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Joe Reilly, head men's basketball coach at Bates for the past 11 seasons, was chosen as faculty head coach of men's basketball at Wesleyan University after a national search, athletics director John Biddiscombe announced April 16. Reilly steps into the permanent position at the helm of the Cardinals' program after Jay Johnson handled the reins as interim head coach for the 2007-08 season.

Johnson took over after the resignation of 11-year head coach Gerry McDowell in June 2007.

Reilly, a Trinity (Conn.) graduate, returns to his home state after building the Bates program into a NESCAC contender. After inheriting an 8-16 squad in 1997-98, Reilly put together eight consecutive winning seasons with the Bobcats beginning in 2000-01, including a record 20-6 campaign in 2005-06 which included a team-record 16-game win streak. Reily was recognized at NESCAC Coach of the Year following the 2005-06 season. His 19-8 squad of 2004-05 earned a spot in the NESCAC tournament title game.

Over his 11-year head coaching career at Bates, Reilly compiled a cumulative mark of 154-121 and was 6-5 vs. Wesleyan. Over the last six seasons, Reilly carried the Bobcats to a .701 winning percentage with a 108-46 record and was the Maine State Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year three times and the New England Basketball Hall of Fame Division III Coach of the Year in 2003-04.

"I had a great 11 years at Bates but it will be wonderful moving back closer to my roots and family in Connecticut," said Reilly. "This is an exciting time to be associated with the Wesleyan athletic program with a tremendous new facility and a new president in place. I love the NESCAC and its great student-athletes. I hope to be able to build a program at Wesleyan that the university, alums, and community can be proud of."

Reilly is a 1991 graduate of Trinity, where he was a team captain for two seasons and scored more than 1,000 career points. His first college coaching assignment came at Yale in 1994, where he served as an assistant for three years before arriving at Bates. Between Trinity and Yale, Reilly earned an MBA from Rhode Island. There he worked in the athletics department as a graduate assistant involved primarily with recreational sports.

“Coach Reilly brings a wealth of NESCAC experience both as a player and very successful coach to Wesleyan’s basketball program," said Biddiscombe. "His experience will enable him to make an immediate positive impact on our team.”

Reilly's appointment is effective July 1, 2008

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