Following a national search, Converse University Director of Athletics Jenn Bell has announced the hiring of Nick Pasqua as the Valkyries new head men’s basketball coach.
“Coach Pasqua has a proven record of success and leadership as a head coach,” Bell said. “He is known for his development of student-athletes on and off the court, so we are excited for him to work with our incredible young men. He brings a tremendous amount of NCAA Division II experience, both as a student-athlete and as a coach, and his knowledge of Conference Carolinas will benefit our young program immediately. His reputation as a top-notch recruiter and his connections within the region will allow him to continue building our program. We could not be more pleased to have him join our Converse Athletics family, and we are already looking forward to the 2022-23 season!”
“First, I want to thank Dr. Hopkins, and Jenn Bell for allowing me to have this opportunity!” Pasqua said, “I think the future at Converse is incredibly bright, and hope we can build a championship program very quickly!”
“Coach Pasqua brings a strong, proven focus as a head coach on player development and student-athlete success that will match our big goals for our Men’s Basketball program,” Converse University President Boone Hopkins said. “Our players, administrators, and coaches were confident after the first meeting with Coach Pasqua that he is the man to take our team to new heights and to compete for conference championships.”
Pasqua becomes just the second head men’s basketball coach in program history at Converse and takes over a first-year program that went 6-22 overall and 5-19 in Conference Carolinas play. Pasqua is very familiar with Converse having coached against the Valkyries this past season as the head coach of Southern Wesleyan University.
Pasqua has spent the last four seasons at Southern Wesleyan University and has compiled an overall record of 49-26. In just his second year at Southern Wesleyan, Pasqua guided the Warriors to a 20-win season and won the school’s first ever Conference Carolinas Tournament Championship. That same year, the Warriors earned their first ever bid to the NCAA tournament.
Under the tutelage of Pasqua, seven Warriors earned All-Conference honors and four earned All-Tournament recognition, including one tournament MVP. This past season, the Warriors won a Division II era record 18 games in the regular season and won a Division II era record 16 games in the conference regular season. Southern Wesleyan also posted their first ever win over a top-five opponent this season, with a win over No. 5 UNC Pembroke.
Prior to his coaching stop in the Palmetto State, Pasqua was the head coach at Tusculum College during the 2016-17 season. In his one season at Tusculum, the Pioneers set a school record for most three-pointers made and attempted in a season. Before taking over at Tusculum College, Pasqua served on the coaching staff at King University for nine years.
Pasqua was a four-year starter on the hardwood at King from 2004-2008. Pasqua was a member of two Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament championship teams and the 2007-2008 AAC regular season championship team. He earned All AAC first team accolades, was named to the AAC All-Defensive Team and the AAC All-Academic Team. He accumulated 1,300 points and 500 assists during his Tornado career.
The Alcoa, Tennessee native graduated from King in 2008 with a Bachelor’s degree in sport management and earned his teacher certification from Lincoln Memorial University in 2010.
He and his wife Spenser are the proud parents of their son Hudson and daughter Riley.
Official: Nick Pasqua Selected as New Head Coach for Converse Men’s Basketball
