September 9, 2013
Seymore Named Fredonia Men's Basketball Coach
READ SEYMORE'S BIOGRAPHY
FREDONIA, N.Y. – Former NCAA Division I player and coach Philip Seymore is the new head coach of the Fredonia State men's basketball team. Seymore becomes the 10th head coach in Blue Devil team history.
"We are pleased," Prechtl said, "to have attracted someone with Phil Seymore's extensive experience and expertise to lead our program. With nearly three decades of basketball experience, Phil has a proven record of success as both a player and a coach as well as a solid understanding of what it takes to win at the collegiate level."
"I'm thrilled," Seymore said, "to be the new head men's basketball coach at Fredonia State. I feel blessed and privileged to have the opportunity to coach at this prestigious university. My wife and I have a lot of family and friends here and we are just elated.
"I would just like to thank Vice President Dr. David Herman, Athletic Director Greg Prechtl, and the rest of the search committee for trusting me with this program."
A native of Brooklyn, Seymore coached 12 seasons at Providence College – seven as women's head coach, five as men's assistant coach. He also served as a men's assistant coach for three seasons at Richmond, and for seven seasons at Canisius – his alma mater.
All three seasons at Richmond and five at Canisius were spent on the staff of head coach John Beilein, the current head coach at the University of Michigan. Seymore also coached boys' basketball at Turner-Carroll High School in Buffalo for four seasons after spending one season as a graduate assistant at Canisius under his college coach, Nick Macarchuk.
Since October 2012, he has served as associate director of athletics and The Wellness Center at the College of New Rochelle, an NCAA Division III school in New Rochelle, N.Y.
"Phil has the endorsement of some of the best coaches in the business," Prechtl said. "I believe he is a great fit for our program."
Seymore said among his first on-the-job tasks will be to meet with the returning and the incoming players "to gauge their desire to be the best and compete at a high level."
"We want to ask them critical questions," he said, "and hold them accountable to their answers. As a student and an athlete, we ask that they give their very best. Once my team audit is done, we will set out to recruit the student-athletes that best fit our program."
Prechtl said Seymore has expressed a desire to coach basketball as well as prepare his players for the future. "In addition to a wealth of technical knowledge," Prechtl said, "throughout the interview process Phil stressed his commitment to mentoring young athletes and assisting them in becoming not only better players, but also more successful students and accomplished young men."Â
Prior to becoming a coach and college administrator, Seymore played two seasons at Canisius (1980-81 and 1981-82), and was selected by the New York Knicks in the 1982 NBA Draft. He later joined the Albany Patroons of the Continental Basketball Association, where he played for legendary head coach Phil Jackson.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology with a minor in physical education from Canisius in 1989, was inducted into the Canisius College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996, and was voted onto the Canisius All-Century Team in 2004.
Seymore succeeds Kevin Moore at Fredonia State, who left coaching to enter into private business. "Kevin did a solid job while he was at Fredonia State," Seymore said. "He is well-respected in the coaching community and we wish him all the best."
Fredonia State is an NCAA Division III institution and a member of the State University of New York Athletic Conference.
FREDONIA, N.Y. – Former NCAA Division I player and coach Philip Seymore is the new head coach of the Fredonia State men's basketball team. Seymore becomes the 10th head coach in Blue Devil team history.
"We are pleased," Prechtl said, "to have attracted someone with Phil Seymore's extensive experience and expertise to lead our program. With nearly three decades of basketball experience, Phil has a proven record of success as both a player and a coach as well as a solid understanding of what it takes to win at the collegiate level."
"I'm thrilled," Seymore said, "to be the new head men's basketball coach at Fredonia State. I feel blessed and privileged to have the opportunity to coach at this prestigious university. My wife and I have a lot of family and friends here and we are just elated.
"I would just like to thank Vice President Dr. David Herman, Athletic Director Greg Prechtl, and the rest of the search committee for trusting me with this program."
A native of Brooklyn, Seymore coached 12 seasons at Providence College – seven as women's head coach, five as men's assistant coach. He also served as a men's assistant coach for three seasons at Richmond, and for seven seasons at Canisius – his alma mater.
All three seasons at Richmond and five at Canisius were spent on the staff of head coach John Beilein, the current head coach at the University of Michigan. Seymore also coached boys' basketball at Turner-Carroll High School in Buffalo for four seasons after spending one season as a graduate assistant at Canisius under his college coach, Nick Macarchuk.
Since October 2012, he has served as associate director of athletics and The Wellness Center at the College of New Rochelle, an NCAA Division III school in New Rochelle, N.Y.
"Phil has the endorsement of some of the best coaches in the business," Prechtl said. "I believe he is a great fit for our program."
Seymore said among his first on-the-job tasks will be to meet with the returning and the incoming players "to gauge their desire to be the best and compete at a high level."
"We want to ask them critical questions," he said, "and hold them accountable to their answers. As a student and an athlete, we ask that they give their very best. Once my team audit is done, we will set out to recruit the student-athletes that best fit our program."
Prechtl said Seymore has expressed a desire to coach basketball as well as prepare his players for the future. "In addition to a wealth of technical knowledge," Prechtl said, "throughout the interview process Phil stressed his commitment to mentoring young athletes and assisting them in becoming not only better players, but also more successful students and accomplished young men."Â
Prior to becoming a coach and college administrator, Seymore played two seasons at Canisius (1980-81 and 1981-82), and was selected by the New York Knicks in the 1982 NBA Draft. He later joined the Albany Patroons of the Continental Basketball Association, where he played for legendary head coach Phil Jackson.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology with a minor in physical education from Canisius in 1989, was inducted into the Canisius College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996, and was voted onto the Canisius All-Century Team in 2004.
Seymore succeeds Kevin Moore at Fredonia State, who left coaching to enter into private business. "Kevin did a solid job while he was at Fredonia State," Seymore said. "He is well-respected in the coaching community and we wish him all the best."
Fredonia State is an NCAA Division III institution and a member of the State University of New York Athletic Conference.
