Delaware Valley has announced that Casey Stitzel has been named the new head men's basketball coach of the Aggies. He replaces Denny Surovec, whose services were not retained following the conclusion of the 2007-08 season.
Stitzel, 26, has built a strong resume in a short time since graduating from fellow Middle Atlantic Conference school Widener in 2005. He served as an assistant to legendary coach Herb Magee at Division II Philadelphia University for two seasons and then had a standout season as a rookie head coach at Perkiomen Valley High School this past year.
“It's always been a dream of mine to be a collegiate head coach and I'm thankful that Delaware Valley College has given me this opportunity,” Stitzel said. “Delaware Valley College is a hidden gem in college basketball and I am confident that we can turn the program around and make it successful.
“The MAC (Freedom and Commonwealth Conferences) is, in my mind, one of the best Division III conferences in the country and has great coaches, great players and great history. To be a head coach in this conference at 26 is an incredible honor.”
As head coach at Perkiomen Valley, Stitzel took over a team that won just seven games the year before and led them to a 17-9 record and a District One Class AAAA playoff berth. Among the 17 victories (most by the school since 2002) was a victory over West Chester Henderson High School in the opening round of districts -- the first playoff triumph in school history. The team's season came to an end with a second round loss to a Chester High School squad that has now reached the state championship game.
Stitzel's coaching career began under the tutelage of Magee, who has accumulated a Division II record 855 victories in his 41-plus seasons on the bench. The Rams went 41-20 in Stitzel's two years with the program, including a NCAA tournament berth in the 2005-06 campaign.
After a standout playing career at nearby Lansdale Catholic High School, including one year with current Richmond coach Chris Mooney, Stitzel went to play for former Delaware Valley head coach and current St. Joseph's assistant Dave Duda at Widener from 2001 to 2005.
Stitzel graduated as the Pride's 14th all-time leading scorer (now 16th) with 1,189 points and he is also second in program history in 3-pointers with 207. He holds a pair of school records as he connected on 10 treys in a 2004 game against Juniata and shot 49.2 percent from 3-point land for the 2001-02 season. A three-year team captain, Stitzel was the team Most Valuable Player and an all-MAC Commonwealth second team honoree as he hit 79 treys and averaged 17.7 points per game as a sophomore in the 2002-03 campaign.
Stitzel earned a bachelor's degree in business management/sports management from Widener in 2005. His brother Corey, 29, is also in the coaching profession as an assistant coach at Division I Marist.
Stitzel takes over a Delaware Valley men's basketball program that went 3-22 overall (0-12 MAC Freedom) in the recently completed 2007-08 season.
“Casey Stitzel comes from a solid basketball background, has played in this conference (on the Commonwealth side) and has been around successful basketball coaches in Chris Mooney, Dave Duda and Herb Magee,” Delaware Valley athletic director Frank Wolfgang said. “We feel his energy, enthusiasm and emphasis on recruiting will move the men's basketball program in the right direction.”