Mitch Buonaguro  -  
    Mitch Buonaguro


    Mitch Buonaguro will begin his sixth season as a Viking assistant in 2001-2002 but his 13th year overall with Coach Massimino as the pair teamed together for eight seasons at Villanova. Buonaguro, who has over 25 years of experience as a Division I assistant or head coach, coordinates the Vikings’ recruiting efforts in addition to adding his expertise on the court. An excellent, patient teacher, Buonaguro is well-respected among his peers, as evidenced by the fact that he is a board member on the Assistant Basketball Coaches Committee of the National Association of Basketball Coaches. Prior to his arrival at CSU, Buonaguro served as an assistant coach under Tony Barone at Texas A&M from 1991-96. The 1993-94 squad went 19-11 and advanced to the National Invitational Tournament. Buonaguro also served as the head coach at Fairfield University from 1985-91. In 1985-86, his first season, he led the Stags to a 24-7 record and the first of two consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference titles which garnered NCAA Tournament bids. Subsequently, he was named national rookie coach of the year by Basketball Times and District I coach of the year by the United States Basketball Writers Association and the NABC. From 1977-85 Buonaguro was an assistant under Coach Massimino at Villanova. During their eight years together at ‘Nova, the Wildcats produced a 173-79 mark and earned seven NCAA Tournament bids. Four of those NCAA trips led to Elite Eight appearances with the 1985 ride culminating with the NCAA Championship. Buonaguro began his coaching career in 1975 when he was named an assistant at his alma mater Boston College. Buonaguro was a member of the Eagle basketball team for four seasons. He graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in history in 1975 and in 1977 he received a master’s in secondary education, both from Boston College. Buonaguro and his wife Suzin reside in North Ridgeville, OH. He has an 14-year old son, Michael, who attends Malvern Prep in Malvern, Pa.

    DID YOU KNOW? Mitch Buonaguro is one of the more than eighty past and present head coaches to have both played and coached in the NCAA Division I Tournament. Mitch scored four points, hitting both his attempts from the floor, for Boston College in the 1975 Tournament as the Eagles topped Furman in the first round before losing to Kansas State in the regional semi-finals and falling to North Carolina in the regional third-place game. As head coach at Fairfield, he guided the Stags tournament appearances in 1986 and 1987.