JERSEY CITY, NJ – Saint Peter's University head men's basketball coach
Shaheen Holloway has hired his coaching staff for his inaugural season with the Peacocks.
"I'm excited to announce the staff for my first season leading the Saint Peter's Men's Basketball program," said Holloway. "I am honored to have a talented group of men that bring a wealth of experience join me in Jersey City."
Holloway added, "I have a tremendous coaching staff and each coach brings their own individual skill set and expertise to the program. We look forward to working as a team to ensure each of our student-athletes grow as young men on and off the court while having a great collegiate experience."
Holloway has added Ryan Whalen, Matthew Eisele, and John Morton as assistant coaches and Erik Goldbach as the director of basketball operations.
Ryan Whalen joins the Peacocks men's basketball coaching staff after two seasons at Eastern Kentucky. While on the EKU staff, Whalen helped develop some of the top talent in the conference which included a first team All-OVC member, and an OVC All-Newcomer team selection.
"Ryan Whalen brings great passion and enthusiasm to the game," said Holloway. "Ryan and I have worked together over several seasons at Seton Hall and Iona. It was a no-brainer to welcome Ryan to the staff. I look forward to working with Ryan on developing our student-athletes. I'm excited to welcome Ryan and his family back to New Jersey."
Whalen joined EKU following six seasons on Kevin Willard's staff at Seton Hall, where he and Holloway worked together. While with the Pirates, Whalen served in various roles. He was the Director of Basketball Operations during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, including when the Pirates won the 2016 Big East Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 6 seed. He previously served as the Pirates' Director of Player Development and Coordinator of Basketball Operations, where he primarily aided in the development of scouting reports for opponents, film breakdown and exchange, and managing the program's extensive recruiting database. Whalen served as the Pirates' video coordinator during the 2010-11 campaign, while also assisting with the program's day-to-day operations. Over the summers, Whalen organized and served as a lead administrator for the Kevin Willard Basketball Camp.
Before Seton Hall, Whalen worked in the same capacity under Willard at Iona in 2009-10.
A 2008 graduate of Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, Whalen played two years of junior varsity basketball for the Hawks before being named a student assistant coach by head coach Phil Martelli.
Whalen first landed a spot as an administrative assistant and video coordinator at Towson University under head coach Pat Kennedy in 2008-09. He was responsible for coordinating game tape exchange and managing the Tigers' student managers.
Having developed a broad basketball background, Whalen has also had stints with the Hoop Group and the Philadelphia 76ers. He served as a part of the staff for a number of Hoop Group events before being named the Assistant Director of Elite Camps in 2009. In this role, Whalen helped recruit campers, organize and run a camp that included 70 high school teams. As an intern for the 76ers in the summer of 2007, he assisted coaches, players and team executives with day-to-day operations and during the NBA draft process.
Whalen's camp experience includes time as a counselor at the Duke University, Saint Joseph's University and Bob Hurley basketball camps. He has also worked closely with his father, Joe Whalen, a long time area high school coach in running his own camp.
Whalen is a graduate of Shore Regional High School in West Long Branch, N.J. where he lettered in basketball (shooting guard) and football (wide receiver and defensive back). He also was a member of a Jersey City Boys Club AAU basketball team that won five straight New Jersey state titles.
Ryan and his wife Amy, were married in 2012 and have two sons, Colin and Christopher, and a daughter, Emma.
Matt Eisele brings over 10 years of coaching experience to Saint Peter's, including seven seasons as a head or assistant coach. He comes to Jersey City after spending the past two seasons in Piscataway at Rutgers University.
"Matt Eisele brings knowledge and intensity to the program. He is a proven recruiter, being a former head coach at one of the best junior colleges in the country," Holloway said. "I look forward to working with him on building the team. Matt understands where we are trying to go with this program and is dedicated to helping us achieve these goals."
At Rutgers, Eisele served as the Director of Recruiting under head coach Steve Pikiell. In his role, Eisele organized recruiting activities and assisted the operations staff in all aspects of the program. He also headed the team's high school relations efforts, organized social events, team camps, coaching clinics, and other various initiatives. In 2017-18, Eisele was named as one of the top 10 DI Dark-Horse Coaches on the Come by CoachStat.net.
Prior to Rutgers, Eisele served six seasons as head coach at Miami-Dade College, producing four 20-win seasons, two Mid-Florida Conference championships, three state tournament appearances, five top-5 poll finishes, four All-Americans and 20 all-conference selections. The 2008-09 Conference Coach of the Year, his teams had a 95 percent graduation rate with over 30 players advancing to compete at Division I programs.
Eisele's coaching career began at Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi. At Belhaven, he was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, helping to recruit three all-conference student-athletes in his tenure.
Eisele, a native of Hollywood, FL., is a 2004 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, earning his degree in Communications and Public Administration.
John Morton, a former NBA first-round draft choice, rejoins the Peacock family after five seasons as an assistant men's basketball coach at Fordham University.
"I have known John Morton for a long time as a great player, coach, and friend," Holloway said. "It was important for me to hire someone who is positive, has high integrity, and works hard. I'm thrilled to have John on the staff to help bring this program back to where it belongs."
Prior to his half of a decade at Fordham, Morton was an assistant coach at Saint Peter's from 2006-2010, helping the Peacocks to a 16-win season, eleven of those in the MAAC, good for a fourth-place regular season conference finish in 2010. That core group went on to win the 2011 MAAC championship the following season, earning Saint Peter's last NCAA berth.
Before his first stint in Jersey City, Morton served as the administrative assistant on Seton Hall's 2006 NCAA tournament team.
Morton was a four-year starter for the Pirates from 1985-1989. In 1987-88 he led Seton Hall to its first NCAA Tournament berth. One year later, he was named Third Team All-Big East, and he guided the Pirates on a memorable run to the 1989 National Championship game where Seton Hall fell in overtime to Michigan. Following his senior season, Morton won the Haggerty Award as the top player in the Metropolitan area.
Following his collegiate career, Morton was selected in the first round of the NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, the 25th player chosen overall. He played for Cleveland for two seasons before spending a year with the Miami Heat.
After playing with the Rapid City Thrillers of the CBA, Morton went overseas, playing professionally in Spain from 1993-1999. While in Spain, Morton enjoyed a tremendous stint in the prestigious ACB League, earning five All-Star honors. Morton also played professionally in Italy and the Philippines.
Morton was inducted into the New Jersey Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame in 2007. In 2004, he was a recipient of the John D. "Honey" Russell Award, an award annually presented to a former Seton Hall player who truly represents the values of Seton Hall University. A 1997 SHU Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, he received his bachelor's degree in communications from Seton Hall in 1990.
A Bronx native, Morton played high school basketball at Walton High School in the Bronx where he was named to the New York All City and State High School team. Morton was also a Converse All-American.
Morton and his wife, Giovanni, have twin boys, Jayden and Jordan and reside in East Windsor, NJ. He also has a daughter, Schyler.
Erik Goldbach begins his professional career as the Director of Basketball Operations. Goldbach spent three seasons as a student manager at the College of Charleston before becoming a walk-on as a senior.
"We are very excited to have Erik join our family," said Holloway. "He is an aspiring young coach and we are lucky to have him start his journey with us."
At the College of Charleston, Goldbach was part of rebuilding the program to one of the top teams in the Colonial Athletic Association. Goldbach graduated in 2017 with bachelor's degree in Communications and a minor in Coaching. Following college, he received a scholarship from Durham University in England to play basketball and work toward a masters in Marketing. Goldbach was born and raised in Lancaster, PA.
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