< PreviousHawks Coaching Staff T he 15th head coach in the storied history of Saint Joseph’s men’s basketball program, Billy Lange returns for his fifth season at Hawk Hill in 2023-24. Named Saint Joseph’s head coach on March 28, 2019, Lange brought more than 23 years of sideline experience to the Hawks, most recently as assistant coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. Since he joined the Sixers in 2013, the team has rebuilt its culture, empha- sized player development and implemented a pro- cess that has led to their current success. Lange’s college head coaching experience spans nine years with stints at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy. As Navy’s head coach from 2004 to 2011, the Midshipmen showed a marked improvement under Lange, as he led the squad to its first winning season in sev- en years during the 2007-08 campaign with a 16- 14 record. Helped by a six-game winning streak, that squad went 9-5 in league play and finished second in the regular season. Lange was named the 2008 Patriot League Coach of the Year for his efforts, which also saw Greg Sprink earn Player of the Year honors, marking the only time a Mid- shipman has received that league’s award. He served as head coach at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy from 2000 through 2001, where he compiled a 39-19 record and led the Mariners to the Skyline Conference regular-sea- son title in each of his two seasons. In 2001, the USMMA also won the conference tournament title to secure a bid to the Division III NCAA Tournament and reach the Sweet 16, becoming the first team in program history to advance past the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Lange was named the New York Metropolitan Basket- ball Writers Division III Coach of the Year fol- lowing that season. A native of Haddon Heights, N.J., Lange began his coaching career with one season at his alma mater, Bishop Eustace Prep, succeeding his father, Bill Lange, Sr., in the role. He then moved on to the collegiate level as an assistant coach un- der Naismith Hall of Fame coach Herb Magee at Philadelphia (now Jefferson) University. After two seasons with the Rams, he served as an as- sistant coach at La Salle University under Speedy Morris for one season before taking over at the USMMA. Lange joined Jay Wright’s staff at Villanova as an assistant coach and coordinator of basketball operations for three seasons before taking the head job in Annapolis. He returned to Villanova as the Wildcats’ associate head coach in 2011 before joining the 76ers in 2013. Lange’s connection to Saint Joseph’s runs deep as his parents, Bill and Kathy, are both alumni, as is his brother, Mark. Lange’s wife, Alicia, served as the Hawks’ coordinator of aca- demic services for student-athletes for five years in the early 2000’s, while his son Will, is a fresh- man member of the men’s basketball program in 2023-24. A 1994 graduate of Rowan, he and Alicia are the parents of four sons – Will, Matt, Jake and Marc. 10 n 2023-24 Saint Joseph’s Men’s Basketball Saint Joseph’s Men’s Basketball BILLY LANGE HEAD COACH | FIFTH SEASONCustodial & Disinfection Facilities Management Landscaping, Groundskeeping & Athletic Fields HVAC & Mechanical Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Electrical Power Lighting Energy Performance Contracting EV Charging Stations & Network Technology Enhancements Operations Budget Management Parking & Transportation Integrated Facility Solutions Improved facilities benefit everyone Learn more at abm.com/education 866-624-1520 ABM complete facility services help education leaders create productive, inviting spaces across their campuses. And our customized, cost-effective solutions are always specific to the needs of your institution. The result: Enhanced faculty and staff satisfaction. Improved student engagement. Lower operating costs. Higher quality facilities. Plus, an average of over $20 million saved for each client. With a passion for performance, ABM cares for more than 750 million square feet of campuses daily. And can do the same for all of yours. Go Hawks!2023-24 Saint Joseph’s Men’s Basketball n 13 Saint Joseph’s Men’s Basketball Hawks Coaching and Support Staff ROB SULLIVAN General Manager Second Season JUSTIN SCOTT Associate Head Coach Fifth Season JOHN LINEHAN Assistant Coach Second Season THOMAS BOYLE Assistant Coach Sixth Season DWAYNE JONES Assistant Coach - Player Development First Season CHRIS FLEGLER Director of Basketball Operations Third Season PHILLIP LAWRENCE-RICKS Player Development Coach Third Season CASEY WOODFORD Video Coordinator Third Season ERIC LANG Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Fifth SeasonA SUB ABOVE ® Come see what makes us Over 2,500 locations open and in development