Rivlin, Julie

Jules Rivlin

After playing at Marshall College (now Marshall University), Rivlin returned to his alma mater as a successful coach, leading their basketball squad, the Thundering Herd, to its first postseason appearance. He was named second team All-Century Marshall University in 1999.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. 1917

Career Highlights:
Born in West Virgina, Rivlin played his collegiate basketball at Marshall College, located in his homestate. A three-year starter, Rivlin scored 434 points during his sophomore season (1937-38), a school record that stood until 1945-46 as Marshall won the Buffalo Conference and had an overall record of 28-4. The following year, Rivlin was the second highest scorer in college basketball as Marshall repeated as conference champions and finished 22-5. Then, Rivlin became Marshall's first basketball All-American as a senior in 1940 as he led the Thundering Herd to a record of 25-4. He finished his career with 1,093 points, another school record (now surpassed).

After graduating, Rivlin turned professional and played in the National Basketball League with the Akron Goodyear Wingfoots in 1940-41. That year, he appeared in 21 games and scored 51 points as Akron finished the season with a record of 11-13 and in sixth place. During World War II, Rivlin, like many professional and college basketball players, played on service teams. Located in Wyoming at Fort Warren, Rivlin was named AAU All-America in 1943 (at the time, the professional-amateur rules were not as strictly enforced).

Following the war, Rivlin returned to the professional game in the NBL. In 1946-47, he was the player/coach for the Toledo Jeeps and appeared in 44 games (scoring 280 points) as the Jeeps finished the regular season with a record of 21-23 and in third place in the Eastern Division. In the playoffs, the Jeeps lost in the first round to the Fort Wayne Pistons, three games to two as Rivlin scored 27 points in the series. That same year, the Jeeps participated in the World Professional Basketball Tournament, a tournament consisting of league and independent teams (such as the Harlem Globetrotters). Rivlin was named MVP and first-team all tournament as the Jeeps surprised everyone and reached the final (in the semifinal, they upset the defending champion Pistons by a score of 61-56 as Rivlin scored seven points). The Jeeps lost in the final to the Indianapolis Kautskys, 62-47 as Rivlin was held scoreless.

Rivlin played one more season of professional basketball with the Jeeps in 1947-48 as the team finished 22-37. After his playing days, Rivlin returned to his alma mater and coached Marshall from 1955-63, earning a career record of 100-88. In 1956, he led the basketball team (led by future Hall of Famer Hal Greer) to an 18-4 record and the first Mid-American Conference championship. They were defeated by Morehead State 107-92 in the Herd's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament. In 1974, Julie coached Maccabi Union's basketball team to the Europe Maccabiah Games Championships. Rivlin was named second team All-Century Marshall University Basketball Team, and is a member of the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.

Origin:
Wheeling, West Virginia

Career Dates:
Rivlin played at Marshall College betweeb 1937-1940. He then played in the NBL with the Akron Goodyear Wingfoots, 1940-41, and the Toledo Jeeps, 1946-1948. Rivlin later coached at Marshall College from 1955-63.

Physical description:
5'11"

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