When your blogger spoke to new Niagara coach Chris Casey exactly a week ago, all seemed well at Monteagle Ridge, at least in personnel terms.
Casey believed then that there would be none of the occasional player defections that often accompany a program's coaching change.
But, now, that's no longer the case. As Bob DiCesare reported yesterday in the Buffalo News, all-MAAC first-team guard Juan'ya Green and team rebounding leader Ameen Tanksley, both sophomores, have been granted transfer-request releases and are leaving the program.
DiCesare reports that the two are Philadelphia natives and lifelong friends.
Their departure is a blow to Niagara which, now, not only faces the transition of its first coaching change in 15 years, but the loss of two very key players. It means that Niagara, the early choice to be this coming preseason favorite to win the MAAC title, probably will fall to the middle of the pack in the preseason prognostications.
Green, in this scribe's opinion, was the MAAC's best player this past season although the top individual award, as voted on by league coaches, went to Iona's Momo Jones.
The 6-foot-1 Green averaged 16.5 points, 5.0 assists and 1.9 steals per game this past season. Tanksley, an athletic 6-6 swingman, averaged 11.3 points and 6.0 rebounds.
Traditionally there are restrictions placed on a release related to programs players cannot transfer into. Typically schools block players from transferring within their geographic footprint and within their conference (although transfers within the conference are not unprecedented). The likelihood is that Niagara will also prohibit the players from transferring to Hofstra, where former Purple Eagles' coach Joe Mihalic moved to several weeks ago.
But, player defections don't always indicate a considerable drop in success will follow.
When Siena fired Rob Lanier after the 2004-05 season, guard Jack McClinton transferred out (he eventually became a 2,000-point career scorer after three seasons at Miami) and three committed recruits opted out of their scholarship agreements.
Siena had a 6-24 record when McClinton was a freshman and, then, finished 15-13 the following year after he left the program when Fran McCaffery took over the program after Lanier's firing.
And, the Saints lost another key player to transfer the following year when all-league guard Kojo Mensah left for Duquesne, yet the Saints improved again, finishing 20-12 the following year.
Losing players, even ones as good as Green and Tanksley don't necessarily mean the proverbial bottom will drop off for Niagara. Three other starters from this past season's 19-win team are expected to return as well as the team's top two reserves.
And, when we spoke to Casey he was on the recruiting trail seeking out players to join Niagara.
Still, there are more holes to fill at Niagara now than there were just a short time ago. But player defections after a coaching change are relatively common place. And, despite the loss of Green and Tanksley, the cupboard is far from bare at Niagara for the coming season.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Saturday, April 27, 2013
New Niagara Coach Chris Casey Off To Fast Start
If you manage to connect with new Niagara men's basketball coach Chris Casey right now, you might reach him by phone as he's driving to Philadelphia to do some recruiting.
Or, you might not reach him as he's at the Niagara campus meeting with or getting to know the players on his new team. Or, because he's around campus, meeting students in the school's cafeterias or other public places, drumming up program support for his program.
Or, because he's working the phones ensuring his staff from LIU Post, the successful Division II program where he was head coach for the past three seasons, would join him at Monteagle Ridge. Or, because he's locked in his office watching this past season's game tapes to familiarize himself with his new team.
You get the point. When you get hired so late in college basketball's off-season (the school announced his hiring on April 22), there's a lot of catching up to do.
"With everything else, I haven't even had time to get on the court (for individual workouts) with our players," said Casey, via phone recently. "I told the players that the calendar wasn't our friend."
But there isn't much doubt that Casey will catch up quickly, and that he's already been taking all the requisite steps to do just that, including this weekend's trip to Philly for recruiting.
"We've got a couple of scholarships available ... we need to add some players," said Casey.
But, there are plenty of good players left behind by former coach Joe Mihalich who, after a terrific 15-year run as Niagara's head coach, moved on to take over at Hofstra.
The team's entire starting five, plus some key reserves, will return from this past season's team that won the MAAC's regular-season championship.
One of the first things Casey took care of after his hiring was to meet his players, allow them to get to know him. It appears to have been enough to ensure there weren't any of the player departures that often come with a coaching change.
Mihalich left something else behind at Niagara that might help Casey's quest to keep the Purple Eagles strong.
He created and left behind a tradition of excellence, 12 winning seasons of his 15 ... an additional "era" to a proud Niagara program that had suffered through more than two decades of mostly mediocre performances prior to his arrival.
