Mentioned this in yesterday’s blog. It’s now official…

Jim O’Brien, Emerson College’s men’s basketball coach, announced his retirement today, after three successful years of helping to rebuild the program. O’Brien’s last day is April 30.

Dean of Students Ronald Ludman shared O’Brien’s decision in an email to the community, and thanked him for his "thoughtful and skillful leadership in which he stabilized the program and set it on a course to be competitive in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference."

Bill Curley, who is currently Emerson’s men’s basketball associate head coach, will become the interim men’s basketball coach, effective May 1.

"It has been a wonderful and very rewarding three years," O’Brien said. "I can’t thank Emerson enough—the administration, the entire Athletics Department, and especially the players whom I have been lucky enough to coach. I know that the program is in great hands with Bill Curley."

O’Brien came to Emerson in May 2011. Consequentially, during the College’s inaugural year in the conference, the team posted a 13-12 record and became the first Emerson team to earn a NEWMAC playoff spot. Additionally, this year’s men’s basketball team arguably scored the biggest wins in program history by defeating nationally ranked No. 3 WPI 71-67 and the defending NCAA Div. III National Champions, Amherst College 90-79.

Before coming to Emerson, Curley served as head coach of boys’ basketball at Thayer Academy (2007-11), and Assistant Coach for men’s basketball at Wentworth Institute of Technology (2003-04). He has also been running a basketball instructional program since 1994. Curley was a highly accomplished student-athlete at Boston College — named Big East Rookie of the Year and All Big East First Team — where he earned a bachelor of arts degree in communication. After graduation from Boston College, he played professionally in the National Basketball Association for seven years.

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