Athletics
Saint Michael's
Vermont
Saint Michael's
C.W. Post
at Stonehill Tip-Off Classic at Stonehill Tip-Off Classic
Saint Michael's
Caldwell
at Stonehill Tip-Off Classic at Stonehill Tip-Off Classic
Saint Michael's
Mass.-Lowell
Concordia (N.Y.)
Saint Michael's
Men's Basketball
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| Michael Harding | |
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Basketball (M) - Head Coach
Bowdoin '03 First Season mharding@smcvt.edu 802.654.2675 |
Michael Harding, formerly the Associate Head Coach at NCAA Division II Stonehill College, was named the 21st head coach of the Saint Michael's College men's basketball program on April 15, 2010.
"I am thrilled to announce the hiring of Michael Harding," said Saint Michael's Athletics Director Geri Knortz. "Saint Michael's College is fortunate to have a strong and diverse talent pool to work with in this search, and I am confident that the College has made an excellent choice.
"Aside from the obvious on-court success at Stonehill, we are also very impressed with Michael's considerable skill set in recruiting, communication, and fostering academic success," Knortz continued. "His professional philosophy is a great fit for Saint Michael's, and I have no doubt that his intellect, enthusiasm, and work ethic will quickly become evident to our campus, alumni, and greater Burlington communities."
Harding completed his fifth season with the Stonehill men's basketball program in March of 2010, where he played a vital role in another epic year for the Skyhawks. Stonehill spent the season ranked as one of the nation's top Division II programs, winning the NE-10 regular season championship, and hosting the NCAA Regional Tournament as the East region's top seed. At season's end, Stonehill was 24-6 overall, and a remarkable 20-2 in the NE-10.
Stonehill men's basketball has enjoyed a remarkable run of success with Harding on staff. Since his arrival in 2005, the program has gone 106-47 overall, with two NE-10 Championships and three NCAA Tournament appearances - including a National Final Four berth in 2006.
As Associate Head Coach, Harding also served as Stonehill's recruiting coordinator and travel coordinator, and developed season strength and conditioning programs, in addition to his on-floor coaching responsibilities.
Prior to his arrival at Stonehill, Harding was the assistant coach at his alma mater, Bowdoin College (NCAA Division III), for the 2004-05 campaign. He spent his first year after graduation as a teacher and assistant varsity basketball coach at the Landon School, a prep high school located in Bethesda, Md.
Harding said, "I am thrilled to be named head men's basketball coach at Saint Michael's College, and I would like to thank President Jack Neuhauser, Athletics Director Geri Knortz and the college's administration for providing me with this incredible opportunity. This is an exciting time to be associated with the Saint Michael's athletics program, and I hope to be able to build a program at Saint Michael's that the college, alumni, and community can be proud of."
Harding earned a bachelor's degree in Government and Legal Studies from Bowdoin in 2003. He was a four-year member of the men's basketball team, and captained the Polar Bears as a senior. Harding was the recipient of the Sarah and James Bowdoin Scholar Award for academic excellence, as well as being selected as the Lenox Foundation Book Award honoree for his exemplary scholarship. He also earned the Hixon Memorial Leadership Prize in his senior year. He went on to earn a master's degree in education from Tufts University in 2007.
| Ari Shapiro-Miller | |
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Basketball (M) - Assistant Coach
Massachusetts '04 Fourth season ashapiromill@smcvt.edu 802.654.2722 |
Ari Shapiro-Miller returns to the Saint Michael's men's basketball staff for his fourth season as an assistant coach in 2009-10, and his second season as the program's top assistant coach. Shapiro-Miller helped lead the Purple Knights to a 16-13 season in his first year with the program in 2006-07, and he was promoted to the lead assistant role in September of 2008.
"Ari has been very effective in his role on the staff the past couple of years, and I look forward to his expanded role this coming year," said O'Shea upon Shapiro-Miller's promotion in September of 2008.
Shapiro-Miller, a graduate student at Saint Michael's who is pursuing his Master's degree in psychology, earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts in 2004, majoring in sport management. While in Amherst, Shapiro-Miller worked under head men's basketball coach Steve Lappas as the team's film manager. His responsibilities for the NCAA Division I program included scouting, producing edit tapes, and managing the team's video editing technology.
Shapiro-Miller, whose father, Ronald Miller, is a professor of psychology at Saint Michael's, was a standout basketball player at nearby Champlain Valley Union High School. He earned a McDonald's All-American Honorable Mention nomination, an All-State nomination, and a First Team All-Metro selection in 1999-2000, the year he led CVU to the Vermont Division I State Semifinals (the program's first semifinal appearance since 1965). He went on to play collegiate basketball at Hamilton College in 2000-01.
Shapiro-Miller has been actively involved in many summer basketball camps. He has served as a coach and instructor at Five Star Camp, Eastern Invitational, Jim Boeheim Big Orange Basketball Camp, and the University of Massachusetts Basketball Camp, in addition to his work with Saint Michael's summer camps.
| Nick Leonardelli | |
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Basketball (M) - Assistant Coach
Dickinson '07 First Season nleonardelli@smcvt.edu 802.654.2739 |
Nick Leonardelli, formerly an assistant coach with the Saint Lawrence University men's basketball program, has been named the part-time second assistant coach of the Saint Michael's College men's basketball program. The announcement was made on June 3 by the College's first-year head coach, Michael Harding.
"I am extremely excited about joining the Saint Michael's men's basketball program, as well as for the opportunity to learn from Coach Harding and assistant coach Ari Shapiro-Miller," said Leonardelli. "I am looking forward to getting involved with all aspects of the program, as well as recruiting standout student-athletes to Saint Michael's."
"Nick is dedicated, intelligent, and proven as a recruiter," said Harding. "Coach Shapiro-Miller and I are fortunate to have Nick join our program at Saint Michael's."
Leonardelli joins the Purple Knights after spending the last nine months at Saint Lawrence in Canton, N.Y., where he was pursuing his master of education in education leadership. As a graduate assistant coach, Leonardelli helped lead the NCAA Division III Saints to the Liberty League regular-season and tournament championships, receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. While at Saint Lawrence, Leonardelli was involved with many aspects of the men's basketball program, including the planning and running of practices, individual player improvement, strength training, recruiting, and scouting.
Prior to his time at Saint Lawrence, Leonardelli spent two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Rutgers University-Newark, where he received a Master of Arts in liberal studies in May of 2009. In addition to being involved with most aspects of the NCAA Division III program, Leonardelli also helped guide Rutgers-Newark to the program's first New Jersey Athletic Conference finals appearance in school history, and to two Eastern College Athletic Conference Tournament berths.
A native of Chester, N.J., and a standout student-athlete at Mendham High School, Leonardelli enjoyed a successful four-year career at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa. While at Dickinson, Leonardelli served as a team captain as a senior in 2006-07, and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in history.
Leonardelli has a multitude of summer camp coaching and counselor experience, including at NCAA Division I institutions Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Rider University, and also at Saint Lawrence, Rutgers-Newark, and Susquehanna University.
