MEADVILLE, Pa. – Allegheny College Director of Athletics and Recreation, Betsy Mitchell, announced Jim Driggs as the College’s 17th men’s basketball coach on Tuesday. Driggs takes over the program after spending the past three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Rochester.
“We are very pleased to appoint Jim as our basketball coach and look forward to working with him as a colleague,” said Mitchell. “His application rose steadily throughout our process with a combination of his successful basketball pedigree, experience and expertise at regional and national recruiting, and his philosophy as an educator and leader.”
Driggs is no stranger to Division III, playing four years at Hamilton College and then spending six years as an assistant coach with his most recent experience at Rochester. He was instrumental in the Yellowjackets success over the past three seasons, as the squad advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice including the Sweet Sixteen in 2008. That same year, Rochester was consistently ranked in the Top 10 by d3hoops.com and spent over six weeks at the No. 1 spot.
Additionally, Driggs helped guide a number of individual players to outstanding seasons. The Yellowjackets produced six All-University Athletic Association (UAA) honorees, three All-East Region players and a pair of All-Americans as well as two UAA Rookie of the Year winners in Nathan Novosel and John Dibartolomeo.
“I am honored and feel privileged to be the next men’s basketball coach at Allegheny” said Driggs. “Allegheny is an outstanding academic institution with a rich history. I look forward to building on the past success of the men’s basketball program and I am excited about working with the Allegheny College community.”
Prior to working with the U of R program, Driggs was the assistant at Eastern Connecticut State University in the Little East Conference (LEC) for two seasons and Union College for one year. At Eastern Connecticut, Driggs was responsible for recruiting, player development and running the summer basketball camp.
Driggs, a native of Trumbull, Conn., and graduate of St. Joseph High School, lettered four years and as a senior captain his team won the State Championship under legendary coach Vito Montelli. He went on to be a four-year starter for Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., helping the Continentals advance to the NCAA Tournament three times and reach the Sweet Sixteen twice. A two-year captain, he was a two-time All-UCAA selection while leading the nation in assists in 2000-01. Driggs went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in government in 2001 and expects his master’s degree in higher education leadership from Rochester in June 2010.
“Jim's experiences at Rochester, Union and Hamilton have provided him the framework for understanding what it takes to create and lead a comprehensive basketball program that will support student success in the classroom, on the court and in life as citizens and community members,” said Mitchell. “He is competitive and collaborative and that combination will lead to success in our basketball program. We are pleased to welcome Jim and his wife Colleen to Meadville.”
Driggs will assume his post at Allegheny immediately.