SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana national championship head coach Tom Billeter has announced his resignation from Augustana to pursue a head coaching position at another institution. Augustana Vice President for Athletics Josh Morton has named Augustana alum Cody Schilling as the successor of the men’s basketball program.
“I want to thank Coach Billeter for building a championship program at Augustana,” Morton said. “Augustana fans will remember the 2016 National Championship for a long time. We wish him well in his future endeavors.”
Billeter, the all-time winningest coach at Augustana, accumulated 393 wins at Augustana including the 2016 National Championship. He advanced teams into the NCAA postseason nine times and coached three NSIC Players of the Year, three NSIC Defensive Players of the Year and five NSIC Defensive Players of the Year.
“Nothing will ever replace the 21 years that Augustana did for both me and my family,” Billeter said. “It was an honor to be the head coach. We did some very special things I will never forget.
There are so many people for me to thank that it would be difficult to list them all. I would like to specifically thank Bruce Halvorson, Rob Oliver, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Bill Gross, Slade Larscheid and Josh Morton. In addition, I want to give a special thanks to all that Sanford Health and especially Kelby Krabbenhoft did for our program, but also Augustana University.”
Schilling, a 2012 graduate of Augustana, becomes the 16th head coach in Augustana’s 103-year history.
“I’m pleased that we had Augustana’s next head coach already on our bench,” Morton said. “I’ve been watching Coach Schilling for the last three years in anticipation of this moment and I’m thrilled to call him our 16th head coach.”
A celebration and formal introduction of Schilling will take place Tuesday, April 2, at 1:30 p.m. inside the University Welcome Center on Augustana’s campus. The gathering is open to the public.
An All-America honoree in his playing days, Schilling served as the head coach at Mount Marty for two seasons. In one of the best turnarounds in the nation, the team he recruited won 20 games in the 2019-20 season. In his first season with MMU, the Lancers won more games than the three previous seasons combined.
“It is a dream come true to be the next head coach at home, Augustana University,” Schilling said. “This place means more to me and my family than I can put into words and I cannot wait to bring more energy and excitement to Viking men’s basketball.
“My wife, Erica, and I are extremely grateful for the opportunity that President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and Vice President for Athletics Josh Morton have presented to us. I look forward to leading this program with the highest levels of energy, effort and enthusiasm on a daily basis.”
He moved to Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic High School where he led the Cougars to the Texas High School Final Four with a record of 20-4 in 2020-21. He also served as the head coach of Royse City High School in Royse City, Texas, before coming back to Augustana in 2021-22.
In his three years as an assistant coach, the Vikings won an NSIC Championship, hosted the 2022 NCAA Division II Regional and had six all-conference honorees including three first-team selections.
“This is a relationship business and I am fortunate to continue to serve and lead our student-athletes on and off the floor. I want to continue to recruit student-athletes who will best represent Augustana and our program in the community, classroom and on the basketball court.
“What a joy it will be to bring recruits and future student-athletes to campus and provide them with the tremendous experiences I was honored to receive. I cannot say thank you enough to Coach Billeter for all that he has done for my career and most of all, for his loyalty, friendship and mentorship. Because of him, I am ready to serve Augustana University as the next men’s basketball head coach.”