Felician University assistant men’s basketball coach James “Jimmy” Schmitt of Elmwood Park has been promoted to associate head coach, Golden Falcon head coach Ivan Lewis has announced.
Schmitt recently began his fifth season as the lead assistant for Felician, all under Lewis. The duo also worked together on the 2012-13 Golden Falcon staff, when Lewis was the associate head coach for Dave DeFerrari and Schmitt a fifth-year senior and undergraduate assistant.
“As assistants, Coach Schmitt and I envisioned getting the opportunity to run a program together,” Lewis said. “He has been an important part of redirecting our recruiting and reshaping our roster these last four years. He has also played a large role in developing our influx of talent, including two first-team all-conference players.”
Schmitt began his collegiate playing career at Bergen Community College. He helped the Bulldogs to a pair of regional championships and led NJCAA Division III in assists in 2009-10. In two years at Felician, he set single-season and career records for assist-to-turnover ratio that still stand.
Between coaching stints at Felician, Schmitt spent two years as a graduate assistant at Frostburg (Md.) State University.
“I feel extremely fortunate that we have been able to retain coach Schmitt in this new position,” Lewis said. “I look forward to completing our vision together at Felician University.”
Schmitt was a member of Elmwood Park Memorial High School’s 2007 sectional championship team. He owns an A.A. degree from Bergen CC (2010), a B.S. in mathematics education from Felician (summa cum laude, 2013), and an M.S. in education administration from Frostburg State (2015).
Holdover Nick Abraham has also returned for his fifth season on Lewis’ staff.
Felician (3-5, 1-1 CACC) is competing in its 24th varsity intercollegiate season. The Golden Falcons are next in action on Wed., Dec. 18, when they host Concordia (N.Y.) College in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference action at 8 p.m.
https://felicianathletics.com/sports/mbkb/2019-20/releases/20191209me0yy0
