When North Carolina hosts East Carolina in their non-conference finale, there’ll be more than just a game on the line-there’s a full-circle story playing out on the Tar Heels’ bench. Assistant coach Jeff Lebo, now a key piece of Hubert Davis’ staff in Chapel Hill, spent seven seasons as the head coach of the Pirates, and his fingerprints are still on that program.
Lebo didn’t just coach at ECU-he helped elevate it. His 116 career wins are the most by any head coach in the program’s Division I era, a stretch that began back in the 1960s. And while the Pirates haven’t exactly been a powerhouse in college hoops, Lebo managed to steer them to some of their highest moments.
None more memorable than the 2013 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament championship. That’s when a former UNC ball boy, Akeem Richmond, buried a buzzer-beating three to lift ECU over Weber State. It was a rare postseason title for the program and a snapshot of what Lebo was able to build in Greenville.
When Lebo took over, the Pirates were mired in a 13-year stretch without a winning season. That’s not a typo-13 straight years under .500.
But within his first three seasons, Lebo had ECU back in the black with two winning campaigns. That may not sound like much in the grand scheme of college basketball, but for a program like ECU, it was a significant step forward.
Still, one thing eluded him: the NCAA Tournament. The Pirates have only danced twice in their history-1972 and 1993-and both times it took a conference tournament title to punch their ticket. That ’93 team, which made the field despite a 13-17 record, ran into a buzzsaw in the first round: a North Carolina squad led by Eric Montross that went on to cut down the nets in New Orleans.
Now, Lebo finds himself back in Chapel Hill, not as a player like he was from 1985 to 1989, but as a seasoned coach helping steer the next generation of Tar Heels. When Hubert Davis took over for Roy Williams, he made it clear he wanted a staff that reflected the depth and history of Carolina basketball. And he delivered.
Lebo and Pat Sullivan (1990-1995) played under Dean Smith. Brad Frederick (1996-2000) was there during the Bill Guthridge years.
Sean May (2002-2005) and Marcus Paige (2012-2016) starred under Roy Williams. It’s a staff that spans decades of Tar Heel tradition.
But Lebo brings something unique to the table: head coaching experience. Real, high-level, multi-stop experience.
Before ECU, he led programs at Auburn, Chattanooga, and Tennessee Tech. That kind of résumé has been a valuable asset for Davis, who stepped into the head coach role without any previous Division I head coaching experience.
So when the ball tips at 8 p.m. inside the Smith Center, it’ll be more than just another December matchup. It’s a reunion of sorts, a nod to the journey of a coach who’s worn a lot of hats-and who now plays a key role in shaping Carolina’s future.