WPI Men’s Basketball coach Chris Bartley recently announced Ryan Sheehan has been elevated to the program’s full time assistant coach. Sheehan takes over for Ryan Flynn ’06.
With Sheehan on staff the past two years the Engineers have sported an overall record of 37-16 (.698) and an 18-10 ledger (.642) in the ultra-competitive NEWMAC to go along with an NCAA Division III Championship at-large berth in 2016.
“First, I would like to thank Ryan Flynn for the terrific job he did over the past four years recruiting and developing our student-athletes on and off the court,” remarked Bartley. “Coach Flynn has been fiercely loyal to myself and our program in his role as our full time assistant coach. ‘Flynny’ was a key player in our first recruiting class at WPI back in 2002 and I call him one of the ‘founding fathers’ of our program. He was instrumental in helping build our program to a championship level. He has developed into an incredible basketball coach and I know he will be connected to our program forever.”
Sheehan came to Boynton Hill a year after concluding a standout career at nearby Nichols. He owns the Bison records for points (2,106), games played (106), free throw attempts (597) and free throws made (497). He also recorded the most free throw attempts (193) and free throws made (158). In all, his name appears a total of 46 times in the Bison record book. The Commonwealth Coast Conference Player of the Year for the 2013-14 campaign led the Bison to their first-ever appearance in the CCC title game and an ECAC Division III New England semifinal appearance.
“I am thrilled to elevate Ryan Sheehan to our full-time assistant coach position,” continued Bartley. “Coach Sheehan has paid his dues as a dedicated part-time assistant coach the past two seasons and he is both deserving and well-prepared for this new challenge. Ryan is a ‘gym-rat’ and embodies the work ethic, character and intelligence we look for in our program. He has proven to be an outstanding recruiter, teacher and role model and is an asset to the program in so many ways. Beyond basketball, he will be a conscientious member of the Department of Physical Education, Recreation and Athletics and will represent WPI in a first-class manner.”
In addition to his accomplishments on the court, the 2014 Jostens Trophy finalist was a four year member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee where he served as treasurer and later as president. Sheehan was also a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District I honoree (2012, 2013, 2014) and a CoSIDA Academic All-America second teamer as a senior.
“I am blessed and honored to be given the opportunity to take over as the top assistant at WPI,” stated Sheehan. “First, I’d like to thank Coach Bartley for the great opportunity. I’ve been fortunate enough to work for Coach Bartley for the past two years and look forward to being able to work and learn from him in the coming years. I know first-hand the high degree of integrity and competitiveness that the WPI Men’s Basketball program operates with on a daily basis. WPI has built a tremendous environment for success both on and off the court and I am very excited to continue to be a part of that.”
http://athletics.wpi.edu/sports/mbkb/2017-18/releases/20170825ir9qbv
