Quick Facts: 2009-10 Record: 8-22 (6-10 America East)
Letterwinners Returning: 11
Starters Returning: 5
Newcomers: 3
Head Coach: John Gallagher (1st season)/ 0-0 career-record
As he prepares to enter his first season as the head coach
of the Hartford Hawks men's basketball program, John Gallagher finds himself in
a unique situation. During his tenure as an associate coach at Hartford during
the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, Gallagher played an instrumental role in
recruiting many of the key players that make up the roster heading into this
season. This same core group helped Hartford win a school-record 18 games and
reach the league title game for the only time in school history during the
tremendous 2007-08 campaign.
"I'm excited about the group," Gallagher explained. "It's
great to have a group that knows you and obviously I recruited these guys. It's
a lot of fun and we are really excited."
Despite this core still being intact over the past two
seasons, the Hawks have come nowhere near replicating the success they achieved
three years ago. Hartford is coming off a season in which it finished 8-22
(6-10 America East) and struggled mightily throughout the non-conference
portion of the schedule. While Gallagher doesn't believe there is any quick fix
to the problems that ailed this program the past two seasons, his main task is
working on implementing his beliefs and values on a daily basis.
"What we are trying to focus on is developing our
philosophy," explained Gallagher. "We don't call it a culture; we call it our
standard or expectations for performances. Whether we win or lose, we have to
care about certain things that maybe people think is important for winning, but
isn't the reason you win."
It's these little adjustments and points of focus that
Gallagher hopes will go a long way in helping get his program headed in the
right direction.
"We have to care
about our body language. It could be how we communicate or how we break from
huddles. How do we warm up? Are the guys running to the bench during timeouts? How
do we substitute? Are the players who are on the bench into the game? These are
the small expectations and standards we need to develop for our program."
Despite the loss of senior point guard Andres Torres to a
season-ending injury, Gallagher has the luxury of returning an experienced
group of players. One veteran that Gallagher will rely on to keep this team
motivated and hungry is fifth-year senior guard Joe Zeglinski. The fifth-year
senior is currently the league's active leading scorer and has twice been named
to an All-Conference team.
"I like this group," said Gallagher. "Overall, I think there
character is what impresses me the most. I think when you talk about our senior
class; you got to start with Joe Zeglinski. He is a fifth-year guy and he
really understands the system and understands how to play."
Along with Zeglinski, the Hawks return four seniors who have
had the experience of success while playing for Gallagher during the 2007-08
season.
"You have Morgan Sabia, who is more of a quiet guy that can
really shoot it," the first-year head coach said. "Then you have Anthony Minor,
who probably understands me the most. I'm expecting him to be a big time
leader. We need him to stay healthy. Milton Burton is a guy that can really
score. Kevin Estes is a guy that I would call a "glue-guy". He is a guy that
really understands what the program is about and what we are trying to
establish."
It's clear that the goal of Gallagher and his coaching staff
is to get this program back to the level it was at when he was the associate
head coach. Being such an instrumental member of that coaching staff should
give the first-year head coach the blueprint for what it will take to be
successful. That success might come soon, as he recruited and coached the
upperclassmen on the roster, and possesses a strong understanding of how to
motivate and bring out the best in each of his players. If the Hawks can develop
a winning mentality during their difficult non-conference schedule, this team
is capable of using its experience to surprise a lot of teams in America East
play.