Justin Wieck took over as the University of Minnesota Duluth head men's basketball coach on May 1, 2018, becoming the 17th head coach in the 94-year history of the Bulldog program and just the fourth since the 1984-85 season. Wieck will be entering his seventh season with UMD in 2024-25.
In his sixth year leading the Bulldogs, Wieck continued to impress as the Bulldogs finished second in the NSIC and reached the NCAA tournament for the fifth straight year. UMD also reached its third straight NSIC Tournament Championship game. Several Bulldogs reached the 1,000 point mark including Jack Middleton and Charlie Katona. All five Bulldog starters achieved 1,000 points in their career (the first time in program history five members have eclipsed 1,000 points in their career). Drew Blair also became the all-time leading scorer in Bulldog program history (surpassing 2,045 points). Katona was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Defensive Player of the Year, while both Katona and Blair were also both named to the NSIC All Conference First Team. UMD reached the NCAA Division II Central Region semi-finals before finishing the season 26-7.
Coach Wieck lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back NCAA Division II tournament appearances in 2022-23. The Bulldogs also reached back-to-back NSIC Tournament championship games. UMD made a historic run all the way to the Elite Eight in March, securing its deepest run in the NCAA postseason. The Bulldogs – who had never picked up an NCAA Tournament victory prior to the season, clicked off three straight, defeating Central Oklahoma 65-56 in the first round, Emporia State 84-79 in the second round, and Southern Nazarene 62-52 in the region final. Senior Drew Blair, who surpassed 2,000 points during the season, one of two players ever to reach the plateau, also earned D2CCA Central Region Second Team honors after earning an NSIC All-Tournament Team nod by helping UMD to a runner-up finish in the conference tournament. Two players landed on All-NSIC Teams – Blair, First Team, and Charlie Katona on the Second Team. Two players crossed over the 1,000-point threshold – Austin Andrews and Joshua Brown. In March,
Joshua Strong of the men's basketball team took home the Elite 90 award for the NCAA Division II Men's Championship. These Elite 90 awards are given annually to the player with the highest cumulative GPA of those who have made it to the final site of their respective sport's championships. Strong took home the illustrious honor with a staggering 3.983 GPA.
In his fourth season with the team, Wieck led the Bulldogs to a an historic season. The Bulldogs started the season 16-0, which broke the previous best record in program history. The Bulldogs also reached their best ever ranking in the NABC Poll when they received the No. 5 ranking in the NABC Poll. The Bulldogs also finished the season with their best record since the 1990-91 season and also their best record since joining Division II. The Bulldogs produced 7 NSIC Player of the Week Awards, two First Team All-Conference selections, the NSIC North Division Player of the Year, an Academic All-American (CoSIDA), One First Team All-Region (D2CCA, NABC), One Second Team All-Region (NABC) and a All-American Honorable Mention (D2CCA). Coach Wieck was also honored with the hoopdirt.com Coach of the Week award following the Bulldogs road wins at MSU Moorhead and Northern State.
In just his second season with the Bulldogs, Wieck steered UMD to the best season its had in almost 20 years. In 2019-20, the Bulldogs men's basketball team was able to not only have the best record since the 96-97' season, but also was able to produce an NSIC preseason Player of the Year, seven NSIC Player of the Week awards, a United States Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Week (the first NSIC team to do so), NSIC Player of the Year as well as two NSIC All-Conference Honorable Team mentions, and the eighth All-American (NABC, D2CCA and Small College Hoops) in Bulldog men's basketball program history. Under his watch, Brandon Myer was able to set a new all-time scoring leader record and the first UMD basketball player to surpass the 2,000 point mark.
During his first year, Wieck has helped a duo of players, senior forward Brandon Myer and forward Sean Burns, elevate their game to all-conference heights, as well as having earned four conference player of the week honors. Wieck helped to improve the Bulldogs from having an underwhelming season in 2017-18, to a positive overall record of 17-10, while 14-8 in conference, last season, UMD's best since 2008-09. During the 2018-19 season, the Bulldogs ranked No. T-13 in fewest fouls, as well as No. 6 in all of Division II for the fewest turnovers. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 regionally for the first time since 2008-09, and had a 4-1 record against NCAA Tournament teams.
Wieck's first recruiting class includes Drew Blair, a 2018 top 15 player in Wis., two time state champion for Stevens Point and a Division II transfer from Northwest Missouri State. Alex Illikainen, a Division I transfer from the University of Wisconsin, a 2014 top 100 player in the U.S. and a former 4-star recruit. Charlie Gorres, a 2019 Minn. top 15 recruit. Yalim Olcay, a Division I transfer from Western Carolina and a 16U Turkish National Team Training camp invite. Jack Middleton, a 2019 Minn. top 15 recruit as a Minn. Mr. Basketball finalist.
