Marist names Bower men's basketball coach

Apr 11, 2013 - 7:32 AM Poughkeepsie, NY (Sports Network) - Marist College hired Jeff Bower to serve as head coach of the men's basketball team on Wednesday.

"I would like to welcome Jeff and his family back to the Marist College community and the Hudson River Valley," Marist director of athletics Tim Murray said. "I am confident in his ability to evaluate talent and character given his breadth of experience at the collegiate and NBA levels. Jeff understands Marist's values and the high academic standards that are expected of our student-athletes. Our goal is to win MAAC championships, and we feel that Jeff has both the leadership and management skills to reach this standard."

Bower brings 30 years of coaching experience at both the collegiate and NBA levels. Bower spent nine seasons as an assistant coach for the Red Foxes from 1986-1995 before moving to the NBA. Over 15 years in the NBA with the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets he has served as head coach and general manager, among other positions.

Most recently, Bower served as a consultant to the NBA league office and various NBA teams.