It wasn't just winning seasons, though, that helped attract a strong array of talent to the conference's northern-most outpost. It was also the style Mihalich used, an up-tempo strategy that produced high-scoring games, the type any player desires to play.
It probably didn't hurt Casey's attempt to build relationships with returning players by stressing his intent to have a similar playing style as Mihalich's.
"I like to have a team that gets up and down and presses on defense," said Casey. "Really, you have to be able to play both ways. If your fast break doesn't work and you get into a half-court situation, you have to be able to play that way, too. Defense and rebounding have to be constant, particularly in a league as good as the MAAC. "But if the players work hard, you have to give them the game opportunity to have some freedom, and I definitely talked (to the players) about my intent to play fast."
It probably didn't hurt that players could look at Casey's resume and see the numbers that confirmed his desire for fast play.
His teams at LIU Post put up scoring avverages of 78.1, 83.4 and 78.5 points during his three seasons as head coach, more points in all three seasons than Mihalich's Niagara teams scored.
It probably doesn't hurt, either, that players could see Casey's past success, records of 18-9, 23-6 and 21-10 in his three seasons at Post, a program that now has produced two MAAC coaches. Casey's predecessor at LIU Post (formerly C.W. Post) is Tim Cluess, who has taken Iona to the NCAA tournament in each of the past two seasons.
Casey, at 49, doesn't fit the once tried-and-true mold of MAAC programs filling coaching vacancies with hit-and-rising young assistants from higher-level programs.
A combination of economics (salaries for conference head coaches have increased significantly in recent years) and philosophy have made it feasible for conference schools to attract more-experienced possibilities to fill coaching openings.
This year alone Siena's new coach, Jimmy Patsos, was the head coach at Loyola for the past nine seasons; Marist's new coach, Jeff Bower, got some experience as a head coach in the NBA; And, now, Casey with three years of experience as a head coach at the D-II level.
:Any experience you get as a head coach, whether it's at the D-II or D-III level (he was also the head coach at Rutgers University-Newark, a D-III program, for three seasons) has to help," he said. "It puts you in situations where you have to figure out how to be a head coach, where you actually have to make the decisions involved with the position. It helps you be ready when if you get a chance at this level (D-I)."
Casey not only has six years running his own program, but has considerable experience otherwise, too. Prior to taking over at Post, he had been an assistant at St. John's for six seasons, at Central Connecticut for three seasons and at Saint Peter's of the MAAC for eight seasons (six under Ted Fiore, two under Roger Blind). He has also been an assistant at Western Connecticut State, and St. Francis (N.Y.).
But, Casey knows the opportunity to be a Division I head coach is different and special.
"I'm very excited about this opportunity," said Casey. "Every coach in this profession works at trying to become a Division I head coach. I'm not only excited about being a Division I head coach, but about having it at Niagara."
Casey also knows that he has something else new coaches don't always have when taking over a program ... a strong returning group.
"I know when an opportunity opens up there are times when it's because the former coach didn't have a lot of success ... or, did have success and moved on (before a program's down cycle)," said Casey.
"But, that's not the case here. There's a strong group of players here, and it's clear that winning is very important to them ... that Niagara basketball is very important to them.
"My goal is to get out there with them and help them get better every day. I'm a day-to-day guy. I believe you do something every day that helps makes your players and your team better. If you do that, you can compete in the MAAC, which I know is a a terrific league with terrific coaches.
"If we can do that, we can compete for MAAC titles every year and compete to get to the NCAA tournament. Those are the goals for this program, and I'm excited about the opportunity to try to do that."
Or, you might not reach him as he's at the Niagara campus meeting with or getting to know the players on his new team. Or, because he's around campus, meeting students in the school's cafeterias or other public places, drumming up program support for his program.
Or, because he's working the phones ensuring his staff from LIU Post, the successful Division II program where he was head coach for the past three seasons, would join him at Monteagle Ridge. Or, because he's locked in his office watching this past season's game tapes to familiarize himself with his new team.
You get the point. When you get hired so late in college basketball's off-season (the school announced his hiring on April 22), there's a lot of catching up to do.
"With everything else, I haven't even had time to get on the court (for individual workouts) with our players," said Casey, via phone recently. "I told the players that the calendar wasn't our friend."
But there isn't much doubt that Casey will catch up quickly, and that he's already been taking all the requisite steps to do just that, including this weekend's trip to Philly for recruiting.
"We've got a couple of scholarships available ... we need to add some players," said Casey.
