Oliver "Doc" Eslinger, Ed.D., is head men's basketball coach at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, CA. A founder of Top Game Consulting, he is actively involved in the psychology of sport and performance at all levels of athletics.
Doc came to Caltech after spending six years as the top assistant and associate head coach at MIT. In this role, Eslinger was responsible for all phases of the program, including practice and game preparation, on-the-floor coaching, scouting, recruiting, scheduling, video editing and exchange, travel management, budget facilitation, alumni relations and facility coordination.
The Engineers compiled a 87-73 record (.544) during Eslinger's tenure. Over six seasons, precedents were set for the only two post-season appearances (ECAC) and two tip-off tournament championships in team history. In 2006, the program achieved the most wins in its 105-year history (21-9) which led to Larry Anderson being named NEWMAC Coach of the Year. Nearly every season under Eslinger, MIT ranked nationally in the top 10 in field goal percentage defense, scoring defense, rebounding margin or free throw percentage.
Eslinger coached the 2006 team when it traveled to Taiwan and won the Kainan Invitational International Tournament Championship. He was instrumental in developing Newton native, Mike D'Auria, (until that time) MIT's only d3hoops.com All-American, ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American, and NEWMAC Player of the Year from MIT. Doc also recruited and coached Colorado-born Jimmy Bartolotta, the lone Jostens Trophy candidate from the Institute (2008 finalist and 2009 winner) who now, along with being named 2009 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American of the Year, national Division 3 Player of the Year, and conference Player of the Year, is the all-time leader in points and steals at MIT -- and the player who led MIT to its first ever D3 NCAA Tournament. In addition, Eslinger recruited and coached the only two NEWMAC Rookies of the Year from MIT and coached 14 NEWMAC All-Academic team members. In 2006, Eslinger received an MIT Gold Award for outstanding service and dedication to DAPER and the MIT community. In 2008, he coached the NEBCA all-stars.
Eslinger made the trek to Cambridge after previously serving as head coach at Boston University Academy and as an assistant coach at Bethlehem Central High School in Delmar, N.Y. Eslinger stays actively involved in camps and clinics at all levels, making significant contributions to Bentley, Harvard, Boston University, Boston College, Rising Star, Crossover Sports in Shanghai, China, and most recently, the Matt Lottich Life Skills Basketball Camp in San Carlos, CA. In addition to his coaching positions, he works with various athletes and teams as a sport and performance consultant.
Eslinger played high school basketball at Bethlehem (N.Y.), and continued his career at Clark University in Worcester, Mass., where he was a starting guard and majored in psychology. Eslinger earned his doctorate in counseling psychology-sport psychology and masters in counseling from Boston University. During his tenure with the Terriers, Eslinger co-founded Top Game Sport Consulting, and then later served as a consultant for the 2003 Women's World Cup. While honoring his commitments to the MIT basketball program, Eslinger previously co-directed the MIT Summer Day Camp, and was a founding faculty member and director of athletics at the Community Charter School of Cambridge in Kendall Square.
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