Syracuse, N.Y. – Following the most successful four-year run in the program's history, Le Moyne College head men's basketball coach Patrick Beilein has accepted the head coaching position at Niagara University, a member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

"I am grateful for the last four years to be a part of the Le Moyne College community," said Beilein. "President Linda LeMura and Athletic Director Matt Basset showed great faith in me by giving me this opportunity to lead this men's basketball program. I will always cherish the memories from these wonderful four years in Syracuse and at Le Moyne."
 
"We have had some success and it would not have happened without tremendous support from our administration, assistant coaches, staff and obviously the student-athletes at Le Moyne," added Beilein. "I have had the opportunity to coach some outstanding young men who were winners both on and off the court. Le Moyne College has been a special place to me and my family for generations and I am so proud to be a part of it."

The College will immediately begin a search for its next head coach. No further comment will be provided on the search until its completion.
 
"I could not be more excited for the opportunity that Patrick has earned and for the impact he and his wife, Kristen, and son, Tommy, will have on the Niagara community", said Matt Bassett, Assistant Vice President & Director of Athletics. "Niagara has hired an immensely talented coach, a great teacher, a gifted leader and as good of a colleague as you can find anywhere. Niagara has just moved its Men's Basketball program forward immediately and significantly."

In his four seasons leading the program, Beilein guided the Dolphins to a 77-41 record, including a mark of 67-24 and three straight NE10 Southwest Division regular season titles over the last three years. He was named the NE10 Coach of the Year in 2017 and 2018, while the Dolphins earned the NCAA East Region's top seed in both years. The 77 wins are tied for the most in a four-year span in the program's history, joining the span from 1984-85 to 1987-88, which was coached by John Beilein. In 2017-18, he guided the Dolphins to a school-record 27 wins, the first NE10 championship since 1997 and the first regional championship and Elite Eight appearance in program history. The 2017-18 team also registered a 12-game winning streak, the second-longest in the program's history, is the only team to ever win 18 of 19 games and earned an NABC Top 25 ranking for just the third time in the program's history. The Dolphins compiled the best NE10 record over the last three years (48-12) and in 2017-18 became just the third team to go undefeated in NE10 road games (10-0) and the first since Bentley in 2007-08.