Caputo Promoted to UM's Associate Head Coach
University of Miami men’s basketball assistant Chris Caputo has been promoted to associate head coach, Hurricanes head coach Jim Larrañaga announced Friday.
“Chris Caputo is an outstanding young coach,” said Larrañaga. “He is skilled in every facet of the game: He’s been an outstanding recruiter, on the court coach and mentor to our players. Coach Caputo has demonstrated an outstanding leadership style – he is a tireless worker and an incredible communicator. No one knows how to get things done better than him. I am happy to elevate him to associate head coach.”
Arriving in Coral Gables in April of 2011, Caputo enters his fifth season with the Hurricanes and his 14th season on Larrañaga’s staff. Entering his 11th season as a coach, his primary responsibilities at Miami have included recruiting and scouting the opposition.
“I want to thank Coach Larrañaga for this opportunity to be named associate head coach,” Caputo said. “Being at the University of Miami and working for Coach L is something I take great pride in. I am excited to work with our players, coaches and support staff to help build on the success we have established here at The U.”
After a 20-11 mark in the regular season, the 2014-15 Hurricanes went on to win four-straight postseason games, earning a spot in the NIT Championship game in Madison Square Garden. Miami’s 25 wins were the second-most in program history, behind UM’s 29 in 2012-13. In January 2015, the Canes downed eventual national champion then-No. 4 Duke, 90-74, at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the only team to defeat Duke at home this season. Miami also defeated No. 8/7 Florida and Syracuse on their home courts, two of Miami’s 10 regular season wins away from home. With primary duties of handling the scout for all opponents, Caputo led Miami to fourth in the ACC in scoring defense (63.2 ppg).
With no starters returning from the 2013 ACC Championship squad, the Hurricanes finished the 2013-14 season No. 11 in scoring defense and No. 39 in field goal defense in the NCAA. Caputo helped guide Miami to its seventh-consecutive winning season, finishing the 2013-14 season 17-16 (7-11 ACC), with five overtime contests and 13 games decided by five points or less, despite returning only 13 percent and 15 percent of the team’s scoring and rebounding, respectively. Led by five seniors, Miami’s defense was among the best in the conference, finishing second in field goal defense (40.7%) and third in scoring defense (59.6 ppg).
Caputo and the Hurricanes posted an historic season in 2012-13, winning the ACC regular season and tournament championships, then playing in the Sweet 16 after earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. The team’s scout-team coordinator, Caputo coached the Canes to top 50 national rankings in turnovers per game (12th), scoring margin (33rd), scoring defense (39th) and field goal percentage defense (48th). He also helped Miami to 10 road wins, and a 14-1 mark at home with his intricate knowledge of opponents’ tendencies and styles.
In his first season at the U, Miami recorded nine ACC wins, amounting to a winning record in conference play for the first time since the program joined the ACC for the 2004-05 campaign. The Canes ultimately tied for fourth in the league standings, the highest the team ever finished in the ACC.
Caputo also played a major role in George Mason’s run to the Final Four in 2006, putting together scouting reports to prepare the Patriots as they played nationally-ranked teams and future NBA players in nearly every round. He also helped lead the Patriots to the postseason for a Mason-record four-straight seasons -including NCAA berths in 2008 and 2011.
Caputo has gained national and local attention as one up the up-and-coming coaches in the nation. In 2014, Sports Illustrated mentioned Caputo as one of the top assistants ready to make the jump to a head coaching position, and as an assistant at Mason, Hoopscoop.com named him one of the Top 25 non-BCS assistant coaches in the nation. From 2010-2015, Caputo has attended the Villa 7 Consortium, an educational symposium and networking opportunity for some of the nation’s top assistants. Locally, the city named Feb. 24, 2015 Chris Caputo Day in Coral Gables.
Prior to becoming an assistant coach, Caputo worked on Larranaga’s staff as the video coordinator, coordinated the staff recruiting database and mailing system, as well as serving in other administrative capacities.
A native of Elmhurst, N.Y., Caputo is a 2002 graduate of Westfield (Mass.) State College with a degree in finance and economics. He was a four-year letterwinner as a point guard for the Division III Owls, and served as captain and earned the team’s Outstanding Contributor Award as a senior. A 1998 graduate of Archbishop Molloy High School – Larranaga’s alma mater, he too played for legendary head coach Jack Curran.
Caputo and his wife Julie (Nissenbaum) welcomed their daughter, Lily, in August 2014.
