SMITHFIELD – With Jared Grasso out at Bryant University, Phil Martelli Jr. is now officially in with the men’s basketball program.
The university announced Wednesday that Martelli Jr., who has served as an assistant with Bryant’s men’s basketball program for the last five years, has become the team’s new head coach. He had been the associate head coach for the program for the last three years.
Martelli Jr. also was the interim head coach before the start of the new basketball season when Grasso – who two days ago resigned from Bryant as coach – was suspended by the university back in late September for reasons that are still unknown.
Prior to arriving at Bryant, Martelli Jr., the university says, spent 13 seasons as an assistant coach with the University of Delaware, Niagara University, Manhattan College and Central Connecticut State University. Basketball coaching is also in Martelli’s family. His father, Phil Sr., was the longtime Saint Joseph’s University head men’s basketball coach for 24 years and is now the interim head coach at the University of Michigan.
“Bryant prides itself on teaching the importance of character, integrity, and leadership in all we do,” Bryant Board of Trustees Chairman David Beirne said in a statement. “I can’t think of anyone better suited than Phil, a proven values-based leader, to write the next chapter in our journey toward the national stage.”
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
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