With 700th win, UMass Dartmouth's Brian Baptiste becomes winningest active Div. III coach
Move over, Pat Robertson — there’s a new member of the 700 Club. And his name is Brian Baptiste.
The highly successful UMass Dartmouth men’s basketball mentor added another accolade to his hall of fame resume last Saturday, as he became the winningest active coach in NCAA Division III play after his Corsairs dispatched host Castleton 68-57 to present him with his 700th career victory. Baptiste ranks 13th all-time across all divisions among active men’s coaches after that milestone achievement, as he sports an overall mark of 700-369 (.655) in his 40th year at the school.
In the aftermath following Saturday’s game, the enormity of the accomplishment didn’t immediately hit Baptiste emotionally. It was the minutes and hours that followed on the long trip back to Dartmouth when it began to sink in.
“It didn’t hit me walking off the floor, and when we got in the locker room, I brought the team together and told them this is about you, it’s not about me,” Baptiste said. “When I got on the bus for the ride home, my phone started blowing up with texts from former players, coaches, family and friends — that’s when it really hit me.”
All he does is win
With due respect to DJ Khaled, all Baptiste has done is win, win, win, win, win during a glorious career that started when the institution was still known as Southeastern Massachusetts University. After serving as an assistant coach for fellow Hall of Famer Bruce Wheeler in the late ‘70’s and early 80’s, Baptiste’s journey as the Corsairs’ head coach began in the fall of 1983. The road to his first victory took him to Babson Park on November 19, 1983 as SMU dispatched Anna Maria at Babson College’s season-opening tournament, and the highways and byways that have taken him to lofty heights throughout the country ultimately led to Castleton, Vermont last weekend for win No. 700 against the homestanding Spartans.
Just four years into his tenure, Baptiste guided SMU to a 27-1 mark that included a trip to the 1988 NCAA Division III Elite Eight with Little East Conference Player of the Year and Corsair legend Kevin Kolek leading the way. Six years later, Baptiste amassed his 200th career victory and took UMass Dartmouth into the national spotlight once again during a 1992-93 season that saw his squad win 25 games and advance to the Division III Final Four.
He began having thoughts of taking his talents to the next level either at Division I or Division II. Knowing the road for a Division III coach to travel directly to DI was difficult, Baptiste wasn’t really looking to leave a head job for an assistant’s position.
“It’s very rare to see someone go right from DIII directly to DI or DII,” he said. “While raising my own young kids, the stories I heard about others doing the same while keeping a crazy schedule weren’t good ones. I looked at some opportunities, but ultimately decided that I was in a better position here to continue to build both a program and a family.”
The results of that decision speak for themselves.
More than a program — it’s a family
The relationships forged over nearly a half century dating back to Baptiste’s playing days at American International College remain as special today as they were then. Young men who entered his program as freshmen grew and matured, and as the years went along, Baptiste saw that he had built something very special — he had created a family.
“To me, it’s about the relationships you build and continue to forge over the course of time,” he said. “I realized in raising my own kids how important building a family atmosphere was, and that is the single greatest feeling of accomplishment that I’ve had over the years.”
That feeling is mutual from his former players and coaches, and especially from his own family. Congratulations continue to pour in from all facets of his alumni base, many of which were shared by the University on the athletics website over the weekend: What it Really Means: Brian Baptiste and 700 Wins - UMass Dartmouth .
One message in particular that sums up that feeling came from Kolek, who said “Not only are you a great coach, you are an unbelievable person who has impacted so many lives on and off the court. Words cannot explain the impact you have had on my life. You’ve made me a better player and better person … I have been blessed to be a part of your life. I think the only thing that gives you more joy than coaching are your beautiful daughters and grandchildren.”
The more things change, the more they stay the same
As the times changed, Baptiste remained true to the core values he learned growing up in New Bedford and starring for the Whalers alongside his childhood friend Ed Rodrigues. The same philosophies he employed as a player, assistant and ultimately head coach aren’t any different in 2023 than they were 40 years ago.
“I tell the kids like it is — I don’t sugar coat it,” Baptiste said. “My job is to challenge them to play to the best of their abilities. Kids are basically the same today as they were then — they don’t necessarily like the discipline aspect of the game when it is applied, but eventually they understand it. I’ve heard from many of my former players who say they may not have understood it then, but they do now with their own children or teams. It’s helped them in a lot of situations.”
Another thing that has changed over the years is recruiting. The pandemic coupled with the advent of social media forced Baptiste and his staff to adapt to unprecedented situations that led to online conversations instead of in-person visits.
“My younger staff keeps involved in social media, so we are in contact through that as much as possible,” he said. “The key piece is getting kids on campus, interacting with our players and coaches, and enjoying a positive experience. It’s been challenging over the past couple of years with COVID, but that will always be such an important part of the process.”
Judging by the Corsairs’ success during the pandemic, Baptiste’s adjustment to the ever-changing landscape has been a successful one, considering UMass Dartmouth has advanced to the Little East championship game in each of the last three years, claiming the conference tournament title in 2021 and the league regular season crown last March en route to the school’s seventh trip to the Sweet Sixteen. The conditions may have changed, but the results have stayed the same.
Magical moments and memories
It’s only natural that regional and national honors have followed Baptiste’s success along the way. A nine-time Little East Coach of the Year, he has also garnered National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Northeast District Coach of the Year accolades.
But more important than the awards are the memories that have been made. When asked which win stands out above any others, Baptiste pointed to the NCAA sectionals in 1993 as two that were magical, including a last-second game-winner at SUNY-Geneseo that propelled the Corsairs into the regional title game with a Final Four berth on the line against a familiar foe, longtime LEC rival Eastern Connecticut.
“Eastern had six losses that season, and heading into that game, we had beaten them three times, including in the conference championship,” Baptiste recalled.
Was the fourth time to be just as charming? Absolutely, as the Corsairs dispatched the Warriors to reach the national semifinals before falling by a single point (74-73) to eventual champion Ohio Northern.
“We had chances late in the (Ohio Northern) game, but some foul trouble hurt us,” Baptiste said. “I’ll never forget that run.”
The secret of his success
UMass Dartmouth is the winningest program in Little East history, as the Corsairs have won 65 percent of their league games while capturing 13 regular season and 11 conference tournament championships. Baptiste has guided his team to 14 NCAA tournament appearances overall, the latest coming last March with a senior-laden group that included All-American Marcus Azor.
With all of those incredible achievements behind him, Baptiste said that while 700 wins is special, he will appreciate it more when he retires. His focus is on the job at hand.
“Each season is different,” Baptiste said. “That’s what keeps me going. It’s like being a carpenter — this year is still under construction, and it takes time to mold something. The polishing and final product will come down the road.”
And in true coaching fashion, as soon as he arrived back on campus, Baptiste’s attention on the court turned from his remarkable achievement to only one thing: The Corsairs’ next victory.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: UMass Dartmouth men's basketball coach Brian Baptiste reaches 700 wins
