Men's Basketball Among NCAA Winningest Teams of the Decade

ERIE, Pa. – The Penn State Behrend men’s basketball team ranks among the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) top 30 winningest Division III programs of the 2000s.

The Lions have posted 16 consecutive winnings seasons, compiling a 202-77 record since 2000 to rank 20^th overall with a .724 winning percentage over the last 10 years. This past season, head coach Dave Niland led the Lions to their second ECAC South Championship and finish with a 21-8 overall record.

“We have had a great group of talented, dedicated and unselfish players over the past decade,” said Niland. “Combine that with the outstanding support from the administration, you are going to have a great chance to be successful.”

Under Niland’s direction, the Lions have advanced to post-season playoffs 14 out of the last 15 years, won three AMCC Championships and were named the ECAC South Region Champions twice.  One of Behrend’s most memorable seasons came in 2000 when the Lions set the school record for most wins (26) and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in program history.

Niland, who is entering his 17^th season this winter, collected his 300^th coaching victory on February 23, 2010 in a 67-48 victory over Penn State Altoona in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) quarterfinals. He is Behrend’s all-time winningest coach with a 303-136 record (.690 winning percentage).

Since the inception of the program in 1960-61, the men’s basketball team has totaled a 643-577 overall record.