Robert Morris University Pat Gallagher Head Men’s Basketball Coach Andrew Toole announced Tuesday that Mike Iuzzolino has been promoted to associate head coach. Iuzzolino, a native of Altoona, Pa., is in his sixth season with the Colonials in 2021-22.
“We’re excited to promote Mike to associate head coach,” Toole said. “His tireless work ethic over the years both on the court and on the recruiting trail made it natural to move him into an elevated role. As we get ready for our first full season as a member of the Horizon League, I know Mike and the rest of our staff is ready for the challenge to get better on a daily basis.”
Over the last two years as the top assistant for the Colonials as a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC), RMU recorded an overall record of 38-31 (.551), including a mark of 24-12 (.667) in conference play. The Colonials played in the 2019 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT), advancing to the second round thanks to a 98-89 overtime win over Cornell in the first round. During RMU’s last full season in 2019-20, the Colonials posted an overall record of 20-14 (.588) and earned an automatic bid to the 2020 NCAA Tournament after a 77-67 win over Saint Francis U at the UPMC Events Center.
Iuzzolino began his collegiate playing career at Penn State before transferring to SFU. In two seasons with the Red Flash from 1989 to 1991, Iuzzolino scored 1,346 points. He was named the 1991 NEC Player of the Year after leading the Red Flash to 24 wins, a school record, and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. During that same campaign, Iuzzolino was the only player in the country to average more than 20 points per game (24.1), shoot better than 50 percent (.542) from the field, 50 percent from beyond the arc (.528) and 80 percent (.887) at the charity stripe.
Upon completion of his career at SFU, Iuzzolino was a second round pick of the Dallas Mavericks in the 1991 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft. The 35th overall selection in 1991, he played two seasons in Dallas, producing per game averages of 9.0 points, 4.3 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 122 career contests. Iuzzolino also played two seasons in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) before concluding his career with stints overseas in Italy, Greece and Spain.
Led by Toole, RMU returns two starters in 2021-22 and will open its season Wednesday, Nov. 10, at Central Florida. Senior forward Kahliel Spear averaged 9.9 points and 5.2 rebounds while pacing the Colonials in blocks (23) in 18 games last season, including 10 starts. Sophomore guard Kam Farris also returns as a starter after averaging 8.3 points per game and converting 46.1 percent (35-for-76) of its attempts from beyond the arc.
The roster for the 2021-22 campaign for RMU features nine newcomers, including graduate transfers Rasheem Dunn (St. John’s) and Ferron Flavors, Jr. (Oklahoma State). RMU returns just 26.3 percent of its minutes from last season, which ranks as the seventh lowest total in NCAA Division I entering the season.
Iuzzolino Promoted to Associate Head Coach at Robert Morris
