Pikiell led Seawolves to first America East regular season title in 2009-10.Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook University Director of Athletics, Jim Fiore, announced that the contract of head men's basketball coach Steve Pikiell has been extended through the 2014-15 season. Named the 2010 America East Conference Coach of the Year as well as the All-Met Coach of the Year, Pikiell guided the Seawolves to their first America East regular season title in 2009-10.
"Steve and his staff have done an extraordinary job of revitalizing our men's basketball program," said Fiore. "He has recruited and developed our student-athletes into a highly successful group of young men who represent our University, our community and the Seawolves family with the same class, commitment and swagger that he personally demonstrates every day as the head coach. It was an easy decision to extend his contract and we look forward to continued growth and success for the Stony Brook men's basketball program under Steve's leadership."
In his fifth season at the helm of the Seawolves, Pikiell led SBU to a record-breaking 2009-10 season. Stony Brook set Division I program records for overall wins (22) and conference wins (13) and won 10 straight games to clinch its first America East Conference regular season title. SBU also earned its first ever Division I postseason berth, hosting the University of Illinois in the first round of the 2010 National Invitation Tournament. The 2010 Sporting News America East Coach of the Year, Pikiell has led Stony Brook to its first back-to-back winning seasons since jumping to Division I.
"I'm honored and humbled to have the opportunity to continue building our program at this great university," Pikiell said. "I sincerely appreciate the confidence Jim Fiore, [University] President Stanley and our entire administration have in what we are developing here at Stony Brook. We have made tremendous strides as a program and our success and growth would not have been realized without the continued support of the entire University community."
The Seawolves were dominant in their second season in the newly renovated Pritchard Gymnasium, winning 12 of their 13 home games including all eight conference contests. Stony Brook sold out its final four games at Pritchard, a program first, and a standing room only crowd of 4,423 attended the Seawolves NIT game against Illinois at Stony Brook Arena on March 17.
"Our University administration is committed to building a highly successful men's basketball program at Stony Brook," Fiore continued, "and that begins with continuity and stability with our head coach. We are excited about the future as we continue the upward trajectory fostered by Coach Pikiell and his entire staff. Steve's impact on our University community as a coach, mentor, leader and ambassador has been profound."
Pikiell's squad was rewarded for an outstanding season with a slew of postseason awards. Senior Muhammad El-Amin (Lansing, Mich.) became the first player in program history to be named America East Conference Player of the Year as he scored a Division I school record 517 points. Named the 2010 America East Player of the Year by Sporting News as well, El-Amin finished his splendid two-year Stony Brook career just 29 points shy of 1,000. The 6-5 guard also earned AP Honorable Mention All-America honors, was named to NABC District I second team and was selected to the 2010 All-Met first team, all program firsts.
In addition, sophomores Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J.) and Tommy Brenton (Columbia, Md.) each earned a spot on the All-America East Conference second team. Dougher ranked 10th in the America East in scoring (13.8 points per game) and set a school record with 95 three-pointers. Brenton led the America East in rebounding (9.7) for the second straight year and broke his own Division I program record for rebounds in a season with 311. Named to the All-America East defensive team as well, Brenton ranked second in the conference in steals per game (1.8) and ninth in assists per contest (2.7). Brenton, Dougher and sophomore Dallis Joyner (Norfolk, Va.) have combined to start all but two games in their two years with the Seawolves and are part of group of underclassmen who accounted for 56.7 percent of the Seawolves points and 64.4 percent of their rebounding this season.
Stony Brook also continued to excel off the court under Pikiell as senior captain Andrew Goba (Durban, South Africa) was selected to 2010 America East All-Academic squad and was also named the America East Scholar Athlete in men's basketball. Goba is the second student-athlete under Pikiell, with current Director of Basketball Operations Ricky Lucas '08 being the other, to earn America East All-Academic honors
