After an 11-season tenure, Stony Brook Head Coach Steve Pikiell is reported to have been hired as the new basketball coach for Rutgers University.
Rutgers has yet to comment about these reports. Stony Brook Associate Director of Athletic Communications Adam Gutes declined to comment as well.
The reports don’t indicate when he will begin working at Rutgers University. A 2014 press release from Stony Brook Athletics, Pikiell has been signed on to Stony Brook through the 2018-19 school year.
The Stony Brook men’s basketball team made school history this year by winning the America East Championship and making it to its first ever NCAA Tournament. Pikiell coached his best season this year with a 26-7 overall record and 14-2 in conference play. He concluded with a 192-156 record in the program with five America East finals and three NIT appearances.
Pikiell has coached the Seawolves to six 20-win seasons. While taking his team to the conference tournament final in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2016, Pikiell has averaged nearly 22 wins and won five America East regular season championships. He is also a four-time America East Coach of the Year (2010, 2012, 2013, 2016). He is the winningest coach in Stony Brook men’s basketball history.
When Pikiell first came to Stony Brook during the 2005-2006 season, it was his worst season here. He finished ninth in the conference at 2-14 and had an overall record of 4-24. He’s said in the past that it’s difficult to win one game, and that it took him a month and half to win his first game.
Pikiell has coached what is arguably the best senior class that Stony Brook has ever had in seniors Jameel Warney, Carson Puriefoy and Rayshaun McGrew. Warney has also left his mark on the university, being a three-time America East Player of the Year, the program’s all-time leading scorer, rebounder and blocker. Plus, he’s an All-Met and Associated Press-All American.
“He’s been a great mentor,” Warney said about Pikiell before his senior season started. “He taught me how to be a professional, and how to become an everyday player in practice. I used have more bad practices than good practices so he taught me a lot of ways.”
Puriefoy has scored over 1,500 points in his collegiate career, was named to the first team All-America East and was a part of the America East All-Championship Team.
McGrew is a second team All-America East player, made the All-Defensive Team, and scored over 700 points in his career at Stony Brook.
“He told me to just compete and give it my all,” McGrew said about Pikiell before his senior season started. “I feel like at the end of the day when it’s all said and done, he’s going to be the best coach to ever coach at Stony Brook. I’m just happy to be a part of a program and be coached by a great coach like Steve Pikiell.”
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