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Fordham introduced its new men’s basketball coach Mike Magpayo on Wednesday, ushering in a new era for the 122-year-old program.
The former UC Riverside coach was officially named as the new bench boss of the Rams on Saturday, replacing Keith Urgo after he was fired last month following three seasons at the helm, which included a 25-8 record and a second-place finish in the Atlantic 10 his first season.
Magpayo — the 2023 Big West Coach of the Year — comes to Fordham after five years leading UC Riverside to an 89-63 overall record and 55-32 record in conference play, including the school’s first-ever NIT invite this past season.
The newly minted Fordham coach told reporters during a Wednesday news conference that the chance to coach in New York City was part of why he “aggressively” pursued the opening.
Magpayo was the director of operations, assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Columbia University from 2010-2014.
“I love New York City. It’s the greatest city in the world. It’s my favorite city in the world, and it’s why I aggressively pursued this opportunity,” Magpayo said. “On the flip side, it was why I was sick to my stomach every day through the process, hoping for the chance to lead this program. And when [Fordham AD] Charles [Guthrie] called me, everything froze and tears streamed down my face. They were tears of joy, I assure you.”
Magpayo said that fans can expect to see a team that is going to be “prepared” and “gritty” and that he wants “size at every position.”
“Basketball-wise, we’re going to keep it simple. We’re going to defend, rebound, take care of the ball,” he said. “Get that tattooed — in fact, if we win an Atlantic 10 championship, I’ll get that tattooed on me.”
The new coach also promised to recruit guys that “are in on New York City.”
