Brookdale head coach Paul Cisek awarded NJCAA DIII Men's Basketball Coach of the Year
Charlotte, NC - After leading Brookdale (NJ) to its third national title in school history, Paul Cisek has been named the 2022-23 NJCAA Division III Men's Basketball Coach of the Year for the third time in his career (2013, 2018).
Cisek has been at the helm of the Jersey Blue program for the last 31 years. Since finishing his first season with an 8-18 record, Cisek has won over 600 games, three national titles, seven national tournament appearances, and eight Region XIX Championships.
"Paul Cisek is an exceptional coach. He supports his student-athletes and is instrumental in their success on and off the court. He continues to advocate for his students and wants nothing but the best for everyone. For Paul, it is all about ensuring everyone has a positive collegiate experience. He goes above and beyond and always puts the student first. We are lucky to have him as a coach and I am grateful I get to work with him," Brookdale athletic director Katelyn Amundson said.
The Jersey Blues finished 2022-23 with a 30-3 record and a North Atlantic District Championship title. This was the program's first tournament appearance since 2018.
They entered as the No.3 overall seed and received a first-round bye. In the quarterfinal round, they defeated 11-seeded DuPage (IL) 77-62 behind five Jersey Blue players scoring double figures. Facing No. 10 seed Rochester (MN) in the semifinal round, they handily won the game by 14. The Jersey Blues entered the National Championship game facing the top overall seed Sandhills (NC), a battle between two of the best offensive teams in the nation. After a face paced game, Brookdale clinched its third national title in school history 90-82.
"I'm very fortunate that I've had a great staff and really great kids throughout the years, or it wouldn't be possible. To this day, I haven't scored a point, but I have had 600 wins. I'm very fortunate to be here," Coach said.