But, there are plenty of good players left behind by former coach Joe Mihalich who, after a terrific 15-year run as Niagara's head coach, moved on to take over at Hofstra.
The team's entire starting five, plus some key reserves, will return from this past season's team that won the MAAC's regular-season championship.
One of the first things Casey took care of after his hiring was to meet his players, allow them to get to know him. It appears to have been enough to ensure there weren't any of the player departures that often come with a coaching change.
Mihalich left something else behind at Niagara that might help Casey's quest to keep the Purple Eagles strong.
He created and left behind a tradition of excellence, 12 winning seasons of his 15 ... an additional "era" to a proud Niagara program that had suffered through more than two decades of mostly mediocre performances prior to his arrival.
It wasn't just winning seasons, though, that helped attract a strong array of talent to the conference's northern-most outpost. It was also the style Mihalich used, an up-tempo strategy that produced high-scoring games, the type any player desires to play.
It probably didn't hurt Casey's attempt to build relationships with returning players by stressing his intent to have a similar playing style as Mihalich's.
"I like to have a team that gets up and down and presses on defense," said Casey. "Really, you have to be able to play both ways. If your fast break doesn't work and you get into a half-court situation, you have to be able to play that way, too. Defense and rebounding have to be constant, particularly in a league as good as the MAAC. "But if the players work hard, you have to give them the game opportunity to have some freedom, and I definitely talked (to the players) about my intent to play fast."
It probably didn't hurt that players could look at Casey's resume and see the numbers that confirmed his desire for fast play.
His teams at LIU Post put up scoring avverages of 78.1, 83.4 and 78.5 points during his three seasons as head coach, more points in all three seasons than Mihalich's Niagara teams scored.
It probably doesn't hurt, either, that players could see Casey's past success, records of 18-9, 23-6 and 21-10 in his three seasons at Post, a program that now has produced two MAAC coaches. Casey's predecessor at LIU Post (formerly C.W. Post) is Tim Cluess, who has taken Iona to the NCAA tournament in each of the past two seasons.
Casey, at 49, doesn't fit the once tried-and-true mold of MAAC programs filling coaching vacancies with hit-and-rising young assistants from higher-level programs.
A combination of economics (salaries for conference head coaches have increased significantly in recent years) and philosophy have made it feasible for conference schools to attract more-experienced possibilities to fill coaching openings.
This year alone Siena's new coach, Jimmy Patsos, was the head coach at Loyola for the past nine seasons; Marist's new coach, Jeff Bower, got some experience as a head coach in the NBA; And, now, Casey with three years of experience as a head coach at the D-II level.
:Any experience you get as a head coach, whether it's at the D-II or D-III level (he was also the head coach at Rutgers University-Newark, a D-III program, for three seasons) has to help," he said. "It puts you in situations where you have to figure out how to be a head coach, where you actually have to make the decisions involved with the position. It helps you be ready when if you get a chance at this level (D-I)."
Casey not only has six years running his own program, but has considerable experience otherwise, too. Prior to taking over at Post, he had been an assistant at St. John's for six seasons, at Central Connecticut for three seasons and at Saint Peter's of the MAAC for eight seasons (six under Ted Fiore, two under Roger Blind). He has also been an assistant at Western Connecticut State, and St. Francis (N.Y.).
But, Casey knows the opportunity to be a Division I head coach is different and special.
"I'm very excited about this opportunity," said Casey. "Every coach in this profession works at trying to become a Division I head coach. I'm not only excited about being a Division I head coach, but about having it at Niagara."
Casey also knows that he has something else new coaches don't always have when taking over a program ... a strong returning group.
"I know when an opportunity opens up there are times when it's because the former coach didn't have a lot of success ... or, did have success and moved on (before a program's down cycle)," said Casey.
"But, that's not the case here. There's a strong group of players here, and it's clear that winning is very important to them ... that Niagara basketball is very important to them.
"My goal is to get out there with them and help them get better every day. I'm a day-to-day guy. I believe you do something every day that helps makes your players and your team better. If you do that, you can compete in the MAAC, which I know is a a terrific league with terrific coaches.
"If we can do that, we can compete for MAAC titles every year and compete to get to the NCAA tournament. Those are the goals for this program, and I'm excited about the opportunity to try to do that."
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Former Siena Coach Castelli Moves To Le Moyne
Good things happen to good people, and there aren't many better anywhere than former Siena women's basketball coach Gina Castelli.
Siena administrators decided on a change at the top of their program after the 2011-12 season, despite the fact that Castelli's teams, in her last two seasons, had each finished fourth in the MAAC's regular-season standings and had advanced to the league's post-season tournament's semifinal round in both seasons.
