Bucknell head men’s basketball coach John Griffin III has announced the appointment of Pat Behan, Bucknell Class of 2010, as Special Adviser to the Head Coach. A former member of the Bison men’s basketball team, Behan is currently in a battle with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. While the disease cut short a promising basketball coaching career, he still regularly watches Bucknell games and sends text messages with advice to Griffin, who was his teammate and roommate at Bucknell.
“It is with great honor that I welcome Pat Behan back to Bucknell Basketball as the Special Adviser to the Head Coach,” said Griffin. “Pat is not only a proud Bucknell alum, but he is also one of the brightest basketball minds, with a track record of remarkable success, most recently as the head coach at St. John’s High School in the highly competitive WCAC. Despite facing the extraordinary challenges of ALS, a disease that has taken nearly everything physically from Pat, his mind remains sharp, and his resilience is nothing short of inspiring.”
“I’m thankful for this opportunity to officially reunite with the Bucknell basketball program, and I’m honored to be given this opportunity from coach John Griffin, a former teammate, who is a true advocate and supporter,” said Behan. “I’ve always enjoyed our conversations on the basketball front, and I’m excited to take this next step and be a part of the passion with which he leads this program, and to help in all ways that I can. Go Bison!”
Behan’s best season at Bucknell was his junior year, when he earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors and received the Benton A. Kribbs Award as the team MVP. He led the team in scoring (13.8 ppg) and rebounding (6.8 rpg) that year. He had a torrid stretch late in the season when he recorded five straight 20-point games. Behan captained the team as a senior in 2009-10. In his career, he played in 119 of a possible 123 games and totaled 925 points.
In five years as the head coach at St. John’s College High School in the Washington, D.C., area Behan’s teams compiled a 127-51 record and sent 26 players on to the college level. In his final season as head coach in 2022-23, he led the Cadets to a 32-4 record, the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship, and a No. 18 national ranking.
“Pat has been a trusted mentor and adviser to me since I took over at Bucknell, watching games and offering his insights whenever possible,” said Griffin. “His strength and positive attitude are a testament to the incredible person he is, and his wife, Nataly, has been his steadfast rock and a true miracle worker in this journey. Pat’s addition to our staff brings immense value not only for his basketball expertise but for the life lessons he exemplifies every day. We are privileged to have him as a resource and a member of the Bucknell Basketball program once again.”
More information about Pat and his battle with ALS can be found at the BehanStrong website at https://www.behanstrong.com/.
