Joe Farroba Named MASCAC Men's Basketball Coach of the Year

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- For the third time in the past four seasons, Bridgewater State University head coach Joe Farroba has been selected as the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Men's Basketball Coach of the Year in voting conducted by the league's coaches.

Farroba, who is in his 20th season at the helm of the Bridgewater State men's basketball program, guided his squad to a 14-10 regular season record including a 9-3 mark in conference play.  The Bears are the second seed in the MASCAC Tournament and will host Westfield State University in a semifinal matchup on Thursday night at 7 PM.

In his 20 seasons as head coach of the Bears, Farroba has posted a career coaching record of 286-242 (.542) including a MASCAC regular season mark of 147-93 (.613).  His 286 wins are by far the most in BSU men's basketball history as he is the only Bridgewater coach to reach the 200-win milestone.

This marks the fourth coach of the year honor for Farroba who also received the award for the 1997-98 season as well as the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 campaigns.  Bridgewater has reached postseason play six times under his tutelage including NCAA Division III Tournament appearances in 1999, 2006, 2009, 2010 and 2011.  In 2009, the Bears advanced to the Sweet Sixteen after a stunning second round victory at Middlebury College.

A pair of BSU men's basketball players garnered all-conference honors this season under the guidance of Coach Farroba.  Senior center Samuel Johnson (North Chelmsford, Mass.) and senior forward Anthony Fortes (Providence, R.I.) were both selected to the All-MASCAC Second Team.