JERSEY CITY, N.J. (June 16, 2022) - Pete Cipriano has joined the Saint Peter's men's basketball staff as an assistant coach in June of 2022 and after spending nine years at Southern University in New Orleans, head coach Bashir Mason has announced.
Cipriano returns home after growing up in Jersey City, NJ, and playing high school basketball for legendary Bob Hurley at national powerhouse St. Anthony High School. As a senior, Cipriano led the Friars to a NJSIAA Championship.
"I'm excited and blessed to be back home working with a childhood friend and back where it all started for me," Cipriano said. "I'm up to the challenge to continue to keep this program relevant and competitive."
Cipriano started at Southern in the 2012-2013 season, serving as a student assistant coach for one year and spending the last eight seasons as an assistant coach.
In his time with the Jaguars, Cipriano helped Southern win the 2016 SWAC Tournament Title and earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament. He also helped the Jaguars to the 2014 SWAC Regular season title and was a student assistant for the 2013 season that saw Southern win the 2013 SWAC Tournament Championship.
"I'm excited to have Pete join our staff," coach Mason said. "With over 15 years of playing and coaching experience at the Division I level, there's no doubt that Pete will help the program's success. I'm even more excited with his background in the south in terms of recruiting and the contacts that he has, he'll be able to help us recruit outside of the metropolitan area. It also helps that he's another successful Jersey City guy who has a ton of people who want to help him have success here at Saint Peter's."
Prior to working at Southern, Cipriano played professionally overseas from 2006-2011. He spent five seasons playing in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Poland. Cipriano averaged 7.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a professional. Cipriano was also a member of the Cape Verde national basketball team that won a bronze medal at the FIBA Africa Championship in 2007, qualifying for a wildcard for the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Cipriano is a native of Jersey City, New Jersey, who was also a member of the Jaguar men's basketball program for five seasons (2001-2006). Cipriano led the Jaguars to a 2006 SWAC Tournament Title and a NCAA Tournament berth. Cipriano was a First Team All-SWAC player in 2005 and a Second Team All-SWAC player in 2003 as a redshirt freshman. In 118 career games he averaged 9.4 points and 8 rebounds per game.
Cipriano earned his degree from Southern in Interdisciplinary Studies in 2013.
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