D-II head coach Patrick Beilein hired at Niagara

Patrick Beilein, the head coach at Division II Le Moyne for the last four seasons, has accepted an offer to become the next head coach at Niagara. This is the first Division I head coaching opportunity for Beilein, who last coached at the highest collegiate level in 2012.

Beilein is 109-68 as a Division II head coach, with stints at Le Moyne and West Virginia Wesleyan. He is the son of Michigan head coach John Beilein, who was also the head coach at Le Moyne early in his career. Patrick started out as a graduate assistant under his father with the Wolverines.

“Patrick Beilein has demonstrated as a player and a coach, on and off the court, that he is a person of high character and personifies our mission,” President James J. Maher said Thursday. “His credentials as a coach and as a leader make him the ideal candidate to lead the Purple Eagles.”

Niagara has not been to the NCAA Tournament since 2007, parting ways with former head coach Chris Casey after going sub-.500 in five of the last six seasons.

credit to Dennis Nett/Syracuse[dot]com for the photo