SMITHFIELD – Jamion Christian is returning stateside to hopefully bring the Bryant University men’s basketball program to the NCAA tournament once again.
University officials and athletics leaders announced Thursday that Christian has been named the new head men’s basketball coach after Christian served as the head coach of Italy's Serie A program team, Pallacanestro Trieste, for the last two seasons. Terms of Christian’s agreement with Bryant were not disclosed.
Christian succeeds Phil Martelli Jr. as coach for Bryant. Martelli,
the 2024-25 America East Conference Coach of the Year who led the Bulldogs to 23 wins and a berth in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, left Bryant to
become Virginia Commonwealth University’s new men’s basketball coach.
"I am so excited to have a chance to lead the Bryant basketball program," Christian said in a statement. "My level of appreciation comes from all the success they have had recently but also the incredible progression this program has been on since turning Division I. Each time I played here I was amazed at the talent and the passion of the fan base.”
Bryant says Christian brings two decades of coaching experience, both within the college ranks and internationally. A 2004 graduate of Mount St. Mary's University, Christian led his alma mater for six seasons starting in 2012, bringing the Mountaineers to the NCAA tournament in 2014 and 2017, Bryant says.
Christian also has coached at George Washington University and Siena College before coaching in Italy the last two years. He has posted a 41-24 record in his two seasons and currently has Pallacanestro Trieste in sixth place in the 16-team league, Bryant says.
Now, Christian takes over a program that has seen significant success the last four years, reaching NCAA’s “March Madness” twice in that span. Bryant’s men’s basketball program has won 97 games in the last five years and also advanced to the conference championship game in three of those years, the university says.
“We've missed college basketball and the chance to impact young people in the way higher education provides,” Christian said. “We are looking forward to being active members in the community and starting our life here in Rhode Island. As the head coach I am looking forward to enhancing the momentum that we have as a program. We will compete. We will play with joy. We will show how powerful connection can be. We will elevate those around us with our actions”
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 X at @James_Bessette.
