President, NABC](https://nabc.com/nabc_releases/2020/dixon/)
4. [Jamie Dixon - Men's Basketball Coach, Pitt Panthers](https://pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jamie-dixon/402)
5. [Jamie Dixon, College Hoopedia](https://collegehoopedia.com/coaches/Jamie-Dixon)
6. [Jamie Dixon Coaching Notes, Pitt game notes (2010)](https://pittsburghpanthers.com/documents/download/2017/6/26/RMUGameNotes112310.pdf)
7. [TCU Basketball release (2016-17), gofrogs.com](https://gofrogs.com/documents/download/2018/7/16/2172__m_baskbl_2016_17_release__release_20161216aaa.pdf)
8. [Longtime basketball coach Dixon leaves Pitt for TCU, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette](https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pitt/2016/03/21/jamie-dixon-pitt-coach-tcu/stories/201603210131)
9. [Jamie Dixon File, Baylor game notes (2022)](https://baylorbears.com/documents/download/2022/1/6/TCU_Game_Notes_12_Baylor_1.pdf)
10. [Bane Named Chief Basketball Officer, TCU Athletics](https://d3h8hkdb4o069q.cloudfront.net/news/2026/6/22/mens-basketball-bane-named-chief-basketball-officer)
11. [2007 NCAA Regional transcript, ASAP Sports](https://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=41854)
12. [Jamie Dixon: Winning His Way, Pittsburgh Magazine](https://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/jamie-dixon-winning-his-way/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › Basketball players and coaches (biographies) › Men's college coaches*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license