Steve Pikiell
Encyclopedia
Steve Pikiell is an American college basketball
coach and the current head men's basketball coach at the State University of New York at Stony Brook
. Pikiell's record is 57-89 through the completion of five regular seasons.
A 1990 graduate of the University of Connecticut, Pikiell was a point guard, two-year captain and four-year letterwinner for the Huskies from 1987-91. UConn won its first Big East title and advanced to the "Elite Eight" and "Sweet 16" during the two years that Pikiell captained the Huskies. He played in 106 career games and averaged 8.2 points a game as a freshman. In 1991, Pikiell was given the UConn Club Senior Athlete Award for outstanding contributions to UConn athletics.
After graduation, Pikiell stayed on as an assistant to the UConn staff before moving on to Yale, as an assistant coach from 1992-95. During 1995-96, Pikiell served as the interim head coach at Wesleyan University. Then, his former coach and colleague Howie Dickenman
became the head coach at Central Connecticut State University and hired Pikiell as an assistant coach, where he stayed from 1997-2001, with the Blue Devils reaching the NCAA Tournament in 2000. Pikiell joined fellow UConn alum Karl Hobbs
as an assistant at George Washington University from 2001-05, where he was part of the Colonials 2003-04 NIT and 2004-05 NCAA squads.
On April 13, 2005, Stony Brook named Pikiell the 10th head coach in program history. At the time, Pikiell was the first University of Connecticut alum who played for Calhoun to coach a Division I school.
Taking over one of the worst programs in Division I, Pikeill slowly has built Stony Brook to respectability and recent title contenders in the America East Conference
. In 2009-10, the Seawolves put together a 22-10 season, including a 13-3 conference mark, for the best record in the school's 11-year Division I history en route to an America East regular season championship. Stony Brook entered the 2010 America East Men's Basketball Tournament
as the No. 1 seed, but fell to Boston University in the semifinals, and earned a bid in the NIT
, the Seawolves first postseason appearance in school history. In 2010-11, Stony Brook recorded a 12-16 overall record and 8-8 record in America East play. The Seawolves however went on a run to the America East Championship game, knocking off top-seeded Vermont before falling to Boston University in the final.
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
coach and the current head men's basketball coach at the State University of New York at Stony Brook
State University of New York at Stony Brook
The State University of New York at Stony Brook, also known as Stony Brook University, is a public research university located in Stony Brook, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island, about east of Manhattan....
. Pikiell's record is 57-89 through the completion of five regular seasons.
A 1990 graduate of the University of Connecticut, Pikiell was a point guard, two-year captain and four-year letterwinner for the Huskies from 1987-91. UConn won its first Big East title and advanced to the "Elite Eight" and "Sweet 16" during the two years that Pikiell captained the Huskies. He played in 106 career games and averaged 8.2 points a game as a freshman. In 1991, Pikiell was given the UConn Club Senior Athlete Award for outstanding contributions to UConn athletics.
After graduation, Pikiell stayed on as an assistant to the UConn staff before moving on to Yale, as an assistant coach from 1992-95. During 1995-96, Pikiell served as the interim head coach at Wesleyan University. Then, his former coach and colleague Howie Dickenman
Howie Dickenman
Howie Dickenman is an American college basketball coach and the current head men's basketball coach for the Central Connecticut Blue Devils. He is the second-longest tenured head coach in program history...
became the head coach at Central Connecticut State University and hired Pikiell as an assistant coach, where he stayed from 1997-2001, with the Blue Devils reaching the NCAA Tournament in 2000. Pikiell joined fellow UConn alum Karl Hobbs
Karl Hobbs
Karl Hobbs is a former men's college basketball coach. He is currently the Director, Basketball Operations at the University of Connecticut. He is the former head coach of the George Washington University Colonials men's basketball team...
as an assistant at George Washington University from 2001-05, where he was part of the Colonials 2003-04 NIT and 2004-05 NCAA squads.
On April 13, 2005, Stony Brook named Pikiell the 10th head coach in program history. At the time, Pikiell was the first University of Connecticut alum who played for Calhoun to coach a Division I school.
Taking over one of the worst programs in Division I, Pikeill slowly has built Stony Brook to respectability and recent title contenders in the America East Conference
America East Conference
The America East Conference is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located mainly in the northeastern United States. The conference was known as the ECAC North from 1979 to 1988 and the North Atlantic Conference from the fall semester of 1988 to the end of the spring...
. In 2009-10, the Seawolves put together a 22-10 season, including a 13-3 conference mark, for the best record in the school's 11-year Division I history en route to an America East regular season championship. Stony Brook entered the 2010 America East Men's Basketball Tournament
2010 America East Men's Basketball Tournament
-Trivia:*Binghamton was initially slated as the #5 seed in the tournament. However, due to a series of scandals surrounding the program, the Bearcats announced they would sit out the tournament. According to The New York Times, the conference's other members pressured Binghamton to sit out....
as the No. 1 seed, but fell to Boston University in the semifinals, and earned a bid in the NIT
2010 National Invitation Tournament
-Arizona State Bracket:-Virginia Tech Bracket:-Mississippi State Bracket:-NIT Final Four - NIT Semifinals and NIT Championship Game:Played at Madison Square Garden in New York City-See also:*2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament...
, the Seawolves first postseason appearance in school history. In 2010-11, Stony Brook recorded a 12-16 overall record and 8-8 record in America East play. The Seawolves however went on a run to the America East Championship game, knocking off top-seeded Vermont before falling to Boston University in the final.