www.courierpostonline.com/article/20081115/SPORTS/81115 -
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Published on: 11/15/2008
Last Visited: 11/15/2008
Cassidy, the Rowan University men's basketball coach, is the ultimate sports junkie.
In fact, when Cassidy recently had successful angioplasty surgery on his heart -- he had been experiencing chest pains while jogging -- there was absolutely no thought that he might have to sit out or delay coming back for the start of his 13th season as the Profs' head coach.
Cassidy's surgery took place Sept. 12.
He was back for the start of practice Oct. 15.
Score one for his surgeon, but chalk one up to Cassidy's strong will to return.
"I had one stent put in and one angioplasty, and I'm feeling fine," said Cassidy, who has a 230-89 career record after taking over for John Giannini in Oct. 1996.
...
Coming off a successful 18-8 campaign, Cassidy has just directed his squad through a grueling schedule of practices (six days per week), film sessions, weight room conditioning, plus two scrimmages.
But, as always, the start of a new season is something to look forward to.
"We're a little small overall as a team, so we're going to have to work harder on ball movement and the open shot," Cassidy said.
"But we have a good group of kids, and we're looking to be competitive."
After five years as an assistant coach under Giannini, now the La Salle coach, Cassidy was named head coach to start the 1996-97 season.
He had a tough act to follow as Giannini -- who left to coach the University of Maine at the time -- guided the Profs to the NCAA Division III national title in 1996.
But Cassidy, 55, has enjoyed quite a ride since, having taken Rowan to four NCAA playoff appearances and 10 trips to the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) tournament.
His 230 career wins rank second all-time among Glassboro State/Rowan coaches since program results were first recorded in 1938.
Cassidy's elevation to the Rowan post at age 43 followed lengthy involvement in the sport both in Glassboro and the basketball-crazy Main Line, where he lived most of his life.
The Ardmore, Pa., native and 1970 Archbishop Carroll (Pa.) graduate went right into coaching following his graduation from St. Joseph's College in 1974.
He served as an assistant at The Haverford School (Pa.) from 1976-1978, as head coach at Harriton High (Pa.) in 1979-80, and also as an assistant coach at Swarthmore College (1980).
From there, he was coach Eddie Burke's assistant at Drexel from 1980-1991, a period that included an East Coast Conference championship and NCAA Division I playoff appearance in 1986.
Cassidy recalls becoming a "basketball addict" while serving as the "St.
Joe's Hawk" mascot on Hawk Hill while a student at St. Joseph's, and has even had several newspaper articles written about his exploits in college.
"We had two St. Joe's teams in the Big Five back then that qualified for the NCAA tournament, and it was just a wild couple of seasons," said Cassidy.
...
But Cassidy is grateful to his assistant coaches -- Dave Lafferty, an 18-year veteran at Rowan, Tom Iacovone and Brian Stafford -- for helping to keep the program in a winning mode.
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"Coach Cassidy spent lot of time talking to me, making sure I was introduced to the players and coaches, but also to some of my future professors.
This felt like home right away."
So, after a lengthy career at a local college, does Cassidy have any plans to move on to a Div.
I program as his predecessor Giannini did in 1996?
"I have not applied to any other schools because I absolutely love it here," Cassidy said.
"Plus, the Div.
...
Rowan coach Joe Cassidy has a 230-89 career record in 12 seasons at the school.
(CHRIS LaCHALL/Courier-Post)
JOE CASSIDY
Who: Rowan University men's basketball coach, 1996-2008.
Accomplishments: Has posted 230-89 career record in 12 seasons at Rowan, including four NCAA Div. III playoff appearances and 10 trips to NJAC playoffs. . . . Assistant coach at Rowan from 1991-1996 under former coach John Giannini. . . . Assistant coach at Drexel, 1980-1991 under former coach Eddie Burke. . . . Head coach at Harriton High School (Pa.), 1979-80.
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