Hofstra Men's Basketball Coach Tom Pecora was given a new five-year contract running through the 2010-11 season, it was announced today by Director of Athletics Jack Hayes.
The new contract comes after Pecora led the Pride to a 26-7 record during the 2005-06 season, including its second straight Postseason NIT appearance. The 26 wins tied a school record for victories (matching the 1951-52 and 2000-01 teams), while the Pride advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIT with the first two postseason wins in its Division I history. In addition, Hofstra finished in third place in the Colonial Athletic Association with a 14-4 conference record, continuing its streak of improving its CAA record in every season since joining the league in 2001-02 (Pecora's first season).
Pecora became the tenth men's basketball coach in Hofstra history in 2001-02, after spending the previous seven years as an assistant under former head coach Jay Wright. During his tenure as an assistant coach, Pecora helped Hofstra to three straight 20-win seasons, including back-to-back America East Conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2000 and 2001. After guiding the Pride to a 21-9 record last year and a 26-7 record this season, Pecora has now been a part of five of the seven 20-win seasons that Hofstra has had in its 33 years at the NCAA Division I level (two as a head coach, three as an assistant). His career record at Hofstra now stands at 81-72.
Pecora first came to Hofstra in 1994 after serving as an assistant coach at Loyola Marymount during the 1993-94 season. He also served as assistant coach, along with Jay Wright, to Rollie Massimino at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in 1992-93 after spending three years as a head coach at the State University of New York at Farmingdale from 1989-1992. He is a 1983 graduate of Adelphi University in Garden City, New York, where he was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2002.
Transactions:
Hofstra - Signed men's basketball coach Tom Pecora to a new five-year contract through the 2010-11 season