nationwide! jerseymikes.com DON’T HAVETHE APP? SCAN WITH CELL2023-24 Saint Joseph’s Men’s Basketball n 15 Saint Joseph’s Men’s Basketball Hawks Support Staff NEIL HOFFMAN Head Men’s Basketball Athletic Trainer Fifth Season AMANDA CASALE Director of Program Administration Fifth Season MICHELLE THOMAS Director of Student-Athlete Development Fifth Season JAILEN JAMISON Graduate Manager First Season XZAVIER MALONE Graduate Manager First Season CHRIS MARINO Graduate Manager First Season MATT REBOCK Graduate Manager First Season FRANK SOROCHEN Graduate Manager First Season MICHAEL SOROCHEN “The Hawk” First SeasonSJU Director of Athletics J ill Bodensteiner enters her sixth year as Vice Presi- dent and Director of Athletics at Saint Joseph’s University in 2023-24, lead- ing the Hawks’ 20 NCAA Division I men’s and women’s varsity sports and the University’s Campus Recre- ation Department. Coming to Hawk Hill in June of 2018 after an accomplished 20-year tenure at the University of Notre Dame, Bodensteiner has helped St. Joe’s develop a holistic approach to college athletics with a comprehensive focus on the field, in the classroom, on campus, and as an industry leader. Over her first five years, Bodensteiner has over- seen the genesis of an exciting era in St. Joe’s Ath- letics, defined by competitive excellence, transfor- mative student experiences, facility upgrades, and creating a premier destination on Hawk Hill. Competitive Excellence During her tenure, Saint Joseph’s field hock- ey program has transformed into a national- ly-ranked power, capturing four Atlantic 10 ti- tles, while appearing in the NCAA tournament four out of five years, and winning the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament game, a 3-1 win over #10 Wake Forest in 2022. In the spring of 2022, the Hawks’ men’s and women’s lacrosse programs each won their respective conference titles and appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history, helping Saint Joseph’s earn its highest-ever Division I LEARFIELD Directors Cup rank, 133rd, and finish first in the A-10. This past spring, Saint Joseph’s baseball team won its first A-10 regu- lar season title in nearly 50 years, while men’s lacrosse captured the inaugural A-10 regular season championship. Transformative Student Experiences Under Bodensteiner’s direction, Saint Joseph’s created the Beyond the Hill program to develop student-athletes in the areas of academics, lead- ership, diversity and inclusion, spirituality and service, and career. A notable aspect of Beyond the Hill involves the neighboring Gompers El- ementary School. In 2021, St. Joe’s used funds from a $100,000 grant it received to design and implement a recess curriculum; while throughout the year, dozens of student-athletes volunteer to support Gompers students during recess. Recreation and Facilities Upgrades During the 2023-23 academic year, $84 mil- lion in renovations of the recreation and ath- letic facilities will begin, including a compre- hensive renovation to the Fitness & Recreation Center, a basketball practice facility, an indoor turf training space, renovated locker rooms, and renovated high performance space. In previous years, Bodensteiner has overseen facilities up- grades to the basketball locker rooms, practice courts and offices; Sweeney Field, including the installation of a new energy efficient LED light- ing system; and SJU Softball Field. 16 n 2023-24 Saint Joseph’s Men’s Basketball Saint Joseph’s Men’s Basketball JILL BODENSTEINER VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICSSJU Director of Athletics Premier Destination Behind Bodensteiner’s guidance, Hawk Hill has transformed into a pre- mier destination for Division I conference championships, high school ath- letic events, and e-Sports competitions. Saint Joseph’s strong success on the field of competition has led the Hawks to hosting numerous conference post- season championships, including A-10 field hockey, lacrosse, soccer and soft- ball tournaments, and NEC men’s lacrosse championships. In 2023, Saint Joseph’s Hagan Arena was the backdrop for the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association boys and girls basketball championships, along with a sold-out crowd for the highly-anticipated boys’ basketball game be- tween nationally ranked Camden High School and Imhotep Charter. At the University City’s Athletic Recreation Center, Saint Joseph’s hosted both the Philadelphia Catholic League’s girls’ basketball semifinals, and the Pennsylva- nia Interscholastic Esports Association e-Sports State finals. Industry Leadership Bodensteiner brings to Saint Joseph’s strong NCAA leadership experi- ence, currently serving on the Division I Women’s Basketball Committee, the Committee on Academics, and the Division I Council’s NIL Working Group. Bodensteiner previously served on the Committee on Women’s Athletics, the Federal and State Legislative Working Group (charged with evaluating issues related to name, image, and likeness), and the Division I Legislative Solutions Working Group (charged with crafting legislative proposals related to NIL). 