Committed to building a winning basketball program with quality student-athletes, Steve Hayn is optimistic that the Stevens men's basketball program has turned a corner. Beginning his fourth season as head coach, Hayn returns all five starters and welcomes his deepest recruiting class yet, making the prospects bright for a successful season in 2004-05.
Named the eighth head coach in the program's 88-year history on June 18, 2001, Hayn brought instant credibility to the Stevens program. Successful at building winning programs at every stop in his coaching career, Hayn's teams have showed significant signs of growth and development in his first three seasons at Stevens. His teams have been deeper and his recruiting classes stronger each season, a trend that will surely translate into success on the court.
"I am confident that Steve is the right person to lead our program to new heights," said athletic director Russell Rogers. "He is a person who has experienced success at every level of collegiate basketball including Division III. More importantly, he is an outstanding educator who is committed to developing the character and work ethic of our student-athletes as well as their ability as basketball players."
Despite having no seniors and four new starters in his starting lineup during the 2003-04 season, Hayn's team was one of the hottest in the Skyline Conference at the end of the season. The Ducks won four of their final five regular-season games with the only loss coming in overtime. He nearly orchestrated an upset on the road in the first round of the conference tournament.
Hayn's teams have traditionally played their best basketball at tournament time. After taking over late in the summer of 2001, Hayn inherited a program with just seven players on the roster. Despite a lack of depth, he got the most out of his small squad by leading the team to seven wins in its final 13 regular-season games. Hayn added six freshmen in his first full recruiting class for the 2002-03 season. With two first-year players in the starting lineup by midseason, the team was again playing its best basketball during the second semester. Despite their youth and inexperience, the Ducks again won seven of their final 13 games including an 82-81 upset of Skyline Conference frontrunner Kings Point.
Hayn entered the coaching ranks as the head varsity coach at Port Jefferson high school in Long Island. His impact on the Port Jefferson program was immediate as he guided the Royals to a third-place finish in the Long Island public school league. Following a two-year stint at Port Jefferson, Hayn joined coach Bill Van Gundy's staff as an assistant coach at Genesee Community College. In his only season at Genesee, the Cougars finished with an overall record of 26-6 and qualified as a NJCAA Division I Region III semifinalist.
Hayn next accepted the position of assistant coach at Central Connecticut State University. During his three-year tenure on coach Howie Dickenman's staff, he was responsible for all aspects of the Blue Devil's NCAA Division I program including recruiting, scouting, on-floor coaching and scheduling. The 1999-2000 CCSU squad made the first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history after capturing the Northeast Conference title while posting an overall record of 25-5.
Hayn returned to the NCAA Division III ranks when he accepted the head coaching position at the State University of New York at Fredonia. During his two year tenure as the leader of the Blue Devil program, his squad posted 30 total victories and earned berths in the SUNYAC postseason tournament each season. His 2000-01 Fredonia team posted an overall 18-11 record and earned a postseason bid, advancing to the finals of the ECAC Tournament.
With over 20 years of playing and coaching experience, Hayn is excited about the challenge he faces at Stevens.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for me and my family and we're excited to be members of the Stevens community," Hayn said. "Stevens is a very attractive school with one of the top academic reputations in the country. I'm certainly looking forward to working in an outstanding environment with student-athletes who are committed to succeeding both on the court and in the classroom."
Born in Queens and raised in Long Island, Hayn developed into a standout forward at the University of Stony Brook. A two-time captain and 1,000-point scorer for the Seawolves, Hayn led his senior squad to a 1991 NCAA Division III Tournament appearance. A graduate of Stony Brook with a B.A. in Liberal Arts, Hayn later earned a master's degree in Special Education from Long Island University-C.W. Post.
Hayn and his wife Gina reside in Hoboken, N.J., with their son, Zachary, and daughter, Sophie.
