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July 7, 2009

College Insider's Top Mid Major Coaches

Siena College assistant coach Mitch Buonaguro ranks third on College Insider's list of the nation's top Mid-Major coaches, released on the website Monday. Buonaguro has over 30 years of coaching experience, having begun his career as an assistant at Boston College in 1975.

College Insider said of Buonaguro: "With over 25 years in the industry including nine under legendary Villanova coach Rollie Massimino, Buonaguro is regarded as one of the most experienced assistant coaches in the country. Buonaguro was head coach at Fairfield during the late 80's and has spent the last five years with Fran McCaffery at both Siena and UNC-Greensboro."

Buonaguro is in his fifth year as an assistant at Siena, where he has helped guide the Saints to back-to-back MAAC Championships and NCAA wins.

"Mitch is as good at what he does as anybody in the country," head coach Fran McCaffery said. "I have never been around a coach with his commitment and attention to detail."

Gonzaga assistant Leon Rice and Butler assistant Matt Graves were the only two coaches to top Buonaguro on the list.

Buonaguro was the head coach at MAAC member Fairfield University from 1985-91. In his first season he led the Stags to a 24-7 record and the first of two consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference titles, which garnered NCAA Tournament bids. Subsequently, he was named National Rookie Coach of the Year by Basketball Times and District I Coach of the Year by the United States Basketball Writers Association and the NABC.

Buonaguro came to UNC-Greensboro prior to the 2004-2005 season after seven years as an assistant coach under Massimino at Cleveland State. Prior to his seven-year stint at Cleveland State, Buonaguro served as an assistant coach under Tony Barone at Texas A&M from 1991-96. The 1993-94 squad went 19-11 and advanced to the National Invitational Tournament.

Buonaguro ranks among a select group of individuals who have both played and coached in the NCAA Division I Tournament. He scored four points, while hitting both field goal attempts, for Boston College in the 1975 NCAA Tournament as the Eagles topped Southern Conference member Furman in the first round. The Eagles eventually lost to Kansas State in the regional semifinals and then to North Carolina in the regional third-place game.

He graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in history in 1975 and in 1977 he received a master's degree in secondary education, both from Boston College. Buonaguro and his wife Suzin reside in the Capital Region. His son Michael just graduated from Siena.