Division I Coach Pat Kennedy Signs on with Pace Basketball

Calling the announcement "a slam dunk for our institution," Pace University Director of Athletics Mark Brown enthusiastically revealed the NCAA Division II program's new men's head basketball coach Monday.

Pat Kennedy, who most recently served as head coach at Towson University in Baltimore, joins the Pleasantville-based Setters following the university's announcement that Jim Harter wouldn't be returning next season.

According to Pace University, "Kennedy comes to Pace after 31 consecutive years as a Division I Head Coach with stops at Iona College, Florida State University, DePaul University, University of Montana and Towson University. He has accumulated 487 wins during his 31-year career with eight NCAA Tournament appearances."

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During his time at New Rochelle's Iona College, Kennedy reportedly took the Gaels to the NCAA Division I Tournament in 1984 and 1985 and finished his career there with 124 wins over 31 years.

"During my time at Iona and throughout my coaching career, Pace University has always been admired as an outstanding academic institution producing quality graduates,” said Kennedy in a statement. "The backdrop of the greatest city in the world and a highly competitive conference make Pace a special place for future student athletes. Director Brown’s vision of academic and athletic excellence can take Pace to the top of Division II athletics and I am very excited about leading the men’s basketball program in that quest."

Former Iona College Athletic Director Rich Petriccione, PhD, commented, "Pat Kennedy is a wonderful choice to help take Pace University’s Basketball program to the next level. He is a wonderful coach, an excellent teacher, and an even better person."

According to a press release on Towson University's website, Kennedy resigned from the Tigers' program in 2011.

Said Brown, "I am excited that Pat has decided to return to his Westchester roots and know that his leadership and vision is just what our program needs at this stage of our development."