Men's Basketball

 Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." If that's true, only great things are in store for the Fairfield University men's basketball program because there is no one more enthusiastic than Head Coach Ed Cooley. If enthusiasm is contagious, then Ed Cooley is what is known as a carrier.

 No one can walk away from a conversation with Ed Cooley without feeling invigorated. He'll tell you that anything can be accomplished if you work hard and enjoy yourself while you are doing it. And most importantly, he backs up his words by practicing what he preaches as a recruiter, as a mentor, and as a coach.

 Cooley works hard from the time he steps off the bus to the time he gets back on the vehicle. Sometimes fans look away from the third-year head coach because they get tired just watching him parade up and down the sideline.

 Cooley became the 11th head coach in the history of Fairfield University when he accepted the position in April 2006. At the announcement news conference, Director of Athletics Eugene P. Doris pointed to Cooley's success as the reason he was standing in front of the Fairfield faithful. 

 He became the first Fairfield men's basketball coach to post a .500 or better record in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play in each of his first three seasons. The Stags own a 30-24 record in conference play since Cooley took over the helm. And, Fairfield has a 44-50 overall record under the Rhode Island native, quite an impressive mark when you consider Fairfield has played the likes of UConn, Wake Forest, Georgetown, Saint Joseph's, and Boston College.

 In his first year at the helm, Fairfield reached several successful benchmarks. The Stags posted a 10-8 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) record in 2006-07 and an 11-7 MAAC mark in 2007-08, the seventh and eighth winning seasons in Fairfield's 26-year association with the conference. And, Cooley became the first coach in school history to post a winning conference slate in his first two years at the helm.

 Fairfield also posted an impressive seven-game winning streak during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, the longest Fairfield win streak in 20 years (1986-87).

  All of this success is no surprise to anyone associated with the men's basketball program. Everyone knew that Cooley's past experience would help the program continue to grow and reach its goal of post-season play on a consistent basis. As an assistant coach, Cooley helped teams garner six NCAA tournament berths as well as a National Invitation Tournament (NIT) pick.

 Cooley's resume boasts coaching assignments at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth (1994-95), Stonehill College (1995-96), University of Rhode Island (1996-97), and Boston College (1997-2006). He served 10 years as an assistant coach under Al Skinner, beginning with his one-year stay at Rhode Island through his nine-year stint at Boston College.

 At Boston College, Cooley helped the Eagles post a 175-108 overall record, which included five 20-win seasons. The team captured the 2000-01 Big East championship, earning one of five NCAA tournament berths during Cooley's tenure. The Eagles also advanced to the NIT one time, giving the team six post-season appearances in nine seasons. In 2004-05, Boston College started the season with 20 straight victories, which established a school record for consecutive wins. In 2005-06, Boston College advanced to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship game against Duke University.

 He was instrumental in the recruitment of Troy Bell, a two-time Big East Player of the Year. Bell also went on to play professional basketball after leaving Boston College, which included a stint in the NBA with the Memphis Grizzlies

 A graduate of Stonehill College, Cooley began his coaching career at UMass-Dartmouth where he helped the team post a 25-4 record and a number three national ranking. He returned to his alma mater for one season, before joining Coach Skinner's staff at the University of Rhode Island for the 1996-97 campaign. With his assistance, the Rams earned their second NCAA tournament bid in five years.

 Cooley played basketball from 1990-94 at Stonehill College. He was a three-year team captain with the Chieftans, and also captured Northeast-10 Academic Honor Roll accolades. He secured two Rhode Island High School Player of the Year awards before attending Stonehill College.