Fifth-year head coach Tom Slyder and the North Park University Men’s Basketball program welcomed new associate head coach Joe Fano and graduate assistant coach Peter McBride to its staff for the 2016-17 season.
Fano, who succeeds former assistant coach Cordell Henry, comes to North Park from Division III national power Benedictine University, where helped lead the team to a two-year record of 49-10, including a near undefeated 2015-16 season where BU earned a No. 1 national ranking by D3Hoops.com as well as back-to-back Northern Athletics Conference championships.
In addition Fano coached three student-athletes who earned All-NACC First Team conference honors, including Lucas Johnson, who was named the D3Hoops.com National Player of the Year. Benedictine finished the year as the top Division III team in total assists, assists per game, rebounding margin, defensive rebounds per game, field goal percentage defense and set school records for wins (31), win streak, win percentage (.969), points in a season (2,781) three-pointers (236), total rebounds (1,491) and blocked shots (164) all while reaching their first NCAA Final Four and NCAA Division III national championship game in program history.
“I am excited for Joe to join our program,” Slyder said. “He has experienced a high level of success among his various coaching stops during his career and he is networked very well. He is a proven recruiter and I look forward to working alongside Joe to help make North Park Basketball a consistent winner in the CCIW.”
McBride joins the staff after spending the last four years teaching middle school math in both Waukegan and Evanston all while serving as a varsity assistant coach for the boys basketball program at Maine East High School in Park Ridge. A graduate of North Park with a Bachelor of Science in 2012, McBride has helped turn a Maine East squad around from a 5-21 record his first year to a 15-win season in his third campaign. In addition he has coached 16u and 17u teams for the Illinois Old School AAU program and has provided individual training for high school and college student-athletes across Chicagoland.
“Pete brings with him an energy and loyalty to our North Park Program,” Slyder said. “Having graduated from this place and lived the North Park experience as well as being in the high school coaching ranks in a rich talent area of our recruiting base makes me excited. His first-hand knowledge of North Park will certainly benefit our current players and staff and I look forward to working with Pete to help make North Park Basketball a consistent winner in the CCIW.”
