John T. Reilly enters his sixth season as head coach of the CBU Men’s Basketball team. Reilly enters his 32nd season as a collegiate head coach with a record of 503-373 (.574). The Bowie, Md., native ranks in the top-20 among all active NCAA Division II coaches in career wins (503).
Reilly achieved his 500th victory on December 18, 2022, when the Buccaneers defeated Montevallo at Canale Arena.
Under Reilly’s leadership, the Bucs earned a National Association of Basketball Coaches Team Academic Excellence Award following each of the last two seasons. In addition, Aiden Ruthsatz, Charlie Champagne, Daniel Loos, David Daniels, Luke Gdowski, Nick Deifel and Slate Garmany were named to the NABC Honors Court. For his efforts during the 2020-2021 season, Deifel was named Second Team All-Gulf South Conference.
Prior to leading the Buccaneers, Reilly spent 14 seasons as the head Men’s Basketball Coach at Gannon University (Erie, PA). Reilly finished at Gannon as the all-time winningest coach in program history, finishing his stint with a 242-162 record, which includes two PSAC Championships and five appearances in the NCAA Tournament. The 2008-09 team finished 30-4 and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight. His teams won at least 20 games in six different seasons.
On the floor, Gannon finished with a winning record during eight of Reilly’s last 10 seasons, winning 58 percent (165-121) of its games during that time frame. Gannon student-athletes earned All-PSAC honors 19 times during Reilly's tenure. In addition, the program received three consecutive PSAC Western Division Freshman of the Year awards (2010-12) and another in 2017. In 2013-14, Adam Blazek and C.J. Oldham became the first Golden Knights to be named PSAC Western Division Athlete and Defensive Players of the Year. A'Darius Porter took home the PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year accolade in 2014-15, and Damon Miraud kept up the tradition in 2017-18 with the West Defensive Player of the Year honor.
Under Reilly, Gannon excelled on the floor and in the classroom. His players were named Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Scholar-Athletes 41 times during the team's 10 years in the conference. Also, 19 student-athletes in the last eight seasons have been named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court. Reilly has also coached three CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and seven Academic All-District award winners.
Reilly's 2008-09 squad (30-4) set a school record for victories and winning percentage (.882). The team advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the fifth time in school history while winning 26 games in consecutive seasons for the first time ever. It capped a brilliant two-year run with almost the same roster as Gannon posted a 56-9 combined record during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 campaigns.
Reilly received NABC Atlantic Region Coach of the Year accolades for the first time after his 2008-09 squad won the regional title en route to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Reilly was named NABC Atlantic Region Coach of the Year for the second time in 2014-15 after leading Gannon to a 20-win season. The Golden Knights finished 23-9, winning their second consecutive PSAC Western Division regular-season title en route to their second PSAC Tournament Championship since joining the league in 2008.
Defense was the key as the Golden Knights finished No. 1 among all NCAA Division II programs, allowing just 56.6 points per game. The NABC Atlantic Region Coach of the Year selection was the fourth major award for Reilly during his 12-year tenure at Gannon.
Reilly also has a pair of PSAC Western Division Coach of the Year awards from 2012-13 and 2013-14.
Prior to his arrival at Gannon, Reilly spent 12 seasons as the head coach at Brescia University, a Catholic institution in Owensboro, Ky. He worked in a dual capacity during the final nine years, serving also as the school's Director of Athletics. Reilly compiled a 232-145 record at Brescia. The Bearcats posted winning records during 10 of his 12 seasons, including each of the last nine. The NAIA program recorded five 20-win seasons and averaged 19.3 victories under Reilly's tutelage. Prior to his hiring in 1993, Brescia had failed to attain a winning record during any of the program's first 12 years of existence.
Reilly's Brescia teams were built around aggressive defense and rebounding. The Bearcats ranked fourth nationally in team defense during the 1999-00 campaign and seventh in 2000-01. The Cats led the country in rebounding margin during the 2000-01 season.
Brescia players earned All-America honors 14 times under Reilly. No Bearcat had ever achieved All-America status prior to Reilly's arrival. He has coached 12 All-Americans and four Academic All-Americans between his time at Brescia and Gannon. In 2005, Demontae Foots was named to the All-America first team and Dane Russell earned Academic All-America accolades.
Reilly began his coaching career at Gannon, serving on the staff for six years as both a graduate assistant and full-time assistant coach (1987-93).
Reilly played basketball at Bowie High School, where he earned All-Prince Georges County honors. He also played on the collegiate level at Bowie State (Md.) University, where he was a two-year starter. Reilly graduated from Bowie State in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in psychology. He earned his Master of Science degree from Gannon in 1989. Reilly attributes his coaching success to his family, particularly his wife, the former Donna MacAskill, and daughter, Kirsten Reilly, Esq.