Castelli wasn't out of coaching for long, serving last year as the director of player development for Rhode Island.
And, it didn't take long for her to find another opportunity to be a head coach.
Castelli was introduced on Friday as the head coach at Le Moyne, a Division II program, in Syracuse.
Castelli had been at Siena for 23 years, one year as an assistant and the last 22 as head coach and accumulated a 336-296 won-loss record (225-146 in MAAC play). Those hardly seemed like numbers to precipitate a parting of the ways.
But Castelli lost her job at Siena, in no small part, because her last eight seasons there resulted in sub-.500 overall records. Those records, though, included an annual 10 or 11 non-league games against the most-difficult schedule Castelli could find.
She viewed non-league games as a chance to test her players against superior opponents, to tough them up for the league season, and not to pad her own resume with any number of meaningless victories against lesser opponents.
Division II isn't Division I, but Le Moyne's league, the Northeast 10 Conference, is one of the strongest nationally. It produced a national champion (Southern Connecticut in 2007), and another championship-game team (Bentley in 1990) ... that's two more teams that have played for a national title than the MAAC has ever had.
MAAC teams aspire merely to get a berth in the NCAA tournament. Northeast 10 teams actually aspire to win a national championship.
The ultra-competitive Castelli admitted, in a recent conversation, to being more than a little excited about an opportunity to potentially chase a national championship.
At Siena, Castelli was named the MAAC's Coach of the Year five times and her teams won seven MAAC regular-season championships, including one in 2004 which was the last year any team other than Marist has captured the conference's championship.
Local and MAAC connections abound at Le Moyne.
The athletic director who led the search that resulted in the hiring of Castelli is Matt Bassett, who is the son of legendary area coach Don Bassett, who is now a volunteer assistant coach for the UAlbany men's program.
The men's coach of Le Moyne is Steve Evans, who served two years on the Siena staff under Paul Hewitt.
And, don't be surprised if Castelli's staff at Le Moyne eventually includes a couple of her former Siena players.
"I can't imagine a better pair of hands to place the future of Le Moyne women's basketball in than in the hands of Gina Castelli," said Matt Bassett, in a press release issued by his school. "From day one of this process, Gina has demonstrated a passionate, limitless vision for what Le Moyne women's basketball can and should be. We have hired a truly successful coach, a driven coach, a coach who has a proven record for going about things, and achieving things, the right way."
"I am absolutely thrilled and excited to be a part of Le Moyne," said Castilli. "I understand the responsibility of a head coach and I am committed to giving my full all to building a winning team and a program that encompasses the Le Moyne mission."
Castelli, for sure, has plenty to give. And, no one who ever followed Siena's program during her years there, would ever doubt that.
Siena administrators decided on a change at the top of their program after the 2011-12 season, despite the fact that Castelli's teams, in her last two seasons, had each finished fourth in the MAAC's regular-season standings and had advanced to the league's post-season tournament's semifinal round in both seasons.
Castelli wasn't out of coaching for long, serving last year as the director of player development for Rhode Island.
And, it didn't take long for her to find another opportunity to be a head coach.
Castelli was introduced on Friday as the head coach at Le Moyne, a Division II program, in Syracuse.
Castelli had been at Siena for 23 years, one year as an assistant and the last 22 as head coach and accumulated a 336-296 won-loss record (225-146 in MAAC play). Those hardly seemed like numbers to precipitate a parting of the ways.
But Castelli lost her job at Siena, in no small part, because her last eight seasons there resulted in sub-.500 overall records. Those records, though, included an annual 10 or 11 non-league games against the most-difficult schedule Castelli could find.
She viewed non-league games as a chance to test her players against superior opponents, to tough them up for the league season, and not to pad her own resume with any number of meaningless victories against lesser opponents.
Division II isn't Division I, but Le Moyne's league, the Northeast 10 Conference, is one of the strongest nationally. It produced a national champion (Southern Connecticut in 2007), and another championship-game team (Bentley in 1990) ... that's two more teams that have played for a national title than the MAAC has ever had.
MAAC teams aspire merely to get a berth in the NCAA tournament. Northeast 10 teams actually aspire to win a national championship.
The ultra-competitive Castelli admitted, in a recent conversation, to being more than a little excited about an opportunity to potentially chase a national championship.
At Siena, Castelli was named the MAAC's Coach of the Year five times and her teams won seven MAAC regular-season championships, including one in 2004 which was the last year any team other than Marist has captured the conference's championship.
