Jim Bechtel enters his fourth year at the helm of the SUNY Canton men's basketball program during the 2015-16 season.
The Roos are coming off their most successful season in 17 years after they finished the 2014-15 campaign with an overall record of 16-6. They put together a seven game win streaking including winning 11 of 12 contests.
Bechtel led SUNY Canton to nine wins last season including an impressive four game winning streak to end the year.
The highlight of the SUNY Canton season was when the team traveled to Brooklyn, NY to play in the Barclays Center, home of the National Basketball Association's Brooklyn Nets. The Roos came away victorious 72-64 against Vaughn College as every member of the team saw extended playing time.
SUNY Canton defeated teams from the Empire 8 Conference in Utica College (78-67) and Houghton College (107-96) as well as Fredonia (80-72) out of the State University of New York Athletic Conference. The 107 points against the Highlanders were the most scored in a game by SUNY Canton in nearly five years and included five dunks much to the thrill of the packed crowd.
The 16 wins were the most wins in a single season since the 1997-98 team went 19-7 under legendary coach Erich von Schiller.
Bechtel brings 10 years of coaching knowledge to the Roos having served as an assistant coach at all three collegiate levels. Most recently Bechtel was the assistant coach and defensive coordinator for St. Lawrence University the past two seasons and under his leadership the Saints finished in the top five in the Liberty League in every defensive category in 2011-12. Prior to joining the Saints Bechtel was an assistant coach at Division I institutions Coastal Carolina University and Penn State University; Division II Shepherd University; and Division III Susquehanna University where he helped lead the Crusaders to the 2008 Landmark Conference regular season championship. He was also the head junior varsity coach at Susquehanna overseeing all aspects of that program. During his time at Penn State and Shepherd Bechtel worked as an academic counselor charged with monitoring the academic progress of the men’s football and basketball teams respectively throughout the year.
“I am very humbled and excited for the opportunity to be the men’s basketball coach at SUNY Canton,” Bechtel said. “I’m grateful for the chance to bring my basketball experience to this growing program and institution and I look forward to the challenges ahead as we transition to the NCAA.”
Bechtel earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Penn State University and his master’s degree in advanced level coaching and physical education from Springfield College.
