Men's Basketball
Billmeier, Grant
Grant Billmeier
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- grant.billmeier@shu.edu
- Phone:
- (973) 761-9070
- Alma Mater:
- Seton Hall '07
Grant Billmeier, ranked second in a poll of top assistant coaches in the BIG EAST by his peers in a 2020 Stadium survey, is currently serving as Seton Hall's associate head coach, a position he was promoted to in June 2021. Billmeier, a 2007 graduate of Seton Hall, has been on head coach Kevin Willard's staff for 10 of 11 seasons, first as Coordinator of Basketball Operations (2010-13), then Director of Basketball Operations (2013-14) followed by Assistant Coach (2015-21) with a one-year stop at Fairleigh Dickinson (2014-15) as an assistant coach.
Billmeier has been instrumental in developing Seton Hall's forwards and centers into leaders in the BIG EAST. The Pirates finished in the top two of the conference in rebounding for three consecutive seasons from 2016-18. Furthermore, he helped develop Angel Delgado into one of the top basketball players in the country. In 2017, Delgado led the nation in rebounding at 13.1 per game, was named All-America honorable mention, the Metropolitan Player of the Year and unanimous All-BIG EAST. Then in 2018, Delgado broke the BIG EAST career rebounds record, averaged a double-double, posted the NCAA Tournament's first 20-20 game since 2012 (24 points, 23 rebounds vs. Kansas) and was honored as the 2018 recipient of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar National Center of the Year Award. Billmeier also worked to help Delgado's teammate Ismael Sanogo develop in a starter and one of the best defenders in the BIG EAST.
Billmeier's most recent project has been developing center Romaro Gill as one of the most-feared shot blockers in the BIG EAST. After transferring in from a junior college, Gill had a promising junior season that then exploded into one of the most impactful senior years anyone's had in a Pirates uniform. Gill averaged 3.2 blocks per game to finish third in the nation, and he won the BIG EAST's blocks championship by averaging 3.4 rejections per conference contest. To add to his impact, Gill drastically improved his offensive game and was the BIG EAST's field goal percentage champion by making 63.5 percent of his attempts during league play. At season's end, he not only was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, but he also was named BIG EAST Most Improved.
Billmeier also had a hand in Sandro Mamukelashvili's development from playing only 9.6 minutes per game as a freshman into the 2021 BIG EAST Player of the Year as a senior. A 6-11 power forward with great shooting and passing abilities, Mamukelashvili worked hard with Billmeier to become one of the conference's top threats. In 2020-21, Mamukelashvili was one of only two players in the BIG EAST to rank in the league's top-five in scoring and rebounding and top-15 in scoring, rebounding and assists. In addition to being named the conference player of the year, Mamukelashvili was the 2021 Haggerty Award Metropolitan Player of the Year, All-America honorable mention and a finalist for the Karl Malone National Power Forward of the Year Award.
Billmeier's tireless work has also helped Seton Hall achieve great heights atop the BIG EAST Conference. In 2016, he helped the Pirates win the BIG EAST Championship for the first time since 1993 and earn an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 2006. In 2017, he helped guide The Hall to a second straight NCAA Tournament appearance, a feat the program had not accomplished since four straight from 1991-94. In 2018, he helped the Pirates to the program's first NCAA Tournament win since 2004 as well as reaching as high as No. 13 in the nation in the Associated Press top 25 poll. In 2019, he helped The Hall tie a program record with its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. In 2020, he assisted Willard in leading the Pirates to as high as No. 8 in the Associated Press top 25, a 21-win season and a share of the BIG EAST regular season championship, the program's first since 1993.
When including his two NCAA Tournament appearances as a student-athlete in 2004 and 2006, Billmeier has now represented Seton Hall in six NCAA Tournament bids, tying former head coach P.J. Carlesimo and assistant coaches Bruce Hamburger and Tom Sullivan for most NCAA Tournament appearances while either playing and/or coaching at Seton Hall.
Billmeier's successful tenure at The Hall led him to receive an invite to the prestigious 2020 TopConnect Virtual Seminar, which identifies the top basketball assistant coaches in the country and connects them with mid-major Athletic Directors providing tremendous networking opportunities for both parties. He then was a participant in the 2021 TopConnect Leadership Institute, which identifies the top basketball assistant coaches and senior level athletics administrators in the country and provides them the necessary skills and relationships to assist them on their career path.Â
During Billmeier's first stint on Willard's coaching staff, his primary roles included serving as the academics liaison and the daily and monthly scheduling of practice times, lifting schedules and team meals. He also coordinated with local hospitals, foundations and soup kitchens to bring student-athletes out to the community.
A fan favorite in South Orange, Billmeier was a four-year letterwinner and two-year captain for the Pirates from 2003-07, playing in 106 career games and helping the program reach the NCAA Tournament twice in 2004 and '06 and a first-round win over Arizona in '04. He was the recipient of the Robin Cunningham Award for having the best academic success on the team.
A native of Pennington, N.J. and graduate of St. Patrick High School, Billmeier previously was an assistant coach at his alma mater under head coach Kevin Boyle. At St. Patrick, he helped the school win the 2003 New Jersey Tournament of Champions. After graduating from Seton Hall, Billmeier played professionally in Germany and Portugal and started his own basketball summer camp, the Billmeier and Nardi Skills Camp, alongside former St. Patrick teammate and Villanova guard Mike Nardi.
