Biography.guide
Home β€Ί People β€Ί Basketball coach β€Ί Mike Griffin
Portrait of Mike Griffin

Mike Griffin

b. 1943

American basketball player and coach

Don't just read it β€” keep itBiographies to ownE-book Β· Audio Β· Video From $7 β†’

About Mike Griffin

Born 1943. Mike Griffin is a basketball coach and basketball player.

Mike Griffin (born September 29, 1943) is a former American college basketball coach, known for his 30-year tenure at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), as well as being the head coach at Division I Colgate from 1976 to 1982.

Playing career Griffin lettered at Columbia from 1963 to 1965 under Jack Rohan. In his senior season, he averaged 8.8 points per game and 12 rebounds per game, finishing second in the Ivy League in rebounding behind Bill Bradley.

Coaching career After two years at Temple Law School, Griffin returned to his alma mater to begin his coaching career as an assistant for the Lions from 1967 to 1970.

In 1970, Griffin accepted an assistant coaching position at RPI, where he was also the school's junior varsity coach. He returned to Columbia for one season to coach the Lions' freshman basketball team before accepting a position at Vermont under fellow Columbia alum Peter Salzberg for the 1974–75 season.

Griffin accepted his first head coaching job as the men's basketball coach at Colgate in 1976 where in six years, he amassed a 61–94 record. During his tenure, Griffin coached 1981 NBA draft pick and ECAC North Player of the Year, Mike Ferrara.

Taking a year off after leaving Colgate, Griffin spent one season as the head men's basketball coach at Thiel College, before returning to RPI as the head men's basketball coach, a position he would hold until 2014. Overall, including one season as the head women's basketball coach for the Engineers, Griffin compiled a 402–382 record, and earned three trips to the Division III NCAA Tournament.

Head coaching record Men's college

Biography shop

Don’t just read it β€”
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop β€” from $7

Instant download Β· yours to keep Β· every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Education
Columbia University

People in Mike Griffin's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Mike Griffin's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Mike Griffin?

American basketball player and coach

When was Mike Griffin born?

Mike Griffin was born on 29 September 1943.

What is Mike Griffin's occupation?

Mike Griffin is a basketball coach and basketball player.

Sources & further reading

Β· Wikipedia: Mike Griffin

Β· Wikidata: Q55367832

Β· DBpedia: Mike Griffin (basketball)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mike Griffin. https://biography.guide/mike-griffin-basketball-coach/

MLA: "Mike Griffin." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mike-griffin-basketball-coach/.

Chicago: "Mike Griffin." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mike-griffin-basketball-coach/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 Β· Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:30 UTC