Local and MAAC connections abound at Le Moyne.
The athletic director who led the search that resulted in the hiring of Castelli is Matt Bassett, who is the son of legendary area coach Don Bassett, who is now a volunteer assistant coach for the UAlbany men's program.
The men's coach of Le Moyne is Steve Evans, who served two years on the Siena staff under Paul Hewitt.
And, don't be surprised if Castelli's staff at Le Moyne eventually includes a couple of her former Siena players.
"I can't imagine a better pair of hands to place the future of Le Moyne women's basketball in than in the hands of Gina Castelli," said Matt Bassett, in a press release issued by his school. "From day one of this process, Gina has demonstrated a passionate, limitless vision for what Le Moyne women's basketball can and should be. We have hired a truly successful coach, a driven coach, a coach who has a proven record for going about things, and achieving things, the right way."
"I am absolutely thrilled and excited to be a part of Le Moyne," said Castilli. "I understand the responsibility of a head coach and I am committed to giving my full all to building a winning team and a program that encompasses the Le Moyne mission."
Castelli, for sure, has plenty to give. And, no one who ever followed Siena's program during her years there, would ever doubt that.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Marist's New Men's Coach Bower Has Strong Resume
From the outside ... and I can't begin to say that I know Jeff Bower beyond what a few people who know him have passed on ... Marist's decision to hire Bower looks like a very good one.
The school announced that decision earlier today, and Bower will be on campus Monday for an introductory press conference in the Cabaret of the school's Student Center.
It has to open up players' eyes, it creates instant credibility, when a MAAC-level team's coach has NBA experience, and Bower has plenty.
Bower had been in the NBA for most of the past 14 seasons in a variety of positions, even serving as the head coach of the New Orleans Hornets, most recently, for the last 73 games of the 2009-10 season (34-39 record). He has also been that organization's general manager for most of his NBA years.
This past season, though, he was a talent evaluator for the Dallas Mavericks
It never hurts, either, when a new coach already has a little of the proverbial lay of the land. Bower had already been at Marist for nine seasons, as the program's top assistant under Dave Magarity for the first four of those and, then, as Magarity's associate head coach for the last five before moving on after the 1994-95 season.
And, it doesn't hurt when school administrators already have a pretty good idea of a candidate's personality, and Marist had that, too.
A source passed along the fact that Bower and Marist athletic director Tim Murray became close friends when they shared an apartment for a couple of years back in the 1980s.
So, why come back to Marist?
Bower told the search committee that he wanted to get back to hi scoaching roots.
Bower also told school administrators that he was on the staff the last time the program went to the NCAA tournament, and wanted to be the coach who got them there again.
Plus, he met his wife (an athletic trainer at the school when they met) during his previous time at Marist and they both have family in the Poughkeepsie area.
Bower also told the search committee that he has a summer home in nearby Oneonta and he believes the Poughkeepsie area would be a great place for his 10-year old daughter to grow up.
Bower also assured Marist administrators that he has kept in touch with the AAU and high school coaches and other connections that would be beneficial to recruiting at the mid-major level.
"I'm excited to join the Marist community and have high hopes and expectations for our basketball program," Bower said, in a release issued by the school. "My family and I hope to make positive contributions to Marist and the Poughkeepsie communities ...
"The facilities (at Marist) re first-class and provide our student-athletes with an environment to pursue excellence."
During Bower's previous time at Marist, the Red Foxes won the ECAD Metro Conference regular-season title in 1987 and '88, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 1977. He aided in the development of 7-foot-0 center Rik Smits, during that player's time at the school.
The school announced that decision earlier today, and Bower will be on campus Monday for an introductory press conference in the Cabaret of the school's Student Center.
It has to open up players' eyes, it creates instant credibility, when a MAAC-level team's coach has NBA experience, and Bower has plenty.
Bower had been in the NBA for most of the past 14 seasons in a variety of positions, even serving as the head coach of the New Orleans Hornets, most recently, for the last 73 games of the 2009-10 season (34-39 record). He has also been that organization's general manager for most of his NBA years.
This past season, though, he was a talent evaluator for the Dallas Mavericks
It never hurts, either, when a new coach already has a little of the proverbial lay of the land. Bower had already been at Marist for nine seasons, as the program's top assistant under Dave Magarity for the first four of those and, then, as Magarity's associate head coach for the last five before moving on after the 1994-95 season.
