The Carlow University Department of Athletics has announced the hiring of Jacob St. George as the Men’s Basketball Head Coach.
St. George, an inaugural member of the men’s basketball team and a 2019 graduate of the University, will be the program’s second head coach since Tim Keefer announced his retirement at the end of June.
“This opportunity means a lot to me. I’ve been lucky enough to grow in the same community for 10 years and have a chance to make an even bigger impact,” said St. George. “I’m most excited to continue to grow as a coach. We have a good group of guys returning who I can’t wait to see compete.”
St. George has been a member of the men’s basketball coaching staff since 2020 and is currently a project specialist at UPMC in its Travel Staffing department.
“I am extremely excited to announce Coach Jake St. George as our next Head Men’s Basketball Coach. He has come full circle with the men’s basketball program starting as a player, moving up the assistant coaching ranks, and now as the head coach,” said Director of Athletics Louis Zadecky. “Coach Keefer did an excellent job mentoring Jake, and it is his time to lead the team. I have no doubt he will continue certain aspects of the program, but he will bring some innovative concepts of his own. He is hungry and ready for this opportunity. Coach Jake is energetic, organized, driven and determined to move Carlow men’s basketball into a new and exciting chapter. I am looking forward to the first year under his leadership.”
Born and raised in Monaca, Pa., St. George began his career at Carlow as a first-year athlete on the inaugural 2014-15 men’s basketball team. He currently holds the school record for most steals in one season with 54, secured during his sophomore year. That year, he also ranked 11th in the NAIA with an average of two steals per game. During his high school career, St. George helped Central Valley to a WPIAL championship title under Coach Brandon Ambrose. A dual sport athlete, he was also a member of the inaugural men’s golf team at Carlow.
St. George’s time at Carlow was almost cut short following his first year when he was on the fence about transferring to a different school. The relationships he built during that formative year and a chance to coach the Campus Laboratory School basketball team enticed him to stick it out. Following graduation, St. George found he could not stay away.
“I took a year away from basketball after graduating and decided that I wanted to get back around the game after the pandemic hit,” he said. “I wanted to help Carlow in any way and was able to become a volunteer assistant that year.”
St. George used the past four years to continue growing in the sport and in leadership roles.
“I’ve learned a lot from personal training on the side for the past four years. Christian Kezmarsky had a significant impact in how I developed as a coach,” St. George said. “He gave me an opportunity to help with a workout in 2020. Since then, I’ve been able to learn from him and the people with whom he has worked.”
St. George looks forward to taking the reins, and thanked Keefer, Zadecky, David Gordon and the entire Department of Athletics for the opportunity to advance his career in the place he has called home for over a decade.
https://athletics.carlow.edu/general/2024-25/releases/20240717m68e52
