Saint Francis University Names Don Friday 20th Head Men’s Basketball Coach
LORETTO, Pa. (May 14, 2008) – Saint Francis University Director of Athletics Bob Krimmel announced late Wednesday night that Don Friday has been named the 20th head coach in Red Flash men’s basketball history.
Friday will be formally introduced at a meet-and-greet media luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Friday morning in the Stokes Twymann Room in DeGol Arena. He inherits and NCAA Division I program that enters its 96th season of intercollegiate competition in 2008-09.
Friday comes to Loretto after a very successful stint as head coach at Division III Lycoming College. He also played a leading role as an assistant with highly successful programs at Bucknell University and Lebanon Valley College. Friday has made appearances in the NCAA Tournament at both Lycoming and Lebanon Valley, and played a pivotal role in Bucknell’s two trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2005 and 2006. He has been named MAC Conference Coach-of-the-Year twice during his tenure at Lycoming.
“I am excited to welcome Don Friday, his wife Amy and son Donald to our Saint Francis University family,” Krimmel said. “I know that our community will reach out and welcome them in our true Franciscan nature as we all work together to build a successful men’s basketball program. Don’s background as an
assistant, as well as his success as a head coach, makes him the perfect person to coach, mentor and embrace our student-athletes. I would like to thank the University administration, the search committee and all of those who assisted with the search process. I look forward to working with Don as he brings renewed excitement not only to our program, but also to our proud and loyal alumni and fans.”
Friday inherits a program that finished 6-23 overall this past season and 4-14 in the Northeast Conference. Having won 18 games over the past three seasons, he looks to guide the Red Flash back to the top of the Northeast Conference.
“I am extremely excited about the opportunity that lies ahead at Saint Francis University,” Friday said. “When I say opportunity, I mean the opportunity to run a basketball program that is centered on our student-athletes - teaching our kids to have success in the classroom and as young adults, and how that will translate onto the basketball court. I have great admiration for the university in its tradition and its soon-to-be successes. Obviously, the exciting thing for me right now as a chapter closes here at Lycoming, I am saying goodbye to 15 great young men that I’ve had the privilege to coach. I know that’s the difficult part of this business. I am looking forward to building that type of relationship as a teacher, father and coach in mentoring a family at Saint Francis as I have done at Lycoming, Bucknell and Lebanon Valley.”
Friday compiled an 83-49 (.629) overall record in five seasons at Lycoming. The Warriors went 17-10 overall in 2007-08, finishing 7-3 in the league to win the regular season conference title. He was named the MAC Conference Coach-of-the-Year for his efforts.
“I’d like to thank Mr. Krimmel and the search committee for sharing their vision for the program, and for giving me the opportunity to shape it into fitting the Franciscan mission of the university,” Friday said. “I really look forward to our program being one that is admired by all. In addition, I look forward to building relationships with the Red Flash coaches and student-athletes as together we all strive for excellence at Saint Francis.”
During his first season as head coach, he led Lycoming to the MAC Freedom Tournament title, and into the 2004 NCAA Tournament second round. That squad finished first in the conference in defensive field goal percentage, and second in the nation in rebounding. That season, he led the Warriors to their first win over a Division II opponent in 17 seasons, and their first winning record on the road in seven seasons.
Friday again led Lycoming to the MAC Playoffs in 2006, earning him his first MAC Coach-of-the-Year Award. In four recruiting classes, Friday had five All-League selections, including 2005-06 conference Player-of-the-Year, Jonathan Pribble and Rookie-of-the-Year, Greg Sye.
Prior to his first head coaching position, Friday served as the top assistant coach under Pat Flannery at Bucknell from 1994-2003, coaching the Bison team that owns the most victories in Patriot League history. He was responsible for a team defense that was ranked in the Top-10 nationally in recent years, and consistently ranked No. 1 in the Patriot League.
Friday broke into coaching as the first assistant at Lebanon Valley College from 1989-94, where he helped rebuild a program that had not had a winning season since 1972. He finished his coaching career at Lebanon Valley by helping guide the squad to the 1994 NCAA Division III national championship. He recruited the 1994 Division III National Player-of-the-Year, helped the program reach the second round of the 1993 NCAA Tournament, and guided the squad to a 17-9 record in 1990, its first winning season in 18 years.
Friday holds a Bachelor of Science in Management and a Master of Business in Administration, both from Lebanon Valley College.