Hall of Fame
A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Fitch is a graduate of Coe College and earned a master's degree in education psychology from Creighton, where he began his coaching career as a baseball and basketball coach. Fitch was head coach of the Sioux basketball program from 1962-67 and led UND to an overall record of 94-45, three straight North Central Conference titles (1965-66-67) and took those last three teams to the NCAA Tournament, finishing third in 1965 and fourth in 1966. He coached two All-Americans at UND in Phil Jackson and Paul Pederson. Fitch left UND for the head coaching job at Bowling Green and from there became head coach at Minnesota. Fitch began his pro career in 1970-71 with the expansion Cleveland Cavaliers (he spend nine years in Cleveland) and went on to four years with the Boston Celtics, five with the Houston Rockets and three with the New Jersey Nets. The first coach to be named NBA Coach of the Year twice, Fitch's overall career NBA record was 845-877, leaving him 5th on the all-time NBA coaches win list.
