| Ball State athletics photo |
Hazleton, Pa., native Bob Simmons has been named head men's basketball coach at Marywood according to an announcement made by athletic director Mary Jo Gunning. Simmons returns to the NCAA Division III ranks after spending the past 11 seasons at the Division I level, first as an assistant coach at Lehigh then as an assistant coach and associate head coach at Ball State.
Simmons replaced Eric Grundman, who resigned three months earlier. He was coach at Marywood for 11 seasons, compiling an 93-208 record. The Pacers were 6-19 this past season. Grundman remains assistant AD and golf coach.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Bob as the fourth
men's basketball coach in Marywood University history and to
welcome him home to Northeast Pennsylvania,” Gunning
stated. “We are confident that Bob will not only build
upon the potential of the current program but will make Marywood
University a top destination for high caliber student-athlete
prospects in the future.”
A 1993 graduate of Wilkes, Simmons got his start in coaching as a
student assistant at Wilkes during his senior season. From there,
Simmons became an assistant coach at nearby Crestwood High School
in Mountain Top before serving in the same capacity at Bishop Hafey
High School in Hazleton. In 1996, Simmons was named the assistant
men's basketball coach/head junior varsity coach at Lebanon
Valley.
“Great moments are born from great opportunities, and I think
we have a great opportunity here at Marywood” said
Simmons. “It feels great to be home and I think there
is unlimited potential here at Marywood. My family and I are
very excited to return to our roots and we want to make an
immediate impact in the community of Northeast Pennsylvania, on and
off the court.”
At Lebanon Valley, Simmons served as the recruiting, academic,
scouting and film exchange coordinator and was also the program's
strength and conditioning coach. During his four years with
the Flying Dutchmen, Lebanon Valley posted a 78-35 record (.690)
and qualified for the Middle Atlantic Conference playoffs each
year. Lebanon Valley reached the Division III playoffs in both 1997
and 1999.
Simmons remained at Lebanon Valley until March 2000 when he
accepted the Head Men's Basketball coaching position at Delaware
Valley and, after two seasons, accepted an offer from Lehigh to
become their assistant men's basketball coach. As an assistant at
Division I Lehigh for five seasons, Simmons oversaw the annual
equipment budget and the summer camp program while coordinating
recruiting, the strength and conditioning program as well as
scouting and scheduling. Simmons and coach Billy Taylor
helped Lehigh to the Patriot League championship and the NCAA
Tournament in 2004.
In August 2007 Simmons moved to Ball State and served as Assistant
Coach for two seasons before being promoted to associate head coach
in September 2009, a role he held until March 2013.
Simmons played a pivotal role in guiding the Cardinals to top-3
finishes in the Mid-American Conference West Division in five
straight seasons. He helped the 2010-11 team to a 19-13 record.
Ball State's top assistant, Simmons was instrumental in recruiting
efforts with a large number of his recruits contributing
immediately. Five Cardinals were named to the MAC All-Freshman Team
in his time with the program.
"Search Committees seldom are as unanimous in their endorsement of
a single candidate as they were with the recommendation of Bob
Simmons,” said Raymond Heath, vice president for student life
at Marywood. “We are very pleased to welcome Bob and his
family back to the area where he began his career and as new
members of the Marywood community. Bob has unlimited potential to
lead the team to the highest levels of success on the court, in the
classroom and as student leaders."
Simmons earned his bachelor's degree from Wilkes in organizational
communications and secondary education in 1993. He and his wife Deb
have two daughters, Hanah and Isabella. Simmons will begin
his duties on Tuesday, May 28.