University of Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball coach Jerrod Calhoun will be bringing one of his former assistant coaches to the UC Men's Tip-Off banquet next month.
This one happens to be the head coach of the Boston Celtics.
Joe Mazzulla, who won an NBA championship in 2024 and was recently the NBA Coach of the Year, will headline the banquet Sept. 23 at Fifth Third Arena.
Tickets to see Joe Mazzulla, Cincinnati Bearcats
Tickets will be available at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 27, and will include a reserved ticket for $100. The reserved ticket includes a reserved seat, buffet dinner and two drink tickets with a cash bar available. Attendees will receive an inside look at the upcoming season, an opportunity to visit with current and former players and have the chance to bid on one-of-a-kind
live auction items. UC Hall of Famer Tony Pike will be the master of ceremonies.
What are Joe Mazzulla's ties to Cincinnati Bearcats coach Jerrod Calhoun?
Mazzulla played at West Virginia between 2006 and 2011 and was a guard and captain on the Mountaineers team coached by Bob Huggins that advanced to the 2010 Final Four. UC's Calhoun was a WVU assistant for Huggins.
The annual Tip-Off Dinner returns Sept. 23, headlined by Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla!
— Cincinnati Men’s Hoops (@GoBearcatsMBB) August 25, 2026
Season ticket holders and UCATS donors will receive purchase information via email today. Remaining tickets go on sale to the public Thursday.
📝: https://t.co/O58rMG4sVW pic.twitter.com/qNaRumcshS
Calhoun went from West Virginia to be the head coach at nearby Fairmont State, where Mazzulla served as an assistant under him between 2013 and 2016. When Calhoun departed for Youngstown State, Mazzulla was hired as Fairmont State head coach, where he served between 2017 and 2019 after a brief stint with Boston's G League team, the Maine Red Claws.
Mazzulla then went to Boston as an assistant in 2019 and was elevated to head coach in 2022.
How did Joe Mazzulla fare against UC?
Mazzulla's Mountaineers team beat Mick Cronin's UC squad when John Beilein was coach in 2007. When Huggins took over, Cronin's Bearcats upset WVU in Morgantown, 62-39, in the famous "gold suit" game for Huggins.
In 2009, Mazzulla was out with a shoulder injury when UC won, 65-61. In two games in 2010 and one in 2011, West Virginia prevailed. Mazzulla, in his final game vs. UC, had 16 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
Joe Mazzulla with strong endorsement of UC Bearcats' coach Jerrod Calhoun
When Calhoun was hired in late March, Mazzulla said: "Jerrod Calhoun has had a huge impact on my coaching career. His energy, passion and ability to connect with players is elite. He develops student-athletes on and off the court and builds a culture that's tough, accountable and built to win. He's committed to do the right thing every single day. The University of Cincinnati is getting a dynamic leader who's going to elevate the program from day one."
Cincinnati Bearcats games come soon after Tip-Off banquet
UC's exhibition season starts Oct. 7 with the doubleheader at the Lindner Family Tennis Center when the Bearcats tip off against Ohio State University at 3:30 p.m. with Xavier University versus the University of Dayton to follow.
After exhibitions on Oct. 17 against 2026 national semifinalist Illinois and Oct. 27 versus Oakland, the Bearcats open the season for real on Nov. 2 at Fifth Third Arena against American University.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla coming to UC Bearcats tip-off event
