Alma Mater: SUNY Oneonta ’06
Hometown/High School: New Paltz, NY / New Paltz
Record at Utica: 177-77 (2016–Present)
YEAR-BY-YEAR at Utica University:
2025-26: 17-9, 10-6 Empire 8 (E8 Tournament Appearance)
2024-25: 21-8, 12-4 Empire 8 (Empire 8 Champions, NCAA Tournament)
2023-24: 24-4, 15-1 Empire 8 (Empire 8 Champions, NCAA Tournament)
2022-23: 23-5, 17-1 Empire 8 (NCAA Tournament)
2021-22: 23-4, 15-1 Empire 8 (E8 Regular Season Champions)
2020-21: 10-2, 8-2 Empire 8 (Empire 8 Champions)
2019-20: 18-8, 9-5 Empire 8
2018-19: 14-11, 8-8 Empire 8
2017-18: 17-10, 11-5 Empire 8 (E8 Championship Game Appearance)
2016-17: 10-16, 10-6 Empire 8 (E8 Tournament Appearance)
Career Roadmap:
Utica University | 2016–Present (HC)
St. John Fisher College | 2011–2016 (AC)
Corning Community College | 2010–2011 (AC)
Hudson Valley Community College | 2009–2010 (Asst. AD/SID)
Hudson Valley Community College | 2006–2008 (AC)
Sean Coffey recently completed his 10th season as head coach of the Utica University men’s basketball program. He is the eighth head coach in program history and took the reins ahead of the 2016-17 season.
In his first decade at Utica, Coffey has led the Pioneers to a 177-77 overall record and a 115-39 mark in the Empire 8 while earning nine Empire 8 Conference Tournament appearances. Under his leadership, Utica has captured three Empire 8 Championships (2021, 2024, 2025), advanced to three consecutive NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, and established itself as one of the conference’s premier programs.
Coffey has guided the program to nine consecutive winning seasons, becoming the first head coach in program history to do so. During the 2025-26 season, he became Utica’s all-time wins leader, earning his 170th career victory with a 70-61 win over Hartwick on January 13, 2026.
A five-time Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year honoree, Coffey was named the 2024-25 NABC District III Coach of the Year and the 2022-23 ECAC Coach of the Year.
The 2025-26 season saw Utica post a 17-9 overall record and a 10-6 conference mark, securing a sixth consecutive Empire 8 Tournament appearance. Four Pioneers earned All-Conference honors, including First Team selection Dayion Thompson, while Keyaton Parks and Liam Teague were named to the Third Team and Isaiah Smith earned Tomorrow’s Leader recognition. Ryan McCardle and Ben Wittman were named CSC Academic All-District.
In 2024-25, the Pioneers went 21-8 overall and 12-4 in conference play, capturing a second straight Empire 8 Championship and earning a third consecutive NCAA Tournament berth. Four players earned All-Conference honors, highlighted by First Team selections Damien Call and Thompson, while Call also earned All-Region III Third Team and All-ECAC Second Team recognition.
Coffey’s recent run of success began with a 24-4 championship season in 2023-24, followed by a 23-5 campaign in 2022-23 that included a program-record 17-1 conference mark and the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2006-07. In 2021-22, Utica matched a program-best 23 wins and earned its first Empire 8 regular season title, one year after capturing the program’s first-ever Empire 8 Championship in Spring 2021.
Earlier in his tenure, Coffey guided the Pioneers to steady improvement, including an 18-8 campaign in 2019-20 and a conference championship game appearance in 2017-18. In his first season, he led a second-half turnaround that resulted in a postseason berth.
Prior to Utica, Coffey spent five seasons at St. John Fisher, helping guide the Cardinals to 89 wins, an Empire 8 Championship, and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. He also held roles at Corning Community College and Hudson Valley Community College.
A New Paltz, New York native, Coffey earned his bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oneonta in 2006, where he was a record-setting three-point shooter, and later completed his master’s degree at the College of St. Rose. He went on to play professionally in Ireland, leading the Irish Superleague in scoring and three-pointers while earning All-Import First Team honors.
Coffey is a National Strength and Conditioning Association certified strength and conditioning specialist. He and his wife Gabrielle reside in Utica with their children, Brielle and Richard “Rip” Sean Coffey Jr
