Head Coach - Jeff Santarsiero
The 2025-26 season will be Head Coach Jeff Santarsiero's 30th year as the Geneva men's basketball head coach. The 2023-24 season was the most successful season of his head coaching career, leading the Golden Tornadoes to a 24-4 overall record while winning their first Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Championship and advancing to the NCAA Division III National Tournament. In addition to that championship season, the 2020-21 season saw the Golden Tornadoes finish in second place in the PAC regular season standings, the highest finish up to that point since joining the conference. The prior season, 2019-20, saw Geneva advance to the PAC Championship game for the first time since joining the Presidents' Athletic Conference in 2011.
On November 17, 2017, with a victory over Valley Forge, Coach Jeff Santarsiero passed Hall of Fame Coach Cliff Aultman as Geneva's all-time win leader with 291 wins. The victory put him at the top of a long list of accomplished basketball coaches that Geneva has had over the program's history.
Since 1988, the Geneva men's basketball program has been in the capable hands of Santarsiero. Serving as an assistant coach under former head coach Jerry Slocum when he first arrived on campus, Santarsiero took over as head coach in 1996. His tenure is now the longest in the 120 years of Geneva basketball. Not only has he become a fixture on the sideline, but Santarsiero has also seen a great deal of success during his tenure.
Santarsiero picked up his 200th Geneva victory in 2009, his 300th win in 2018, and just this past season, in 2025, he earned his 400th career win at Geneva. He is currently sitting with a record of 403-407 (through the 2024-25 season) at Geneva, 475-439 overall. Beginning his coaching career at his alma mater of Nyack College, Santarsiero posted an overall record of 72-32 as the head coach of Nyack's women's program.
A graduate of Nyack College, Santarsiero was a standout player during his college days. Recording 1,848 points on the college level, Santarsiero led the NCCAA in scoring during his junior season. In that same year, he finished seventh in the NAIA with a scoring average of 25.2 points per game. "I truly believe my experiences as a player at Nyack have been very beneficial to my coaching career at Geneva," says Santarsiero. "There is so much that goes into a student-athlete's experience in a college program, and it is extremely helpful to have those first hand experiences to help your players understand what is most important."
The most important aspect of a Santarsiero-coached team is the work that is done off the court. While Geneva basketball continues to thrive on the court, it is the work in the classroom that makes Santarsiero the most proud. "We have graduated every player that has come through our program during my tenure," explains Santarsiero.
"We take great pride in the example we set on and off the court. If our guys don't get it done in the classroom, they won't have the chance to excel on the court."
Basketball was certainly not the only driving force in Santarsiero's life during his time in college. Earning a sociology undergraduate degree at Nyack, Santarsiero's first job was as a travel coordinator for World Relief Corporation. He also worked as a social worker in New York City from 1983-88 before turning his attention to the coaching ranks. He earned his master's degree in Sport Management from the United States Sports Academy in Mobile, Al. "I am equally proud of my accomplishments off the court as what I have done during my coaching tenure," says Santarsiero. "I think it gives our student-athletes a better understanding of what needs to be done in the classroom to have the privilege of playing the game they love."
In addition to his coaching duties, Santarsiero is an assistant professor in the sport management and business department at Geneva. He is a member of several regional NCAA committees and is also a member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). He has participated in several panels and round table discussions at a national level.
In the year 2000, Santarsiero was honored by his college alma mater with an induction into the Nyack College Hall of Fame for his efforts on the court as a player. "Obviously this was a special achievement in my life," Santarsiero said. "It was a thrill to be inducted, but I'm not about individual awards and accolades. All of my focus goes into the continued development of our program and each individual who makes Geneva their home."
"Geneva has certainly played a huge role in the life of me and my family for the past 30 plus years. There is no place I would rather be and no other student-athletes I would rather be working with. I have great kids, great assistant coaches and a special place to work."
In 2013 Santarsiero was honored for his work, dedication and service with the induction into the NCCAA Hall of Fame.
Santarsiero resides in Chippewa with his wife Sue.
Contact Coach Santarsiero by email at jsantars@geneva.edu.