Billmeier and his wife, Jennifer, were married in May 2017 and are parents to their daughter, Avery, born March 2018, and son, Luke, born June 2021.
Billmeier has been instrumental in developing Seton Hall's forwards and centers into leaders in the BIG EAST. The Pirates finished in the top two of the conference in rebounding for three consecutive seasons from 2016-18. Furthermore, he helped develop Angel Delgado into one of the top basketball players in the country. In 2017, Delgado led the nation in rebounding at 13.1 per game, was named All-America honorable mention, the Metropolitan Player of the Year and unanimous All-BIG EAST. Then in 2018, Delgado broke the BIG EAST career rebounds record, averaged a double-double, posted the NCAA Tournament's first 20-20 game since 2012 (24 points, 23 rebounds vs. Kansas) and was honored as the 2018 recipient of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar National Center of the Year Award. Billmeier also worked to help Delgado's teammate Ismael Sanogo develop in a starter and one of the best defenders in the BIG EAST.
Billmeier's most recent project has been developing center Romaro Gill as one of the most-feared shot blockers in the BIG EAST. After transferring in from a junior college, Gill had a promising junior season that then exploded into one of the most impactful senior years anyone's had in a Pirates uniform. Gill averaged 3.2 blocks per game to finish third in the nation, and he won the BIG EAST's blocks championship by averaging 3.4 rejections per conference contest. To add to his impact, Gill drastically improved his offensive game and was the BIG EAST's field goal percentage champion by making 63.5 percent of his attempts during league play. At season's end, he not only was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, but he also was named BIG EAST Most Improved.
Billmeier also had a hand in Sandro Mamukelashvili's development from playing only 9.6 minutes per game as a freshman into the 2021 BIG EAST Player of the Year as a senior. A 6-11 power forward with great shooting and passing abilities, Mamukelashvili worked hard with Billmeier to become one of the conference's top threats. In 2020-21, Mamukelashvili was one of only two players in the BIG EAST to rank in the league's top-five in scoring and rebounding and top-15 in scoring, rebounding and assists. In addition to being named the conference player of the year, Mamukelashvili was the 2021 Haggerty Award Metropolitan Player of the Year, All-America honorable mention and a finalist for the Karl Malone National Power Forward of the Year Award.
Billmeier's tireless work has also helped Seton Hall achieve great heights atop the BIG EAST Conference. In 2016, he helped the Pirates win the BIG EAST Championship for the first time since 1993 and earn an NCAA Tournament berth for the first time since 2006. In 2017, he helped guide The Hall to a second straight NCAA Tournament appearance, a feat the program had not accomplished since four straight from 1991-94. In 2018, he helped the Pirates to the program's first NCAA Tournament win since 2004 as well as reaching as high as No. 13 in the nation in the Associated Press top 25 poll. In 2019, he helped The Hall tie a program record with its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. In 2020, he assisted Willard in leading the Pirates to as high as No. 8 in the Associated Press top 25, a 21-win season and a share of the BIG EAST regular season championship, the program's first since 1993.
When including his two NCAA Tournament appearances as a student-athlete in 2004 and 2006, Billmeier has now represented Seton Hall in six NCAA Tournament bids, tying former head coach P.J. Carlesimo and assistant coaches Bruce Hamburger and Tom Sullivan for most NCAA Tournament appearances while either playing and/or coaching at Seton Hall.
Billmeier's successful tenure at The Hall led him to receive an invite to the prestigious 2020 TopConnect Virtual Seminar, which identifies the top basketball assistant coaches in the country and connects them with mid-major Athletic Directors providing tremendous networking opportunities for both parties. He then was a participant in the 2021 TopConnect Leadership Institute, which identifies the top basketball assistant coaches and senior level athletics administrators in the country and provides them the necessary skills and relationships to assist them on their career path.Â
During Billmeier's first stint on Willard's coaching staff, his primary roles included serving as the academics liaison and the daily and monthly scheduling of practice times, lifting schedules and team meals. He also coordinated with local hospitals, foundations and soup kitchens to bring student-athletes out to the community.
A fan favorite in South Orange, Billmeier was a four-year letterwinner and two-year captain for the Pirates from 2003-07, playing in 106 career games and helping the program reach the NCAA Tournament twice in 2004 and '06 and a first-round win over Arizona in '04. He was the recipient of the Robin Cunningham Award for having the best academic success on the team.
A native of Pennington, N.J. and graduate of St. Patrick High School, Billmeier previously was an assistant coach at his alma mater under head coach Kevin Boyle. At St. Patrick, he helped the school win the 2003 New Jersey Tournament of Champions. After graduating from Seton Hall, Billmeier played professionally in Germany and Portugal and started his own basketball summer camp, the Billmeier and Nardi Skills Camp, alongside former St. Patrick teammate and Villanova guard Mike Nardi.
Billmeier and his wife, Jennifer, were married in May 2017 and are parents to their daughter, Avery, born March 2018, and son, Luke, born June 2021.
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