And, it doesn't hurt when school administrators already have a pretty good idea of a candidate's personality, and Marist had that, too.
A source passed along the fact that Bower and Marist athletic director Tim Murray became close friends when they shared an apartment for a couple of years back in the 1980s.
So, why come back to Marist?
Bower told the search committee that he wanted to get back to hi scoaching roots.
Bower also told school administrators that he was on the staff the last time the program went to the NCAA tournament, and wanted to be the coach who got them there again.
Plus, he met his wife (an athletic trainer at the school when they met) during his previous time at Marist and they both have family in the Poughkeepsie area.
Bower also told the search committee that he has a summer home in nearby Oneonta and he believes the Poughkeepsie area would be a great place for his 10-year old daughter to grow up.
Bower also assured Marist administrators that he has kept in touch with the AAU and high school coaches and other connections that would be beneficial to recruiting at the mid-major level.
"I'm excited to join the Marist community and have high hopes and expectations for our basketball program," Bower said, in a release issued by the school. "My family and I hope to make positive contributions to Marist and the Poughkeepsie communities ...
"The facilities (at Marist) re first-class and provide our student-athletes with an environment to pursue excellence."
During Bower's previous time at Marist, the Red Foxes won the ECAD Metro Conference regular-season title in 1987 and '88, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 1977. He aided in the development of 7-foot-0 center Rik Smits, during that player's time at the school.
MAAC's Coaching "Dean," Mihalich, Goes To Hofstra
For years he has claimed the title of "dean" of MAAC coaches.
No one ever coached in the conference longer than Joe Mihalich, who has been Niagara's head coach for the past 15 years. Before that he was an assistant coach at La Salle for 17 seasons, 10 of those years when that program was a league member.
That's 25 of the 32 years years the MAAC has been in existence. No one, to my knowledge, has been connected to the conference for so long. No coach has been a greater cheerleader, a better promoter, for the MAAC than Mihalich.
He ingrained himself, endeared himself to a Niagara community that had been watching on-court mediocrity in the years between Frank Layden (who left in 1976) and Mihalich (who took over in 1998).
Your blogger's trips to Western New York always resulted in finding Mihalich admirers, whether they be border security, local business owners or just about anyone within reasonable proximity of the Niagara campus.
Mihalich revitalized a once-proud program that happens to be located, just south of Canada, in a snowbound area where -- let's be honest -- it isn't the most-desirable place to which to bring in recruits.
But, somehow, Mihalich found good players and built good teams. His preferred up-tempo style of play appealed to players who might otherwise not have came to Monteagle Ridge.
He had just three sub-.500 records in 15 years, an accomplishment made all the more remarkable because of the challenges related to his school's geographic location. He had a 265-203 record at Niagara, more wins than any MAAC coach in the league's 32-year history.
But, like every good coach Mihalich is moving on. A variety of reports indicate that Mihalich will be announced, later today, as the new coach at Hofstra.
It's surprising in the sense that it felt that Mihalich would always be around the MAAC. At his age, 56, he was getting close to that time when bigger programs would look elsewhere for concerns over just how many more years he would go on.
But, Mihalich is as enthusiastic and as vibrant as ever. The move brings a reported six-year contract that will be worth more than double what he was being paid at Niagara. Those numbers, the years and the salary, bring the type financial security one rarely finds in the MAAC.
Mihalich leaves a program that couldn't be in better shape, coming off a regular-season league title with a starting lineup that returns intact, along with a few key reserves also coming back.
It was a situation that brought out the best of Mihalich, who was asked if such a young team having so much success was surprising, if things were ahead of schedule.
"I didn't know there was any schedule for this," quipped Mihalich.
Those with long memories will recall how MAAC history might have been drastically changed when, in 1994, Mihalich was one of the finalists to replace Mike Deane as Siena's coach.
That school's search had identified Mihalich, still a La Salle assistant back then, as one of its two final candidates. Mihalich was so certain he would be offered the Siena job that he quizzed this scribe about the merits of local school districts and where he should enroll his then-young children.
Instead, Siena hired Bob Beyer.
Bad move for the Saints, but a great turn of events for Niagara. Still, Mihalich didn't get his first opportunity to run a program for four more years when the Purple Eagles brought him aboard.
The result was the best era of Niagara basketball, in terms of on-court success, since Taps Gallagher stopped coaching there in the mid-1960s.
For sure there are mixed emotions. It's never easy to see a good guy, an individual who was such a terrific ambassador not only for his own program but for the conference, to move on.
