- Born in June 1985, Elizabeth became the first child of the American College coach, Jim Boeheim, and his ex-wife Elaine when she was one week old
- All her siblings are basketball players except her. She has chosen to pursue a different career path in teaching and traveling
- Elizabeth currently lives in Montana and maintains a close relationship with her father
Elizabeth Boeheim, 38, is the only member of her family that is not involved in basketball. Also, unlike all the other children of the American college basketball coach, Jim Boeheim, she is the only one whose first name does not start with the letter “J”.
The graduate of the University of Montana was adopted by the coach and his ex-wife Elaine but she shares a strong bond with her stepmother, Juli Boeheim who claimed she married Jim because of Elizabeth.
While her other siblings have built their careers following their father’s footsteps, she has chosen to differ. Aside from reading books and being with her family, she enjoys traveling around the world, something she got from her father.
Elizabeth Boeheims Was Adopted When She Was One Week Old
Jim Boeheim and his ex-wife, Elaine were married from 1979 to 1993. They had no children so Elaine suggested they adopt a child. Even though the coach was against the idea, the former couple later agreed to adopt Elizabeth in June 1985 when she was just one week old.
She attended Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District and graduated in 2003. Although she was accepted into the University of Syracuse she later chose a small liberal arts school, Colby College in Maine. Later on, she pursued a master’s degree at the University of Montana.
All Her Three Siblings Played College Basketball
1. Jimmy Boeheim
Jimmy is the oldest child of Jim Boeheim and his second wife, Juli. He played forward for Cornell University from 2017 to 2020 but did not get to play his senior career because the 2020-21 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the 2019-20 season, Elizabeth’s brother averaged 16.7 points per game as a forward for his team. He graduated Magna cum laude with a bachelor of science degree from Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business in May 2021.
The 25-year-old is reportedly enrolled in the school of education at Syracuse and is pursuing a master’s degree in instructional design, development, and evaluation.
2. Buddy Boeheim
Born November 11, 1999, Jackson Thomas ‘Buddy’ Boeheim plays for the Syracuse Orange of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The son of the Hall Famer averages 17.8 points and 2.6 assists per game as a junior. He was named to the First Team All-ACC as a senior.
The 6’6′ player is majoring in sports management at David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.
3. Jamie Boeheim
Jamie is Buddy’s twin sister. She is the third daughter of the coach and his wife. Just like her older brothers, she has also played for the University of Rochester as a forward for one season before becoming the team manager in 2019-20.
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Other Interesting Facts About Elizabeth Boeheim
1. Elizabeth Boeheim Met Her Birth Parents Two Decades after She Was Born
While growing up, Jim and Elaine’s adopted daughter never got the chance to meet her biological parents. However, she reportedly met them when she turned 25. Her biological father, Henry is said to be a lawyer.
She reportedly finds time to spend with her other family members once in a while.
2. Her Parents Divorced When She Was Eight Years Old
At the age of eight, Elizabeth’s parents sadly ended their marriage and it took a toll on her. While her parents were in the process of separation, Liz as she is fondly called had to visit a therapist.
After the divorce in 1993, his father paid for a separate phone for her in her bedroom so she could communicate with him all the time. The coach once revealed he became a human when Elizabeth came into his life. According to the story, he shared in his book: Bleeding Orange: Fifty Years of Blind Referees, Screaming Fans, Beasts of the East, and Syracuse Basketball.
3. What Does She Do?
According to reports, upon earning a master’s degree in English Literature, Elizabeth began teaching at the University however, she later stopped. The former teacher has traveled to different places and has visited places such as Anchorage, Alaska.
Elizabeth revealed on Dailyorange.com that she has no grand ambitions and just a few career goals so it is possible she is living her life doing simple things like traveling with family and friends. She lives in Missoula Montana.
4. There’s an Age Gap of 20 Years Between Her Father and Her Stepmother
Following the divorce of her parents in 1993, Elizabeth’s father met Juli at a Kentucky Derby party in Lexington in 1994. They officially became married in October 1997 and Liz was the maid of honor at the ceremony.
According to reports, the basketball coach who is currently 78-years old married his present wife when he was 55 and she was in her thirties.
Juli, a graduate of the University of Kentucky has a master’s degree in child and family studies.
5. Elizabeth Boeheim’s Father Suffered Prostate Cancer in 2001
In 2001. after Jim Boeheim suffered prostate cancer, he became a major fund-raiser for Coaches Vs, Cancer, a nonprofit organization. Then in 2009, he and his wife Juli founded Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation with the aim of enriching the lives of kids and providing necessary help to eliminate cancer through research and advocacy.
