California University of Pennsylvania Athletics

With intensity and masterful recruiting, Tim Loomis coached the Vulcan men’s basketball team for six years highlighted by Cal winning its second of now seven conference championships.

After serving two seasons as a Cal assistant under legendary head coach Ed McCluskey, Loomis became the Vulcans’ head coach in 1980-81 at the age of 28.

Now a veteran basketball coach with more than 25 years of experience, Loomis has never forgotten the school that gave him his first opportunity.

“California University took a big risk when they made me their basketball coach and I truly owe this university way more than it will ever owe me,” Loomis said. “Including everywhere I have coached I have more respect for this university and what they gave me and hopefully for what little I gave back to them. This is where I began and I love coming back because it is like family to me.”

Improving each year, Cal’s win totals under Loomis improved from eight to 10 to 12 over his first three seasons. During those early years, Cal produced a memorable 55-54 home upset over top-ranked District of Columbia (UDC) and closed the 1982-83 season with a 112-87 victory over Slippery Rock for Cal’s first game over the century point total in seven years.

In 1983-84, the Vulcans rolled to a 19-10 overall record which was the second highest single-season victory output in school history. Cal reached the PSAC semifinals.

The following year, Cal absorbed several early-season injuries and seemingly against all odds overcame an 8-11 start with nine straight victories. The Vulcans capped their cardiac comeback with memorable PSAC road victories at Indiana (67-65), and Clarion (78-65) before overcoming a 10-point deficit in the final five minutes to shock top-ranked Millersville in the 1985 PSAC Championship, 81-79. Cal had also defeated the Marauders in the regular season finale, 83-82.

Cal’s remarkable late-season surge gave the program its first state title since 1970 and the Vulcans made the school’s first NCAA II basketball tourney appearance. Loomis, selected as the 1985 PSAC Coach of the Year, also served as an associate professor in the field of regional planning and geography and was the president of the PSAC basketball coaches association. Loomis credits many people for that championship.

“We had not won it (PSAC) for 15 years and I believe that really started the program which has enjoyed so much success now,” said Loomis. “But it was guys like John Watkins, Elmo Natali, and Paul Burd who started it. You have to have the support of the administration and if you do not have good players, especially at the collegiate level, you are not going to win many games.”

Loomis also praised longtime Cal basketball assistant coach Phil Stewart and graduate assistant coaches such as Dave Pastorkovich and Dolan Evanovich for their often unheralded but highly effective contributions.

“Phil Stewart is the person that should be in the hall of fame,” said Loomis who signaled out current faculty member George Novak and emeritus faculty member Dr. Larry Romboski for their support of his program. “It does not matter if you are coaching a team or running a business, you must have solid and loyal people around you and I always had that at California.”

He coached and recruited three members of the Cal Hall of Fame—Michael Wilson (1995), Joe Miller (1996) and Dana Zajieck (2000) as well as Moe Yeoman, who received the 2004 Cal Basketball Alumnus of the Year Award from current Cal head coach Bill Brown. Loomis was also responsible for bringing the Metro Index Basketball Summer camps to the Cal U campus. In 2004, Loomis received the Michael Duda Athletic Achievement award from the Cal U Alumni Association.

“I am really proud of the type of graduates that went through our program and are now great alumni who have gone out and made their mark in the world,” Loomis said. “That is what is really rewarding to me. What you want to do as a coach is build a program, leave a good legacy and hopefully leave the guy coming in after you a better situation than when you came.”

Originally from Greenville, PA, Loomis is a graduate of Reynolds High School, where he was a two-year starter in basketball. He is a 1976 graduate of Lock Haven University and went on to earn a master's degree in regional planning and geography while an assistant coach at Cal.

After his Cal days, Loomis served as an assistant coach at Penn State from 1986 to 1989 and helped the Nittany Lions reach the Atlantic 10 conference title game his last season.

From there, he became the head coach at Florida Atlantic University and helped advance a second-year NCAA Division II program to a NCAA Division I program in just two seasons. He coached the Owls for six seasons before returning to western Pennsylvania and from 1996-2001 served as the vice-president of Loomco International before becoming the head coach of scholastic perennial power Kennedy Catholic High School from 2001 through 2006. He coached the Golden Eagles to the state playoffs in each of his five seasons, including championship game appearances 2002 and 2005.

This season, Loomis begins his second season as the men’s basketball head coach at Thiel College, located in his hometown of Greenville, PA.

While Loomis has won his share of games and championships, discipline and respect remain staples of his coaching philosophy. More than one star player has ridden the bench for failing to adhere to principles that Loomis practices as well as preaches.

“The lessons in life you try to teach these kids is to respect what you are doing and respect themselves,” Loomis said. “It’s a team-oriented society and you work for people and do what you’re told. Kids have changed so much but you have to teach them respect and the affect they have on others.”

Though humbled to receive Cal’s highest athletic honor, Loomis looks at his induction as an award for many.

“I am not real big on individual honors and in athletics you really can’t be,” said Loomis. “As a coach you are usually just a mouthpiece for everyone that surrounds you and works with you. This university and so many people have helped lay the foundation for any little success that I have had in my coaching and professional careers. I am grateful to all of them.”

Loomis resides in Greenville with his wife, Dr. Sharon Hamilton and their son Jonathan.