Point Park University men’s basketball head coach Joe Lewandowski is stepping down after four years leading the Pioneers’ program. Lewandowski was hired as Point Park’s sixth men’s basketball head coach on Oct. 1, 2018 on an interim basis. After Lewandowski’s impact on the program four years, there will be a new leader of the program.
“I would like to thank coach Joe Lewandowski for his contributions to Point Park University athletics, the men’s basketball program and our university,” said John Ashaolu, Point Park Director of Athletics. “He has represented our university with class and integrity and has certainly upgraded all aspects of our men’s basketball program in his tenure here. We appreciate his tireless effort in elevating the men’s basketball program and wish him well in his future endeavors.”
“I believe that with a new leader, we can achieve consistent success athletically and academically,” said Ashaolu. “We will immediately begin a national search for the next leader of our men’s basketball program”
Lewandowski was hired late in the fall of 2018 as interim head coach. At the end of the season, he was named the permanent head coach but remaining on as part-time status, something that was the case all four years of his time at Point Park. Lewandowski’s full-time job is as an honors English teacher in ninth grade at Butler Area High School. The next head coach will be hired as full-time status.
“What an amazing experience as head coach at Point Park University,” said Lewandowski. “I am grateful for the time spent as head coach with some amazing young men, my assistant coaches and all the great people at Point Park. From something that started as coming in for one year to help out to something that grew to four years, I feel that we were able to make a big impact on the players and the program as a whole. I know that Point Park men’s basketball will continue to be successful. At this time, in order for it to take the next step, somebody who can devote full time to the job makes sense.
“Like anything in life, when you put energy into something, you are taking away from somewhere else. My wife and kids have been so patient and understanding the last four years. It’s now time for me to devote more time to my family and with my three daughters all in school and sports.”
During Lewandowski’s four years, the Pioneers won 42 games. That included the 2018-19 season of 9-18 when he was thrust into the head coaching chair of October 1. Just one year later, the Pioneers had the program turned around with a 15-16 record in 2019-20 for an increase in wins and a return to the postseason.
Lewandowski’s time also included a pandemic-shortened season of 2020-21 in which the Pioneers were limited to 17 games and had to play several NCAA Division I teams as those were the only other schools still playing like Point Park.
Point Park made the playoffs three times in four years under Lewandowski. The best playoff showing was in 2020-21 when the Pioneers made a run to the River States Conference Championship semifinals and were just a few minutes away from an NAIA national tournament berth as a conference finalist.
Looking back at the last four years, Lewandowski and his staff have many things to hang their hats on. Most of all, the impact and relationships with student-athletes are at the top of the list.
“The relationships that were built with the players will last forever,” said Lewandowski. “We will always remember the games, the time spent on the sidelines, in the locker room, traveling together and getting to go places like the Virgin Islands. Those are the things that you will miss most as coach. Those relationships go on but just in a different way. Because now those relationships are outside of the grind of being in the season.”
“I feel we are leaving the program on good footing,” he said. “We were able to change the culture of the program when we look at guys like Kyle (Carrington) and Jesse (Calloway) graduating this year after growing so much as young men on and off the court. That goes for a lot of guys who have been productive on the court and also in the classroom. The things we were able to add such as some trips and experiences like playing Division I teams, those were great. And to get some name recognition out there locally and raise some money for the program, those are things we can look back on as well.
“None of this could have been possible without the support system at Point Park. The list of people is so long, you don’t want to forget anybody. But to name a few, Keith Paylo, John Ashaolu, Kevin Taylor, Dio Dingler, Lisa Knapp. And of course all my assistant coaches Christian Harbaugh, Carlo Catania, Christina Davis, Aaron Kollar and previously Daryn Freedman. There were so many people instrumental to our success.”
Lewandowski will still get plenty of basketball on his schedule. With his daughters playing in college, high school and middle school and also his continuation of his long-time role with USA Basketball, there will be plenty of time on the hardwood. Lewandowski has been with USAB since 2012 and has won several gold medals in 3×3, including a FIBA World Championship. He also coached the USA 3×3 men during Olympic qualifying for the 2020 games.