Yet, those are the ones we root for to have success, to find bigger and better opportunities.
And, so, it's now Mihalich's turn to try bigger and better.
But, that's not to say he won't be greatly missed at Niagara, in the Western New York region, and throughout the MAAC.
No one ever coached in the conference longer than Joe Mihalich, who has been Niagara's head coach for the past 15 years. Before that he was an assistant coach at La Salle for 17 seasons, 10 of those years when that program was a league member.
That's 25 of the 32 years years the MAAC has been in existence. No one, to my knowledge, has been connected to the conference for so long. No coach has been a greater cheerleader, a better promoter, for the MAAC than Mihalich.
He ingrained himself, endeared himself to a Niagara community that had been watching on-court mediocrity in the years between Frank Layden (who left in 1976) and Mihalich (who took over in 1998).
Your blogger's trips to Western New York always resulted in finding Mihalich admirers, whether they be border security, local business owners or just about anyone within reasonable proximity of the Niagara campus.
Mihalich revitalized a once-proud program that happens to be located, just south of Canada, in a snowbound area where -- let's be honest -- it isn't the most-desirable place to which to bring in recruits.
But, somehow, Mihalich found good players and built good teams. His preferred up-tempo style of play appealed to players who might otherwise not have came to Monteagle Ridge.
He had just three sub-.500 records in 15 years, an accomplishment made all the more remarkable because of the challenges related to his school's geographic location. He had a 265-203 record at Niagara, more wins than any MAAC coach in the league's 32-year history.
But, like every good coach Mihalich is moving on. A variety of reports indicate that Mihalich will be announced, later today, as the new coach at Hofstra.
It's surprising in the sense that it felt that Mihalich would always be around the MAAC. At his age, 56, he was getting close to that time when bigger programs would look elsewhere for concerns over just how many more years he would go on.
But, Mihalich is as enthusiastic and as vibrant as ever. The move brings a reported six-year contract that will be worth more than double what he was being paid at Niagara. Those numbers, the years and the salary, bring the type financial security one rarely finds in the MAAC.
Mihalich leaves a program that couldn't be in better shape, coming off a regular-season league title with a starting lineup that returns intact, along with a few key reserves also coming back.
It was a situation that brought out the best of Mihalich, who was asked if such a young team having so much success was surprising, if things were ahead of schedule.
"I didn't know there was any schedule for this," quipped Mihalich.
Those with long memories will recall how MAAC history might have been drastically changed when, in 1994, Mihalich was one of the finalists to replace Mike Deane as Siena's coach.
That school's search had identified Mihalich, still a La Salle assistant back then, as one of its two final candidates. Mihalich was so certain he would be offered the Siena job that he quizzed this scribe about the merits of local school districts and where he should enroll his then-young children.
Instead, Siena hired Bob Beyer.
Bad move for the Saints, but a great turn of events for Niagara. Still, Mihalich didn't get his first opportunity to run a program for four more years when the Purple Eagles brought him aboard.
The result was the best era of Niagara basketball, in terms of on-court success, since Taps Gallagher stopped coaching there in the mid-1960s.
For sure there are mixed emotions. It's never easy to see a good guy, an individual who was such a terrific ambassador not only for his own program but for the conference, to move on.
Yet, those are the ones we root for to have success, to find bigger and better opportunities.
And, so, it's now Mihalich's turn to try bigger and better.
But, that's not to say he won't be greatly missed at Niagara, in the Western New York region, and throughout the MAAC.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
MAAC's Presence is Prominent on National Scene
John Beilein couldn't quite outdo Paul Hewitt. He could only join Hewitt as former MAAC men's coaches who have made it to college basketball's championship game.
But, like Hewitt whose Georgia Tech team lost to UConn in the 20044 title contest, Beilein's Michigan team couldn't get past Louisville in Monday's final game of this year's event.
Hewitt coached at Siena for three years (1997-98 through 1999-00), while Beilein began his Division i career at Canisius where he coached five seasons (1992-93 through 1996-97).
Those weren't the only MAAC connections to make some memorable accomplishments this season.
Siena's 6-foot-8 forward O.D. Anosike became the sixth player to lead all Division I players nationally in rebounding for two straight seasons.
Anosike averaged 11.4 rebounds per game, just slightly ahead of the 11.2 per-game average of Colorado's Andre Roberson, and became just the second MAAC player to be the national rebound leader. Former Fairfield standout Darren Phillip led in the 1999-00 season.
Anosike also led the nation in rebounds last year when he averaged 12.5 per contest.
