Tony Bozzella \u201989 uses his credentials and location when he sells the Seton Hall women\u2019s basketball program to recruits. He talks about his up-tempo offense and his reputation as a players\u2019 coach. He points to his record of turning struggling programs into winning ones. And he promotes Seton Hall itself \u2014 the academic and athletic facilities, its proximity to New York City, its business school, and the University\u2019s \u201cpeople who care. We would never have this success without other people outside of athletics.\u201d<\/p>\n
One reason he\u2019s successful at pitching the virtues of Seton Hall as a coach is because he experienced them as a student. A native of Glen Cove, N.Y., Bozzella came to Seton Hall thinking he\u2019d start his own business after school. Instead, he developed a desire to coach. But if he coached somewhere else today, \u201cI don\u2019t know how much passion I\u2019d have\u201d selling that school. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t believe in the education and school the way I do for Seton Hall. I mean, I went here!\u201d<\/p>\n
Bozzella\u2019s Seton Hall journey, which started more than 30 years ago, culminated with his return in 2013. He came back determined to transform the Pirates into contenders. In two seasons he\u2019s done just that \u2014 the Pirates won their first regular-season BIG EAST title in 2015 and made the NCAA Tournament.<\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately, for me, this is a place where I\u2019ve always dreamed of going and a place I dream of ending my career,\u201d he says. \u201cHopefully many, many years from now.\u201d<\/p>\n