Edinboro University men’s basketball coach Pat Cleary today announced the hiring of Chivas Whipple as his assistant men’s basketball coach. Whipple replaces former assistant coach Chris Bess.
Whipple served as an assistant coach at Westminster from 2014-18, while also serving as the men’s tennis coach for the 2014-15 season. While serving on head coach Kevin Siroki’s basketball staff, he helped lead a resurgence of the Titans’ program. Westminster suffered through seven straight losing seasons before the 2016-17 team posted a 17-12 record. It marked the first winning season since the 2008-09 Titan squad finished at 18-9.
The Titans went 19-9 a year ago, the most wins since 2001. They made the Presidents Athletic Conference Tournament and ECAC Tournament for the second straight year.
“I am excited that we were able to have Coach Whipple join the Edinboro Basketball family,” Cleary commented. “He helped Westminster improve during his time with them and I look forward to having him impact our program. His unique background can open a lot of doors that can help us on and off the court. I have received a lot of calls from a lot of different people that have spoken very highly of him. I think Chivas has a very bright future and I’m excited to work with him.”
A native of Youngstown, Ohio, Whipple possesses an impressive coaching and playing background. He was an assistant varsity boys basketball coach at Chaney High School (Ohio) from 2010-14. He also served as a boys’ basketball skill developer at East High School (Ohio).
Whipple enjoyed a highly distinguished career as a player. He was a three-time NAIA Division II All-American at Point Park, where he played from 2005-08. He is the fourth all-time leading scorer (1,736 points), sixth all-time leading rebounder (731), and is fifth all-time in steals (181) in Point Park history while playing just three seasons. He averaged 20.6 ppg., 8.7 rpg., 2.4 assists, and 2.2 steals while shooting 52 percent from the floor and 80 percent at the line for his career.
He is one of only three players in school history with at least 1,600 points, 700 rebounds, 200 assists and 180 steals. As a junior, Whipple had arguably his best season at Point Park when he was a first team NAIA Division II All-American and was named the American Mideast Conference Player of the Year. He led the Pioneers to the number three ranking in the country and the number three overall seed in the NAIA National Tournament. A first team All-Conference selection three-straight years and the AMC Newcomer of the Year in 2005-06, Whipple was inducted into the Pioneer Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.
Whipple graduated from Point Park in May 2010 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts and Psychology. He is currently completing work on his Master of Sport Administration at Point Park. He is a member of the United States Armed Forces, serving in the Marines, and remains an active-duty member of the Army National Guard. As a member of the USMC All-Marine Basketball Team, he served his country as a goodwill ambassador internationally, and led his team against the USAF to win a gold medal in the 2004 CISM competition.
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