Anosike also led the nation in rebounds last year when he averaged 12.5 per contest.
Others who have won back-to-back rebound titles since the NCAA began keeping track in 1950 are Leroy Ellis (1958-59, 1959-60), Jerry Lucas (1960-61, 1961-62), Artis Gilmore (1969-70, 1970-71), Kermit Washington (1971-72, 1972-73) and Paul Milsap, a three-time rebound champ (2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-060.
Iona's Momo Jones finished third nationally in scoring average at 22.6 per contest, and teammate Sean Armand finished sixth in made three-pointers per game (3.29) and eighth in free-throw percentage (88.8).
Manhattan's Rhamel Brown finished 10th in blocked shots (2.97).
In team statistics, Iona finished first nationally in points per game (80.6), Niagara was ninth in turnover margin (committing 4.3 fewer per game than opponents), Canisius was third in made three pointers per game (9.2), and Rider was sixth in three-point percentage defense (28.8).
On the women's side, Iona had two players to rank in the top 10 nationally in a statistical category. Guard Damika Martinez's three-point shooting percentage of 42.2 was eighth nationally, while Sabrina Jeridore ranked seventh in blocked shots (3.09).
Marist was fifth nationally in free-throw percentage (79.1), Iona was eighth in three-point shooting percentage (37.2), Marist was eighth in fewest fouls committed (12.4), while Fairfield was eighth in that statistic (12.5).
One more game tonight with a MAAC connection, the women's championship game that has former Siena men's assistant coach Cameron Newbauer on the sidelines as an assistant coach for the Louisville women's team.
After that, it's the off season and, then, six more months until the official start of practice for the 2013-14 season.
That can't get here fast enough.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Newbauer, from Siena, Part of Women's Title Game
Michigan's John Beilein isn't the only coach with a past MAAC connection playing for a national championship this season.
He might be the only head coach doing so, but an assistant from the Louisville women's staff, which plays UConn on Tuesday night in the championship game for the ladies, is also seeking a national crown.
That would be Cameron Newbauer, who spent three years on the men's staff at Siena College. Newbauer was at Siena as that program's director of basketball operations from 2001-03 and, then, back with that school as a full-fledged assistant in the 2004-05 season.
Newbauer went from Siena to Georgia where he was the director of basketball operations with that school's men's program from 2005-07.
In June 2007 he joined the school's women's program and played a significant role in helping bring in one top 10 national recruiting classes in 2008 and 2009. There, he was also part of the staff that helped direct the Bulldogs to five consecutive NCAA women's tournament appearances and back-to-back Sweet 16 advances, getting there in 2010 and 2011.
Newbauer then moved over to his current position with Louisville prior to the start of this season.
Louisville, which entered this season's NCAA event as a No. 5 regional seed, claims the tournament's most-surprising victory, a one-point shocker over Baylor at the Elite Eight round of play.
Beilein, of course, coached five seasons in the 1990's at Canisius. He is just the second former MAAC head coach to play in the NCAA championship game, joining former Siena coach Paul Hewitt, who played for the 2004 national title.
If Michigan wins tonight, Beilein would be the first former MAAC men's head coach to win a national championship.
He might be the only head coach doing so, but an assistant from the Louisville women's staff, which plays UConn on Tuesday night in the championship game for the ladies, is also seeking a national crown.
That would be Cameron Newbauer, who spent three years on the men's staff at Siena College. Newbauer was at Siena as that program's director of basketball operations from 2001-03 and, then, back with that school as a full-fledged assistant in the 2004-05 season.
Newbauer went from Siena to Georgia where he was the director of basketball operations with that school's men's program from 2005-07.
In June 2007 he joined the school's women's program and played a significant role in helping bring in one top 10 national recruiting classes in 2008 and 2009. There, he was also part of the staff that helped direct the Bulldogs to five consecutive NCAA women's tournament appearances and back-to-back Sweet 16 advances, getting there in 2010 and 2011.
Newbauer then moved over to his current position with Louisville prior to the start of this season.
Louisville, which entered this season's NCAA event as a No. 5 regional seed, claims the tournament's most-surprising victory, a one-point shocker over Baylor at the Elite Eight round of play.
Beilein, of course, coached five seasons in the 1990's at Canisius. He is just the second former MAAC head coach to play in the NCAA championship game, joining former Siena coach Paul Hewitt, who played for the 2004 national title.
If Michigan wins tonight, Beilein would be the first former MAAC men's head coach to win a national championship.
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