Jim Christian Meets the Media at Press Conference

On Thursday (April 11), new Canisius head men's basketball coach Jim Christian met with the media at his introductory press conference at the Koessler Athletic Center. Christian was named the 25th head coach in program history on April 8 after spending the two previous seasons in an assistant coach and administrative role at Kent State University.

With nearly two decades of NCAA Division I head coaching experience on his resume, Christian takes over the Golden Griffin program with 318 career wins, highlighted by eight 20-win campaigns, a pair of NCAA Tournament berths and five trips to the NIT. Eight of his 19 seasons as a head coach have been spent in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), where he won the MAC Coach of the Year Award on two separate occasions (2006 and 2008).

The Jim Christian File
Hometown: Bethpage, N.Y.
College: Rhode Island, 1988 (B.A. consumer affairs)
Family: Wife, Patty, daughter, Mackenzie, sons, Zachary and Jay

Coaching Career:
1990-92: Assistant Coach, Western Kentucky (Bowling Green, Ky.)
1992-94: Assistant Coach, St. Francis (Pa.) (Loretto, Pa.)
1994-95: Assistant Coach, Western Kentucky (Bowling Green, Ky.)
1995-96: Assistant Coach, Miami (Ohio) (Miami, Ohio)
1996-99: Assistant Coach, Pitt (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
2001-02: Assistant Coach, Kent State (Kent, Ohio)
2002-08: Head Coach, Kent State (Kent, Ohio)
2008-12: Head Coach, Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, Texas)
2012-14: Head Coach, Ohio University (Athens, Ohio)
2014-21: Head Coach, Boston College (Boston, Mass.)
2022-24: Assistant Athletic Director, Basketball Administration Kent State (Kent, Ohio)
2024-Present: Head Coach, Canisius University (Buffalo, N.Y.)

Jim Christian Press Conference Quotes:
"My goal is to leave a tremendous impact and let's make no mistake about it, win championships. I will work every single day to make that happen."

"I told the [Canisius players] today, 'These are tough times in college basketball.' The guys who stay will be champions. I can tell you that I am going to work every day to make sure it happens. I am going to surround myself with the kind of people that can make it happen."

"For anybody here who has done something in life and just missed on their expectations, maybe they fell a little bit short on something they wanted to accomplish, they didn't measure to their own high expectations. In my last stop [at Boston College], I failed to meet my own expectations. So when something like that happens there is an inner process, you either blame others or you can look inward and you can try to see what it is you're doing. My drive from that point forward was to get back and find a program that might need somebody like me."

"This [interview] process here was the first time I have ever been able to actually visit the campus before I took the job. This was the first time I have been able to meet people [I am] going to work with. Getting to have dinner with the [Canisius] president [Steve Stoute] and seeing all the things on campus, seeing the intimacy of the school. You don't have to be on this campus very long to understand that this is a family-type atmosphere."

What They're Saying About Jim Christian:
"I have known Jim for a long time. He is a wonderful basketball coach who knows how to maximize a team. He's a deep thinker, cares about others and works hard. I am thrilled for him and Canisius"
Brad Stevens, President of Basketball Operation, Boston Celtics

"Jim Christian has one of the best basketball minds I have ever seen. His personality and demeanor allow him to relate to his players and get the most out of them. I am so excited for Jimmy and Canisius."
Thad Matta, Head Coach, Butler University

"Tremendous hire by Canisius! I've known Jim Christian since 1993, my senior year in high school, when he led the recruitment of me to St. Francis University (Pa.) on a basketball scholarship. Jim is as genuine of a person you will ever meet. His basketball acumen is top notch and I am looking forward to rooting for him and Canisius."
London Fletcher, former Buffalo Bills linebacker (2002-06)

"Jim Christian is an outstanding basketball coach, and among the coaches I truly respect and admire. He has a proven track record of building programs, establishing winning cultures, and mentoring players, on and off the floor. Canisius hired a terrific coach and a terrific person in Jim Christian.
Jay Bilas, College Basketball Analyst, ESPN

"Jim Christian is going to do a fantastic job for Canisius. His coaching experience, combined with his ability to connect with people, is going to energize the entire basketball community in Western New York. He has a proven track record of bringing the best out of teams throughout his career, and I am sure that he will do the same at Canisius. We are all going to miss Jim and his family here in Kent, Ohio but I could not be happier to see him get this opportunity to lead another program."
Rob Senderoff, Head Coach, Kent State University

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