Nugent Joins Coaching Staff
Robert Nugent Jr., former assistant coach at one the nation’s top Division III liberal arts colleges in both academics and basketball, has been tapped as the new head coach of the men’s basketball team at Washington College. Nugent succeeds interim head coach Mike Hart and long-time head coach Tom Finnegan, who resigned last season after 30 years of coaching.
Athletic Director Bryan Matthews made the hire in May. “His experience as an assistant coach at Williams College when they played for the national championship several times, coupled with his head coaching experience at Southern Vermont College, made this the right choice to lead our program,” commented Matthews.
“I have not been here that long,” Nugent commented, “but Washington College appears to be an institution that is extremely student-centered. That is a wonderful thing. Washington College is a great place, and I am excited to be a part of it.”
Nugent served for the past two years as the head coach of the men’s basketball and baseball teams at Southern Vermont College, a relative newcomer to NCAA Division III athletics. He had experience with championship teams during his assistant coaching career at Williams College. His teams there participated twice in the NCAA Division III Final Four. Williams College men’s basketball was recognized twice as the Eastern College Athletic Conference Team of the Year and was the 1998-1999 New England Small College Athletic Conference Champions during Nugent’s assistant coaching years.
Nugent graduated magna cum laude in 1997 from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
With five returning players and five freshmen, he hopes to improve upon the 2000-01 season when the team finished 13-11 overall and 6-7 in the Centennial Conference. “The Shoremen have a rich basketball tradition of success; we are looking to build on that tradition. I promise we are going to play hard and defend,” he said.
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