Rams reach coaching milestone

The Philadelphia University basketball coaching pair of Herb Magee and Tom Shirley hit a combined 1,500 NCAA wins Tuesday night.

 

When the men’s basketball team at Philadelphia University won its season opener Tuesday, coach Herb Magee and women’s coach Tom Shirley achieved a milestone. 

The 66-60 men’s victory over St. Thomas Aquinas in Sparkill, New York, brought the coaching duo to a combined 1,500 NCAA victories, making them second in line to University of Connecticut’s Geno Auriemma and Jim Calhoun in holding the highest combined total in collegiate basketball.

 

Coach Shirley said the victory is a big accomplishment for the university but modestly said that he had nothing to do with it, noting Coach Magee’s 908 wins. 

 

“I feel like I’m on a big bus and he’s driving and I’m three seats from the back,” Shirley jokes.  “I’m just happy to be riding.”

 

Coach Magee couldn’t be reached for comment. 

 

The women’s team competes home on Thursday night against Washington Adventist.

 

The men’s team competes next at the Wolf Line Bus Tournament, hosted by Shippensburg on Friday and Saturday.