Point Park University Vice President of Athletics Scott Swain has named Joe Long as the next head coach of the Pioneer men’s basketball program.
The announcement follows Ryan Grandits’ resignation to accept the head coaching position at Daemen University.
Long arrived in Pittsburgh and Point Park University in May of 2025 as the lead assistant on the men’s basketball staff. In his first season with the Pioneers, the program qualified for the Mountain East Conference Basketball Tournament and was led by first team All-MEC standout Aidan Anderson. In 2025-26, the Pioneers ranked second in the MEC in free-throw percentage (.766) and fourth in three-point field goal percentage (.372).
“Joe was the logical choice from the moment our position opened,” said Swain. “Joe has the respect of the student-athletes and our athletics department and is a consummate team player on all levels. He also has a tremendous basketball IQ and his recruiting ability makes him the perfect coach for Pioneer basketball. I am excited to watch the future of our program under his leadership.”
Long joined the Pioneer basketball staff last spring after spending the 2024-25 season as lead assistant at Gettysburg College. In his final season at GC, the Bullets went 21-8 overall and made a run to the Centennial Conference Tournament semifinals in March.
Gettysburg ranked as high as No. 8 in the national rankings during the 2024-25 season, picking up six wins against nationally ranked opponents during the campaign. The Bullets also advanced to the round of 32 in the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2025.
Long helped develops three all-conference standouts in 2025, including the league’s defensive player of the year and two NABC All-District selections.
“I’d like to thank VP of Athletics (Scott) Swain and President Chris Brusallis for the opportunity to lead the Point Park men’s basketball program,” said Long. I am absolutely thrilled to lead the program here at Point Park and I am committed to our student-athletes success both on and off the court.
“I would also like to thank coach Ryan Grandits for bringing me to Pittsburgh and this wonderful university. Ryan has been an excellent mentor to me through my coaching career. We are going to build something special through accountability, hard work, dedication and growth. We are going to make the Pittsburgh community proud.”
Three seasons ago, Long served as lead assistant at St. John Fisher University, a Division III institution in Rochester, New York. During the 2023-24 season, the Cardinals went 18-9, including 13-3 in the Empire 8 Conference. That season, Long was crucial in the development of the Empire 8 Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and two all-conference selections.
Prior to his time in Rochester, Long spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Medaille University in Buffalo, New York.
In 2022-23, Medaille’s first season in the Empire 8 Conference, Long helped the Mavericks earn a berth in the conference tournament. One season earlier, Medaille earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament after winning the AMCC Tournament Championship.
In his three seasons with the Mavericks, Long assisted in the recruitment and development of three all-conference standouts, including the AMCC Player of the Year in 2022.
Long began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant under head coach Leonard Hamilton at Florida State University in 2018-19. That year, the Seminoles went 29-8 and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 in Anaheim, California.
He also spent five seasons as a student manager for the men’s basketball program at West Virginia University while competing his undergraduate studies from 2013 through 2018.
Long received his master’s degree in mass media communications from Florida State in 2019. He obtained a Bachelor’s of Multidisciplinary Studies from WVU in 2018.
Originally from Buffalo, New York, Joe and his wife Alexia have two daughters, Oaklynn and Brooklynn.
https://pointparksports.com/news/2026/4/2/joe-long-named-head-mens-basketball-coach.aspx
