Hofstra Basketball Coach Joe Mihalich Retires

Hofstra University men’s basketball coach Joe Mihalich announced his retirement from coaching on Thursday.

Mihalich, who has been the Head Coach at Hofstra since 2013, finishes his coaching career with a record of 729-432.

Introduction

Joseph “Joe” Mihalich (born November 28, 1947) is an American former college basketball head coach He served as the head men’s basketball coach at Niagara University from 1992 to 2007 and at Hofstra University from 2013 to 2020.

Early life and playing career

Joe Mihalich was born in 1951 in Philadelphia. He played basketball collegiately at La Salle University from 1969 to 1973. He began his coaching career in 1973 as an Assistant Coach at his alma mater, La Salle. After five seasons at La Salle, Mihalich moved on to coach at several other schools including the University Of Pennsylvania George Mason University, and Niagara University.

Mihalich returned to coaching La Salle in 1988 and led the team to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 1990. He remained the Head Coach at La Salle until 2013 when he accepted the head coaching position at Hofstra University. Mihalich coached Hofstra for six seasons before announcing his retirement in 2019.

Coaching career

Joe Mihalich coached Hofstra Basketball for 15 seasons, leading the team to a post-season appearance in 12 of those years. Prior to coming to Hofstra, he was the Head coach at La Salle for 19 seasons. He finishes his career with a record of 524-406.

Hofstra

Joe Mihalich, the all-time winningest coach in Hofstra men’s Basketball History has announced his retirement after 15 seasons at the helm of the Pride. Mihalich, who will turn 69 on April 1, compiled a 293-254 record at Hofstra, leading the Pride to five 20-win seasons, four postseason appearances and one NCAA Tournament berth.

Joe Mihalich’s retirement

Joe Mihalich, who coached Hofstra Basketball for 15 seasons, has retired.

Mihalich, 70, announced his retirement on Tuesday in a statement released by the school.

“I want to thank Hofstra University for giving me the opportunity to coach at this great institution,” Mihalich said. “I have been blessed to work with some wonderful young men over the years and I am proud of what we were able to accomplish on the court and in the classroom.”

Mihalich led Hofstra to five NCAA tournament appearances, including a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2001. He finishes his career with a 318-241 record at Hofstra.

Reactions to Joe Mihalich’s retirement

Hofstra basketball coach Joe Mihalich announced his retirement on Thursday after 28 seasons coaching Division I Basketball including the last 15 seasons at Hofstra.

Mihalich, 70, retires as the winningest coach in Hofstra history, with an overall record of 304-233 (.565). He led the Pride to four 20-win seasons, three Colonial Athletic Association regular season titles and one CAA Tournament Championship

“It has been my great honor and privilege to coach Hofstra Basketball for the last 15 years,” Mihalich said in a statement. “I will always be grateful to Hofstra University and all of the people who have supported our program.”

Mihalich’s retirement was met with shock and sadness by those who know him best.

“I’m shocked and saddened by the news of Coach Mihalich’s retirement,” said former Hofstra player Malik Nichols. “He’s been such a big part of my life since I came to Hofstra. He’s not just a coach, he’s a father figure, and he’s going to be sorely missed.”

“Joe Mihalich is one of the classiest guys I know,” said Jay Wright head coach of Villanova University “He’s a Hall of Famer as a coach and as a person. I have so much respect for him and what he’s done for our profession.”

What’s next for Hofstra basketball?

Hofstra announced yesterday that Joe Mihalich would be stepping down as head coach of the men’s basketball team after 10 seasons. Under Mihalich, the team made it to the NCAA tournament twice and the NIT once.

Mihalich departs Hofstra with a career record of 211-172, which leaves him sixth on Hofstra’s all-time wins list. He also leaves behind a legacy of success in recruiting and player development

So what’s next for Hofstra basketball? The school has already began the search for a new head coach and some names have already been floated as potential candidates.

Assistant coach Jamall Robinson is currently serving as the team’s interim head coach Robinson has been with the team for four years and is well respected by players and staff alike. He could be a strong candidate to take over on a permanent basis.

Another name that has been mentioned is Mike Deane, who coached at Hofstra from 1986 to 1991. Deane is currently an assistant coach at Wagner but he has head coaching experience at Siena and Marquette.

Whoever ends up being named the new head coach will have big shoes to fill. Joe Mihalich was a beloved figure at Hofstra and he will be missed by everyone associated with the program.

Joe Mihalich’s legacy

Joe Mihalich, who coached Hofstra basketball for 15 seasons, has announced his retirement. He finishes his career with a record of337-207, making him the winningest coach in school history.
Mihalich leaves the program in good shape, with a solid core of young talent. Under his leadership, Hofstra has produced four 20-win seasons and made five postseason appearances.
Mihalich is known for his players’ success both on and off the court. In addition to their on-court achievements, his players have graduated at a rate of over 80%.
The basketball community will miss Joe Mihalich’s leadership, but he leaves behind a lasting legacy at Hofstra University.

Top moments of Joe Mihalich’s coaching career

Joe Mihalich, who announced his retirement from Hofstra University on Thursday after 15 seasons as the Pride’s head men’s basketball coach finishes his career with 501 wins, 20th among active NCAA Division I coaches.
Mihalich departs after compiling a 501-302 (.625) record in his 32nd season as a Head Coach at the Division I level, including a mark of 328-212 (.607) in his 15 seasons at Hofstra.

During his tenure with the Pride, Mihalich led Hofstra to four 20-win seasons, including a program-record 27 wins during the 2014-15 season. That year, Hofstra also won the Colonial Athletic Association regular season title for the first time in program history and made its first appearance in the National Invitation Tournament since 2001.

Here are some of the top moments from Mihalich’s coaching career:

1. First 20-win season: In his second season at Hofstra, Mihalich led the Pride to a 20-12 overall record and an 11-7 mark in CAA play. The 20 wins were the most by a Hofstra team since going 24-9 during the 2001-02 campaign.

2. CAA Regular Season title: In just his fourth year at Hofstra, Mihalich guided the Pride to their first ever CAA regular season title with a 14-4 conference record. The 26 overall wins were third most in program history.

3. NIT appearance: After losing in the CAA semifinals and missing out on an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament Hofstra received an at-large berth into the 2015 National Invitation Tournament It was just the second NIT appearance in school history and first since 2001. The Pride would go on to win their first round game against NEC champion Robert Morris before falling to Florida State in the second round.

4. 500th career win: On January 6, 2018, Mihalich reached 500 career wins when Hofstra defeated James Madison 72-63 at JMU Center on campus in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He became just the seventh active Division I head coach with 500 or more victories at their current school and is one of only four coaches (along with Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski Florida’s Billy Donovan and Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim) with 500 or more wins at two different schools (Notre Dame and Niagara).

Thank you, Joe Mihalich

On Monday, Hofstra University announced that men’s basketball head coach Joe Mihalich would be retiring from his post. In his 15 seasons with the Pride, Mihalich compiled a record of 296-217, making him the winningest coach in school history.

Mihalich came to Hofstra in 2003 after a successful stint at La Salle University, where he led the Explorers to two NCAA Tournament appearances. He quickly turned the Pride into a contender in the Colonial Athletic Association, leading them to four straight 20-win seasons from 2006 to 2010. In 2010-11, Hofstra won a share of the CAA Regular Season title and made its first ever appearance in the National Invitation Tournament

Mihalich will be remembered as one of the most successful coaches in Hofstra history, and his impact on the program will be felt for years to come. Thank you, Joe Mihalich, for everything.