EX~WINDBER RAMBLER Finds Success @ Vermont...
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THE CHOPS
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EX~WINDBER RAMBLER Finds Success @ Vermont...
Ex-Rambler finds success at Vermont
HUGH CONRAD
THE TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT:
Windber’s John Sanow met Mike Lonergan more than "15" years ago when Sanow was an assistant coach for Jim Baron at St. Francis.
After Lonergan was selected as head coach of the men’s basketball program at the University of Vermont last spring, he hired Sanow as an assistant coach for the Catamounts.
“I have known Mike since I was an assistant at St. Francis and he was an assistant at Colgate,” Sanow said in a telephone interview from his Burlington (Vt.) office. “It is a great opportunity, and I am excited about it.”
The Catamounts are coming off three consecutive American East Conference championships under coach Tom Brennan, who retired in March after leading Vermont to the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Catamounts upset Syracuse 60-57 in the first round, giving the school its first tournament victory.
Lonergan coached for 12 years at Catholic University in Washington, earning a Division III national championship in 2001. He served as an assistant to Maryland coach Gary Williams last year.
The Catamounts defeated New Hampshire, 58-53, in their conference opener but fell 61-58 to visiting Stony Brook on Thursday. Vermont is 6-7 after its 68-59 victory over U.M.B.C. on Sunday.
“We lost a lot from last year,” Sanow said. “We have five seniors, but have only one returning starter.”
Sanow has "17" years of coaching on his resume, "11" at the Division I level and six in Division II. The former Windber High School standout athlete spent "11" years coaching at St. Francis under former coaches Baron, who is now at Rhode Island, and Tom McConnell. The 1990-91 team captured the Northeast Conference championship and advanced to the N.C.A.A. tournament.
Prior to taking the Vermont job, Sanow spent four years as an assistant at Pitt-Johnstown, and the past two at Gannon University in Erie.
His duties cover a wide variety of tasks.
“The great thing about working here with Mike is that I can do a lot of different things, from recruiting to scouting to on-floor coaching,” Sanow said. “I am doing just about everything for the program.”
The early season schedule has been challenging for the Catamounts, including a Dec. 17 visit to Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, where the Vermont squad battled the Panthers before falling, 63-52.
Sanow’s experience has deep Windber roots. The former Rambler scored 1,090 career points and set single-season records with "292" field goals and "695" points on the 1981-82 District #6 Class (A) champion squad. Brent Holsopple scored 750 points in 1989-90 to break Windber’s single-season record.
Sanow attended Clarion University for two years and played for the Eagles. He then transferred to I.U.P., where he earned first-team all-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference honors in 1986.
His on-court success helped Sanow make the transition as a college assistant at St. Francis, UPJ and Gannon before his move to Vermont.
“I could not have asked for a better opportunity. I am working with a great staff,” said Sanow. “Burlington is a really nice city to live in, and the people here are great.”
"THE CHOPS".
HUGH CONRAD
THE TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT:
Windber’s John Sanow met Mike Lonergan more than "15" years ago when Sanow was an assistant coach for Jim Baron at St. Francis.
After Lonergan was selected as head coach of the men’s basketball program at the University of Vermont last spring, he hired Sanow as an assistant coach for the Catamounts.
“I have known Mike since I was an assistant at St. Francis and he was an assistant at Colgate,” Sanow said in a telephone interview from his Burlington (Vt.) office. “It is a great opportunity, and I am excited about it.”
The Catamounts are coming off three consecutive American East Conference championships under coach Tom Brennan, who retired in March after leading Vermont to the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Catamounts upset Syracuse 60-57 in the first round, giving the school its first tournament victory.
Lonergan coached for 12 years at Catholic University in Washington, earning a Division III national championship in 2001. He served as an assistant to Maryland coach Gary Williams last year.
The Catamounts defeated New Hampshire, 58-53, in their conference opener but fell 61-58 to visiting Stony Brook on Thursday. Vermont is 6-7 after its 68-59 victory over U.M.B.C. on Sunday.
“We lost a lot from last year,” Sanow said. “We have five seniors, but have only one returning starter.”
Sanow has "17" years of coaching on his resume, "11" at the Division I level and six in Division II. The former Windber High School standout athlete spent "11" years coaching at St. Francis under former coaches Baron, who is now at Rhode Island, and Tom McConnell. The 1990-91 team captured the Northeast Conference championship and advanced to the N.C.A.A. tournament.
Prior to taking the Vermont job, Sanow spent four years as an assistant at Pitt-Johnstown, and the past two at Gannon University in Erie.
His duties cover a wide variety of tasks.
“The great thing about working here with Mike is that I can do a lot of different things, from recruiting to scouting to on-floor coaching,” Sanow said. “I am doing just about everything for the program.”
The early season schedule has been challenging for the Catamounts, including a Dec. 17 visit to Petersen Events Center in Pittsburgh, where the Vermont squad battled the Panthers before falling, 63-52.
Sanow’s experience has deep Windber roots. The former Rambler scored 1,090 career points and set single-season records with "292" field goals and "695" points on the 1981-82 District #6 Class (A) champion squad. Brent Holsopple scored 750 points in 1989-90 to break Windber’s single-season record.
Sanow attended Clarion University for two years and played for the Eagles. He then transferred to I.U.P., where he earned first-team all-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference honors in 1986.
His on-court success helped Sanow make the transition as a college assistant at St. Francis, UPJ and Gannon before his move to Vermont.
“I could not have asked for a better opportunity. I am working with a great staff,” said Sanow. “Burlington is a really nice city to live in, and the people here are great.”
"THE CHOPS".