Coyle creating "footprints of his own" at USI

The footage is out there. In the USI Men's Basketball archive. On a VHS tape in a southern Indiana basement. Probably floating around the internet. But Chance Coyle '23, business, has never seen it-the historic second half resurgence his father, Neil, and the rest of the 1994-95 Screaming Eagles orchestrated to win the NCAA Division II National Championship, USI's first in any sport.

"I heard they were down 20 at halftime," says Chance, a redshirt freshman guard/forward from Bloomington, Indiana. "I'm sure it would be a good game to watch."

Twenty-five years later, that game remains the greatest athletic achievement of Neil Coyle's career. And one that almost never happened.

Choosing USI-twice

Raised by his grandparents in the tiny town of Campbellsburg, Indiana, Neil practically grew up under a goal in their gravel driveway. "Instead of playing video games, that was my pastime, playing basketball," he says. "When my uncle realized that I was actually pretty good, he had [the driveway] blacktopped."

The investment paid off.

By his senior year, Division I universities were interested in the 6'8" standout from West Washington High School. It was USI's familiarity that ultimately led Neil south. "I knew several of the guys that were down there at the time. Some of [them] played on local teams close to my high school."

The transition was smooth. Then, three games into his freshman season, Neil broke his foot, landing him a redshirt and a spot on the bench. By that spring, he'd decided to explore the D-I waters that had been so welcoming the year before. Not even a fiery new coach named Bruce Pearl could convince him to stay.

Hoping to be recruited by a bigger school, he transferred to a nearby junior college-and almost immediately realized he'd made a mistake. "It wasn't what I expected," he says. The team game he'd grown to love suddenly had a different, more individual, focus that didn't feel right.

Neil needed a second chance, and Coach Pearl delivered.

"He still had a scholarship available for me, so I packed my bags, moved to Evansville overnight and started class [at USI] the next morning."

Like father, like son

Chance Coyle guesses his dad has rebounded hundreds of thousands of shots for him over the years-most of them in high school gyms instead of gravel driveways. "He's taught me everything I know," Chance says. And that education started early. "There's a picture of me laying in the crib right after I was born, and there's a basketball in my hand."

Through middle school, high school and AAU, father and son doubled as coach and player; Neil is still an assistant at Bloomington South High School, where Chance holds the career scoring record. "Most of our time together has been in the gym," Neil says. "I think we both appreciate the work that has been put in and everything [Chance] has done to get where he is."

Like his father, Chance had the opportunity to play at the Division I level but preferred the fit at USI. "I think it's probably one of the coolest things I've been a part of," he says. "Being able to say I'm playing at the same university as my dad, wearing the same number (33) as my dad, and, hopefully, I get to have the same success …. Not every kid can say that their dad's a national champion."

A new legacy

After a lackluster first half and powerful locker room challenge from Coach Pearl, Neil Coyle and the '95 Screaming Eagles put on a comeback clinic to cut down the nets in Louisville, Kentucky, beating UC-Riverside 71-63. "We came out and we started getting those runs [we always made], getting defensive stops and knocking down shots," Neil remembers. "You could always feel the momentum change when we got in that groove. There was never much another team could do about it when it started clicking."

But it's not just the national championship. Chance has never watched any of his dad's college games. "All of his teammates say I'm better than he is, but I don't know," he says, unwilling to make any claims against the man who's taught him so much. Humility is important to both Coyles, who'd rather focus on their strongest similarity than their stat lines. "He plays hard, and that's one thing I always took pride in," Neil says. "You can really separate yourself by having a good work ethic."

Giving 100% every time he steps on the court is what Neil wants his son to focus on during his time at USI. Not what his team did 25 years ago-but what Chance and his teammates can do now.

"He has the opportunity to accomplish a lot of things," Neil says. "I don't really see it as him following in my footsteps. He needs to make footprints of his own."

1995 National Championship Team 25th Anniversary Celebration

Saturday, February 29
Prior to the USI Men's Basketball game vs. University of Indianapolis, 3:15 p.m. 
Screaming Eagles Arena
Post-game reception/open house in the Varsity Club suite/concourse 
All are welcome
More information