Canisius hires veteran Jim Christian to coach men’s basketball
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Canisius University is hiring veteran Jim Christian as the school’s 25th men’s basketball coach, the athletics department announced Monday.
The 59-year-old Christian has a 320-286 career record in 19 seasons as a head coach at Boston College (from 2014-21), Ohio (2012-14), Texas Christian (2008-12), and Kent State (2002-08). He was named coach of the year in the Mid-American Conference in 2006 and 2008 after leading the Golden Flashes to the NCAA tournament, and has the best winning percentage (.700) in MAC history. Christian returned to Kent State as an assistant after getting dismissed from Boston College in 2021, compiling a 78-132 record with one winning season over seven years at BC.
“Jim Christian comes to Canisius with a proven track record of 19 years of head coaching experience, a solid reputation as a leader who develops young men into successful teams and a commitment to being an engaging campus partner who understands and appreciates the Jesuit mission of Canisius University,” Golden Griffins athletics director Bill Maher said in a news release.
Christian, a native of Bethpage, N.Y., replaces Reggie Witherspoon, whose contract expired after eight seasons at Canisius with a 108-130 record. Witherspoon previously coached University at Buffalo during Christian’s time at Kent State.
“I am confident that I will be able to use the things I have learned in my 19 years as a head coach and put those into practice at Canisius on day one,” Christian said in a news release.
A national search led by Maher brought three finalists to the Canisius campus last week, according to sources. Along with Christian, they were Steve Curran, the former St. Bonaventure assistant who is now associate head coach at George Mason, and Clemson associated head coach Billy Donlon, a former head coach at Kansas City and Wright State.
“Canisius is a special place,” Christian said. “The close, family atmosphere I experienced on my visit there last week just further proved to me that Canisius is the right place for me, both personally and professionally. I am ready to get to Buffalo and I am ready to get to work.”
Christian, who will be introduced at a Thursday press conference, fits the experienced coach profile Maher has followed in his past two men’s basketball hires, Witherspoon and Jim Baron, who took over at Canisius in 2012 after coaching at St. Bonaventure and Rhode Island, where Christian finished his playing career, going to the Sweet 16 in 1988.
The Golden Griffins also are searching for a new women’s basketball coach, after Sahar Nusseibeh departed for Eastern Michigan following three seasons at Canisius.
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.
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