2023-24 Saint Joseph’s Men’s Basketball n 17 Saint Joseph’s Men’s Basketball Education Hometown: Valparaiso, Indiana College: University of Notre Dame - BA Psychology/Sociology Washington University in St. Louis School of Law - JD University of Notre Dame - MBA Industry Service • NCAA Division I Council NIL Working Group • NCAA Committee on Academics (2021 - present) • Women Leaders in College Sports, Member, Board of Directors (May 2020 - present) • Member, Division I Women’s Basketball Committee (2016 - 2018; 2022 - present) • NCAA Division I Legislative Solutions Group (2019 - 2021) • NCAA Federal & State Legislative Working Group (2019) • Chair, ACC Women’s Basketball Strategic Planning Committee (2016 - 2018) • LEAD1, Fellow in Residence in Washington D.C. (Spring 2017) • NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics (2011 - 2015) Getting to Know BodensteinerGROUPTRANSPORTATION SPECIALISTS academybus.comHawk Mascot O ne of the most famous mascots in college sports, the Saint Joseph’s Hawk celebrates its 68th anniversary in 2023-24. The Hawk is best known for staying in constant motion by flapping its wings throughout every basketball game and representing the Saint Joseph’s motto, “The Hawk Will Never Die.” Jim Brennan originated the idea for a hawk as mascot during the 1954-55 season. Brennan, an ex-Marine and SJU cheerleader, at first wanted to secure an actual hawk, but later switched to the cos- tume idea. The student government raised the 120 dollars needed to buy the initial costume, which Brennan donned for three years. He made his de- but as the Hawk on January 4, 1956, a 69-56 win over La Salle at The Palestra. Since then, and in- cluding this season, a total of 61 SJU students have donned the costume. The Hawk has not missed a men’s basketball game since that first season in 1954-55, with the exception of select contests during the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hawk, who was present at most women’s basketball games, became a mainstay in 1989. Since then, 20 SJU students have been ‘The Hawk’ for the women’s basketball team. In addition to the constant flapping, the Hawk is also recog nized by its “flying” in figure eights around the court during time outs. Years ago, ESPN used a “flap-o-meter” on the national tele cast of a Saint Joseph’s game to estimate that the Hawk flaps its wings 6,300 times during a regulation game. The Hawk is unique because it is one of the few mascots in the nation that travels to every game. The student, who is selected through an interview process during the previous spring semester, also has served as a team manager for both basketball teams. The most decorated mascot in the country, The Hawk has gar nered numerous accolades in its his- tory. In 2013-14, NCAA.com named The Hawk as “College Basketball’s Best Tradition.” The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Street & Smith’s Basketball Yearbook and ESPN College Basketball magazine have selected it as the nation’s top mascot. Eastern Basketball tabbed The Hawk as the Atlantic 10 Conference’s best mascot, while The Hawk won a “Best of Philly” award from Philadelphia Magazine in 2003-04. The Hawk was selected as a nominee for the Mascot Hall of Fame on multiple occasions. Saint Joseph’s athletic teams have been recog- nized with the nickname “Hawks” since 1929. At that time, the school’s yearbook editor, Charlie Dunn, initiated a contest among the student body for a symbol. More than 100 submissions were narrowed to two, with “Hawks” winning out over “Grenadiers” (World War I soldiers who specialized in tossing grenades) by a slim margin in the final vote. John Gallagher ‘31, a catcher on the Saint Jo- seph’s baseball team, submitted the winning sugges- tion. He won a sweater with a special Saint Joseph’s monogram for selecting the winning name. Ac- cording to the Student Annual, the nickname was appropriate because it typified “the fighting spirit of our crimson and gray ath letes and it is suggestive of the aerial attack which has made our football team famous.” Ironically, football was discontinued at Saint Joseph’s following the 1939 season. But it has been the connection with the storied tradition of the Saint Joseph’s men’s and women’s basketball programs that has given The Hawk mas- cot its prominence on the national level, making it one of the most recognized mascots in college athletics. 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