Tom Pecora Introduced as Men’s Basketball Head Coach

Sports Editor

Published: Thursday, March 25, 2010

Updated: Thursday, March 25, 2010 19:03

Photo by The Ram

Following a season where Fordham fired its head coach, its star player transferred and the team went 2-26 and 0-16 in the Atlantic 10, the Rams can actually look to the future optimistically.

On Thursday, Fordham introduced Tom Pecora as the new head coach of the men's basketball program.

"This is a great day for Fordham," Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the University, said. "It is a day filled with hope."

Pecora was Fordham's top choice from the start, and the school did not pass up the chance to offer him the job immediately after an interview.

"We knew Tom was our No. 1 choice," Executive Director of Athletics Frank McLaughlin said. "It was the consensus of the committee. We only interviewed one; we did not want a contest."

Pecora embodied all of the characteristics Fordham was looking for in a new coach.

"We were looking for someone who understands Fordham," McLaughlin said. "This is an academic institution, not a basketball factory. We also wanted someone with ties to the greater New York basketball area."

"We followed Tom from the start," Linda Bruno, an assistant to the search, said. "He has experience, New York ties, he built the program at Hofstra and he graduates his players."

Anyone who has followed the team knows it is not going to be easy to turn the team around; however, Pecora feels confident he will be able to do so, and will try to quickly.

"It is going to be a great challenge in the Atlantic 10, with all of the great coaches and great players, but we're up to that challenge," Pecora said. "I am not very patient and these young boys are not very patient. It is my job to elevate this program to a high level, a very high level."

Backing up Pecora, freshman forward and A-10 Rookie of the Year Chris Gaston shared the same sense of urgency.

"I'm a winner, I love to win," Gaston said. "I want to win more than 10, nothing less than 10."

In addition to the school's enthusiasm, the team also seems to be excited to play for Pecora.

"He struck me as a guy who wants to turn the program around," Gaston said. "I'm looking forward to playing with Coach Pecora."

Pecora sees great potential for the program to be successful, referring to it on multiple occasions as a "sleeping giant."

"The Fordham education gives you an advantage," Pecora said. "When I talk to these kids' parents, what are they going to care about, that their kids get a great education or they play in the best facilities? Also, the Atlantic 10 is one of the best conferences in the country."

After accepting the Fordham job, Pecora's first line of business here was to have a meeting with the team. He said he is following that up with a recruiting trip upstate this weekend. He stated that he will worry about his coaching staff as time moves forward.

"A lot depends on Hofstra," Pecora said. "Whether they hire an assistant and I'll be able to bring some of them along."

Some have expressed concerns about whether Pecora could make the jump from the Colonial Athletic Association to the A-10; however, Pecora does not see it as an issue.

"The CAA is a Virginia-based league," Pecora said. "It was difficult to recruit kids from the [New York] area and convince them to play. Telling kids they'll play Xavier, Temple, Dayton, Saint Joseph's will be much easier."

There is still a good deal of speculation about the future of former interim head coach Jared Grasso, who took over the team after Dereck Whittenburg was fired five games into the season, leading the Rams to a 1-22.

"Jared is going to meet with Tom," McLaughlin said, not ruling out the possibility that he could return to the team as an assistant coach. Grasso started his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Pecora at Hofstra.

McLaughlin called Hofstra Monday night in order to get permission to speak to Pecora. After Hofstra's director of athletics, Jack Hayes, granted the school permission, Fordham called Tuesday night. The following afternoon, the two sides met around 12:30 p.m. and Fordham was immediately interested. After meeting with McShane at 2:15 p.m., the two sides quickly agreed to a deal.

"This is a big day for the University," McLaughlin said.

In nine seasons as head coach at Hofstra, Pecora posted a 155-126 record, including four 20-win seasons and four N.I.T. appearances.

This past season, Hofstra finished 19-15, winning nine of its last 10 regular-season games before being knocked out of the CAA tournament in the second round by Northeastern. The team's season ended in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational, where the team was eliminated by IUPUI.