"My family and I are ecstatic to join the University of Minnesota Duluth and the Duluth community," said Wieck. "There is tremendous leadership from the top down in this department, as well as so many successful head coaches and programs. I am looking forward to joining such an awesome team. This basketball program has tremendous potential. The city of Duluth is a special place to be, UMD boasts a high academic reputation, a powerful and hungry fan and alumni base, and with the Romano Gymnasium renovations taking place this summer, this program is ready to take off. I am looking forward to jumping right in with this current roster, building relationships and getting this program back to the top of the NSIC."
During Wieck's successful four years of assistant coaching service (offensive coordinator) at MSU-Moorhead, the Dragons rolled up a 96-38 overall record, made three NCAA Tournament appearances, captured at least a share of two Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular titles, advanced to two NSIC Tournament finals and reigned as the NSIC North Division champions three times. Over that span, he helped produced two NSIC Players of the Year in Aaron Lien (2016-17) and Jordan Riewer (2014-15), six All-NSIC first team selections and two National Association of Basketball Coaches All-Americans.
In 2014-15 -- Wieck's first season -- MSU-Moorhead enjoyed its most productive season in program history. In addition to setting a team single-season record for victories by going 35-4, the Dragons laid claim to the NCAA II Central Region crown and made it to the NCAA Division II Elite 8 for the first time ever. Along the way, MSU-Moorhead also broke previous school marks for field goals made, field goal percentage, three-point field goals made, free throws made, and free throw percentage.
Prior to his arrival in Moorhead, Wieck served as the head men's basketball coach for two years at the University of Jamestown (N.D.), where he went 32-31 while directing the Jimmies to a NAIA Division II National Tournament appearance in 2012-13 as well as a second-place finish in the Association of Independent Institutions (Aii) Tournament. The following year, Jamestown captured both the inaugural North Star Athletic Association regular season and tournament championships while finishing 17-12 overall. Wieck, the 2013-14 NSAA Coach of the Year, saw four of his players receive all-conference first team honors and two become All-Americans during his time in Jamestown.
Wieck's resume also includes a two-year assistant coaching stint at NSIC member Northern State University (2010-12) where he handled the Wolves' recruiting coordinator duties. In addition, he was employed for a total of four seasons as the video coordinator (2008-10) and graduate assistant coach (2006-08) at his alma mater, the University of Iowa. While with the Hawkeye staff, Wieck worked with Steve Alford and Todd Lickliter, both National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Coach of the Year recipients, and assisted the Iowa coaches in preparing opponent scouting reports along with breaking down Hawkeye practices and game films. He also served as assistant camp director for Iowa Summer Basketball Camps and was active in the academic monitoring and community outreach for the Hawkeye program.
A native of North Liberty, Iowa, Wieck joined the Iowa program as walk-on forward in 2004, fresh off a rewarding two-season career at Kirkwood Community College (Cedar Rapids, Iowa). He eventually earned a scholarship as a senior -- the same year the Hawkeyes won the Big Ten Tournament and made their second straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
Wieck, an Academic All-Big Ten selection, earned both his Bachelor's degree in finance (2006) and Master's degree in athletic administration (2008) from Iowa. He and his wife, Laura, have three children – son Jordy and two daughters, Anya and Ella.
| THE NUMBERS ON WIECK |
| YEAR |
OVERALL |
CONFERENCE |
PLACE |
POSTSEASON |
| 2018-19 |
17-10 (.629) |
14-8 (.636) |
T-3rd (3rd-North) |
NSIC First Round |
| 2019-20 |
22-9 (.709) |
15-7 (.681) |
T-3rd ( 2nd-North) |
NSIC Semifinals |
| 2020-21 |
6-7 (.462) |
5-7 (.417) |
6th North Div. |
N/A |
| 2021-22 |
25-6 (.806) |
16-4 (.800) |
1st North Div. |
NCAA First Round |
| 2022-23 |
26-10 (.722) |
16-6 (.727) |
3rd (3rd North) |
NCAA Elite Eight |
| 2023-24 |
26-7 (.788) |
18-4 (.818) |
2nd |
NCAA Regional Semi-Finals |
| 2024-25 |
20-9 (.690) |
15-7 (.682) |
6th |
NSIC First Round |
| TOTALS |
142-58 (.710) |
99-43 (.697) |
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