Joe Mihalich’s name has become synonymous with one thing during his 11-year tenure at Niagara University, and that’s winning. His 205 career victories place him second among Niagara mentors in the school annals.
In his time on Monteagle Ridge, Mihalich has led the Purple Eagles to new heights not reached in Western New York in many years. With each step, Mihalich leads the program one notch higher on the national landscape.
The accomplishments during Mihalich’s first 11 years of coaching has yielded an NCAA Tournament victory, two NCAA tournament berths, a pair of MAAC Tournament titles, two berths into the NIT, a trio of MAAC regular-season crowns, national, regional and conference accolades for his student-athletes and top 25 rankings in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll.
The 2008-09 season was a special one for Mihalich and his Purple Eagles. Niagara won the second-most games in school history, compiling a 26-9 record and hosting an NIT game at the Gallagher Center for the first time in school history. Mihalich also guided the team to the MAAC Title game for the fifth time since 2002.
On Valentine’s Day of 2009, Mihalich earned his 200th career victory on national television with an 83-76 win over Fairfield. It marked just the second time an NU coach has won as many games on Monteagle Ridge.
His teaching and motivation skills were particularly evident in 2006-07 as he led Niagara to its second NCAA Tournament, MAAC Tournament crown and a top 25 ranking in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll after opening the season 1-6. Under Mihalich’s guidance, the Purple Eagles rebounded from their slow start to post the fourth-longest winning streak (12 games) in Division I before losing to No. 1 Kansas. Along the way, Niagara won its first NCAA Tournament game in 37 years, beating Florida A&M in the Opening Round game. For his efforts, the Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY) named Mihalich 2007 Coach of the Year.
Niagara got its third 20-win season under Mihalich and 15th in the 101 years of the program as the Purple Eagles finished 23-12 overall and 13-5 in the MAAC. The 23 victories were also the most since the 1992-93 squad collected 23.
With its late season surge, Niagara also finished the year ranked 24th in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll for the second time in three years.
In 2007-08, Mihalich led a group of young basketball players to a 19-10 record and coached one of the greatest players to ever wear Purple & White in Charron Fisher. Fisher led the country in scoring during the regular season with a 27.6 per game average. The club won the Cable Car Classic title and defeated St. John’s inside Carnesecca Arena for the first time in 44 years.
Niagara made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 35 years when it earned a No. 14 seed in 2004-05. The Purple Eagles captured their third MAAC regular-season title with a 13-5 record, won their first-ever MAAC Championship and ranked as high as 19th in the Mid-Major Poll under Mihalich. Niagara finished the year ranked 24th in the final poll.
At year’s end, Juan Mendez became just the second Purple Eagle in the program’s history to be named to a prestigious Associated Press All-America Team, picking up honorable mention honors. The forward also became Mihalich’s third student-athlete to be named MAAC Player of the Year and the first to accept the MAAC Tournament MVP Award.
Mihalich graciously accepted his second MAAC Coach of the Year honor in 2004-05, and was also named the District 2 United States Basketball Writers’ Association Coach of the Year.
In 2004-05, Niagara was also known nationally for its high-scoring offense that finished fourth in the country. The Purple Eagles also ranked in the top 10 in three other NCAA statistical categories (three-pointers per game; free-throw percentage and rebounding margin).
Similarly in 2003-04, Niagara achieved success. Mihalich guided Niagara to some place it hadn’t been in a long time — postseason. The Purple Eagles defeated Troy State in the opening round of the Postseason National Invitation Tournament and just missed reaching the second round, falling to Big 12 power Nebraska.
The squad posted impressive facts and figures while endearing themselves to the Purple Eagle faithful. It registered the fifth-most wins in school history with a 22-10 record, finished in the top 25 in the Mid-Major poll and ranked eighth in the country in scoring offense.
Along the way, Mihalich quietly collected the second-most wins in school history and was the first coach to reach 100 wins in just his sixth season at the helm.
The 2003-04 team matched the accolades of Mihalich’s first squad and duplicated by the 2004-05 team. The teams finished their MAAC regular season with a 13-5 record, marking the most victories by a Niagara team since joining the league in 1989.
Mihalich guided the 1998-99 Purple Eagles to their first-ever MAAC regular-season title, earning him MAAC Coach of the Year honors in 1998-99. The Purple Eagles and Mihalich claimed their second league title in 2000-01 when they posted a 12-6 mark. In 2001-02, Niagara made its first appearance in the MAAC title game.
All told, Mihalich has produced seven-straight winning seasons, marking the first time since the 1930s when the legendary John J. ‘Taps’ Gallagher began his career with six-straight winning seasons.
Under Mihalich’s guidance, the Purple Eagles have posted an impressive 69-23 (.750) record at home, including a 53-16 (.768) record in conference games. His eight-year record in MAAC games is an impressive 137-101 (.575), the best mark by a MAAC team during the span.
Since his arrival on Monteagle Ridge, fans have been responding to Mihalich and his team by packing the Purple Palace.
Sixteen games in the last eight years have been sold out and Niagara averaged over 2,000 fans per game in 2004-05 for the first time in school history. Over the last eight seasons, almost 163,890 fans have attended home Niagara games, an average of 1,725 fans per game. This season, the Purple Eagles began the year with the fifth-longest current home winning streak (15) in the NCAA.
Mihalich’s commitment to excellence, his intensity and determination has helped to turnaround the Niagara program and the same qualities are evident in the Purple Eagle teams and individual players. Mihalich has mentored several players to national recognition and success.
Juan Mendez finished 2004-05 as the only Division I player in the top 10 in scoring and rebounding. The forward finished third in scoring and 10th in rebounding. In 2003-04, Mendez finished 21st in the country in scoring and James Reaves was 23rd nationally in rebounding. Alvin Young led the nation in scoring during the 1998-99 season and Demond Stewart finished seventh in the nation the following season.
Mihalich was named the 19th head coach in Niagara University’s basketball history on April 8, 1998. Prior to Niagara, Mihalich was the assistant coach at La Salle University for 17 years. During Mihalich’s career at La Salle, the Explorers earned five NCAA Tournament and three National Invitation Tournament bids and was 104-28 (.788) in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. On Jan. 4, 1992, Mihalich, in the absence of head coach Speedy Morris, guided La Salle to a 120-88 victory over Iona.
Mihalich was heavily involved at La Salle in the recruitment of five players who went on to the National Basketball Association. The list includes 1990 National Player of the Year Lionel Simmons, Doug Overton, Randy Woods and Tim Legler. Current Temple head coach Fran Dunphy was an assistant coach at La Salle with Mihalich.
A 1978 La Salle graduate with a bachelor of arts degree in mathematics and education, Mihalich earned his master’s in athletic administration from Temple University in 1990. He also served as an adjunct professor of mathematics at La Salle.
A co-captain of the 1978 La Salle basketball team under coach Paul Westhead, Mihalich was a four-time letterwinner. He helped the Explorers to two NCAA appearances and one Big Five title during his playing career.
Mihalich began his coaching career the next season under legendary high school coach and Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Morgan Wooten at DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Md. Mihalich was the assistant varsity coach for three years and head junior varsity coach for two years. He served as an assistant with former Division I coaches Joe Cantafio (Furman and Virginia Military Institute) and the late Jack Bruen of Colgate at DeMatha.
While at DeMatha, the varsity team went 82-8 and the junior varsity team posted a 34-5 record. Mihalich stepped in when Wootten had to miss the 1981 Washington, D.C., title game and he led the Stags to a victory over previously unbeaten Dunbar High.
Mihalich and his wife, Mary, have three sons, Joe and twins Matt and Tony.
Joe Mihalich
