Former Kean Assistant and EB Hoops Player Takes on Challenge of Building New Program at CSE
MORRISTOWN, NJ–On Tuesday morning, GMC Hoops learned from Tom Wagenblast that he has accepted the head coaching position for the new men’s basketball program at the College of St. Elizabeth. Recently, CSE announced that it is going coed starting in the fall of 2016. For those not familiar with the school, it is located not too far from Madison Ave rivals, Drew and FDU-Florham. Until recently, the school had been an all women’s school.
Wagenblast had been previously an associate head coach on Rob Kurzinsky’s staff at Kean University. During his time at the school from 2009 to 2015, Wagenblast helped Kurzinsky, and the Kean men’s basketball program to an 18-8 overall, and the school’s first NJAC South Division title in men’s basketball. Three years later, Kean finished 16-14, and reached the NJAC semifinals as well as the Championship Game of the ECAC Metro Tournament. Kurzinsky has won 84 games since arriving in 2007-08, and while Wagenblast was on the staff, Kean won 63 games.
While at Kean, Wagenblast helped recruit a number of former GMC standouts including Kenny Pace, Tramane Miller, Tom Soulias, Mike Summerer, Mike Burton, Xavier Fuller, and Emmanuel Omowole. Wagenblast also helped run and coordinate the Kean Spring League and the Kean Ironman Challenge. Both of these off season boys basketball events have been very successful, and have had a number of GMC teams participate over the years.
Prior to arriving at Kean, Wagenblast went to Rutgers University, and attained a degree in Exercise Science and Sport Studies with a Sports Management option. Wagenblast graduated from Rutgers in July 2008. During his time at Rutgers, Wagenblast also served on the Scarlet Knight’s men’s basketball staff as a student manager, where he assisted in on-campus recruiting visits, recruiting correspondence and game and practice filming, breakdown and analysis. In high school, Wagenblast attended East Brunswick High School, where he played boys basketball under the direction of legendary coach, Bo Henning.
The men’s basketball program is starting up for the 2016-17 season. St. Elizabeth, an NCAA Division III school, is the second New Jersey all women’s college in the past several years to go coed. Back in 2013, Georgian Court College, an NCAA Division II school, went coed. GMC Hoops was there for GCU’s first ever men’s basketball home game, and victory when the Lions defeated Mercy College of New York (87-82) on November 20, 2013. A number of former GMC players are playing for GCU including Keith Hughes, J.D. Rodriguez, Hamilton Capellan, and Claude Payne. Other former GMC standouts that attended GCU include Jeff and Robbie Ashamole.
If you are interested in finding out more about the men’s basketball program at the College of St. Elizabeth, please contact Coach Wagenblast at coachwagenblast@gmail.com. GMC Hoops looks forward to covering College of St. Elizabeth men’s basketball and Tom Wagenblast in the future.