Jim Bolla, a former Pitt basketball player and assistant coach, died on Friday, October 21, 2022, at the age of 70. Bolla was diagnosed with cancer in August of this year.
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Bolla played for the Pitt basketball team from 1971 to 1975, beginning as a centre on the 1974 Elite Eight team.
Bolla remained with the programme after his playing career at Pitt, serving as an assistant coach for the men’s team (1976-79) and later for the women’s team (1979-80).
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Bolla then went on to coach at UNLV, first as an assistant on the women’s basketball staff before taking over as head coach. He won 300 games as a head coach, finishing with a 300-120 record.
Bolla was named Big West Coach of the Year three times and led his teams to seven NCAA Tournaments. He retired as the most successful women’s basketball coach in UNLV history.
Bolla was married to Dallas Boychuk until his death. Together, they had one daughter, Sasha
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