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Marist College Athletic Director Tim Murray announced the hiring of head basketball coach John Dunne on Wednesday to replace ousted former coach Mike Maker, who was fired last month.
Dunne, who is known for his teams' defensive prowess, is scheduled to be introduced at a press conference scheduled for 11 a.m. on Thursday morning at McCann Arena in Poughkeepsie.
"We're extremely excited to welcome John and his family to the Hudson River Valley," Murray said in a statement. "With over a decade of experience as a head coach, he has a proven ability to build teams and develop student-athletes. His teams are always tough, hard-working and competitive in the MAAC, and we look forward to Coach Dunne instilling that culture in our basketball program."
Dunne comes to Marist after serving more than a decade at St. Peter’s, where he won a MAAC championship and helped build the program with increases in win totals during his first five years at the helm. Dunne has also served as a chair of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee following his time on the NCAA Division I Regional Advisory Committee.
A former basketball standout at Ithaca College - where he still holds several records - Dunne made his way to the NCAA Tournament in 2011 and guided St. Peter’s to its first 20-win season in more than two decades. He was also a finalist for the Skip Prosser Award, “which honors those who achieve success on the court while displaying moral integrity off of it.”
"Twelve years ago, Saint Peter's took a chance on me as a first-time head coach,” Dunn stated. “The university afforded me the opportunity to learn and grow as its head men's basketball coach, and I would like to thank the Saint Peter's University staff and student-athletes for proving to me how rewarding coaching can be.
"This is a great opportunity for myself and my family, We're excited to join the Marist and Hudson River Valley communities. Having been in the MAAC for the past 12 years, I've been impressed by the tremendous support this program has received. We're excited for what this job has the potential to become.”
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