Canisius head coach Jim Baron announces retirement

Jim Baron, who has been head coach at Canisius for the last four seasons, announced his retirement on Friday effective immediately. Among other things, Baron cites his want to spend more time with his two sons, both of whom play professionally in Belgium. Baron spent 29 seasons as a collegiate head coach spending five years at Saint Francis, nine at his alma mater St. Bonaventure, and eleven at Rhode Island before coming to Canisius in 2012.

Baron won 462 career games as a head coach and spent the bulk of his career in the Atlantic 10 Conference, where he won four A-10 Coach of the Year awards, second only to Hall of Famer John Chaney.

Pat Clarke, who had been a long-time assistant of Baron’s, will take over as Canisius’ interim head coach for the upcoming season.