Siena has added one year to men’s basketball head coach Jimmy Patsos’ contract, extending the current deal through the 2018-19 season. All other elements of the contract remain the same.
"I’m grateful to be here, I love this place," Patsos said. "This week we had our golf outing and a lunch with the `old-timers’, and it shows the generations of people impacted by the Siena program. I’m just a passenger, along for the ride, and I’m lucky to be a part of it."
Patsos took over as Siena’s 16th head coach on April 3, 2013, and promptly orchestrated a 12-win improvement that tied for the second greatest in all of Division I, and culminated in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI) championship.
"The turnaround of our team both in terms of on-court success and talent level happened much more quickly than we thought it would," vice president and director of athletics John D’Argenio said. "That is a testament to coach Patsos’ ability to recruit quality student athletes and teach and motivate young men to realize their potential. We decided at the end of the season to add one more year to Jimmy’s current contract."
Siena posted its 19th 20-win season in Patsos’ first year and earned a bye into the quarterfinals of the MAAC Championships after being picked 10th (of 11) in the conference’s preseason coaches’ poll.
Siena accepted an invitation to participate in the 16-team College Basketball Invitational (CBI) and caught fire. The improbable run to the CBI title included victories over Penn State and Illinois State. The Saints knocked off Fresno State in the nationally televised best-of-three Championship Series, capturing game one in California and the decisive third game in the Alumni Recreation Center on campus.
Patsos’ first recruiting class at Siena included MAAC All-Rookie selections Marquis Wright and Lavon Long. It marked the first time Siena has had multiple players named to the league’s All-Rookie team.
Patsos was equally effective developing the talent in the program. Rob Poole was named to the MAAC Third Team after leading the Saints with 14.6 points per game and connecting on 71 three-point field goals. Brett Bisping enjoyed one of the great turnarounds in Division I, registering 11.5 points and a team-best 6.5 rebounds per game after tallying just 3.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per contest as a freshman. Bisping was the runaway choice as MVP of the CBI, averaging a team-best 16.2 points and 7.5 rebounds in Siena’s six games.
