Le Moyne College Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Matt Bassett announced this morning that Steve Evans has been promoted to the administrative position of Associate Director of Athletics. In moving to the Athletic Department’s Senior Leadership Team, Evans leaves the sidelines as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach, a post he has held for the last 15 seasons.
“I am both grateful and proud of the legacy that Steve has imprinted on our basketball program and on the lives of the athletes that competed for him,” said Bassett. “It will be a busy couple of days for Steve. The number of phone calls, text messages and well wishes he will receive should reinforce for him the number of lives he has impacted during his tenure as basketball coach. I have no doubt that this opportunity will surely elevate his influence to impact all of our student-athletes in his new leadership role.”
“It’s been an amazing coaching journey and I cherish the relationships I’ve shared with so many people from this community,” said Evans. “I have a deep loyalty for Le Moyne College and I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue following my passion and purpose in an exciting new role as an associate athletic director.”
While patrolling the sidelines for the last 15 seasons, Evans amassed 210 victories, 151 of which came during Northeast-10 Conference play, and guided the Dolphins to the postseason 13 times, including two semifinal appearances and a championship game berth in 2009. Just last year, Evans led the Dolphins to the NCAA Championships East Regional, the program’s first berth since 1997. The 210 wins are the second-most in the program’s history, trailing only Thomas Niland.
Evans and the Dolphins gained national attention to open the 2009-10 season by defeating Syracuse University, 82-79, in an exhibition contest in the Carrier Dome on November 3. Exactly four years to the day later, Evans guided the Dolphins to another victory over a Division-I opponent in an exhibition game by registering a 75-66 win at Monmouth University. The season prior to defeating Syracuse, Evans’ squad won 13 of its final 15 games to reach the Northeast-10 Conference Championship game for the first time since 1997. Evans guided the Dolphins to a 20-11 record, the most victories in a single season since 1997-98.
Following nine of his 15 years as head coach, Evans had a player named to one of the Northeast-10 Conference All-Conference teams, including seven of the last nine years. Five times, Evans had a player garner First Team All-Conference accolades. Also, five players were picked to the Northeast-10 Conference All-Rookie Team. Additionally, Evans was the only coach in the conference over the last 11 years to have had players selected as the Player of the Year (Laurence Ekperigin, 2008-09), Defensive Player of the Year (Jason Holmes, 2007-08) and Freshman/Rookie of the Year (Trent Morgan, 2004-05). After earning Daktronics All-America First Team honors as a junior in 2009, Ekperigin was named to the Daktronics, Basketball Times and NABC State Farm Coaches All-America First Teams as a senior. In the 49 years of the NABC All-America teams, Ekperigin is just one of four Dolphins to earn All-America accolades.
“I am proud to call Steve a friend and colleague who I have great respect for both personally and professionally”, Bassett added. “Steve and I had been talking informally for the past couple years about ‘life after basketball’ so when the current opportunity to realign administrative functions presented itself, I felt fortunate to have Steve here to help lead us with that transition. In line with our commitment to better serve coaches, student-athletes and their families, Steve will play a critical role in helping us realize the full potential of this realignment.”
A nationwide search for the College’s next head men’s basketball coach, who will be just the eighth in the program’s 67-year history, will begin immediately.
http://lemoynedolphins.com/news/2015/5/13/mbbEvansAnnouncement.aspx
Photo Courtesy LeMoyne College Athletics
