The Saint Anselm men’s basketball team has a new leader in their nest, a new head coach that is. Former Hawks player and assistant coach, Chris Santo ‘15 was introduced as the new head coach for the team and the 11th in team history. Santo replaces legendary coach Kieth Dickson who, in 37 seasons, gained 719 wins. Santo was the assistant coach for Dickson from 2016-20 so he definitely takes lessons he learned under Dickson to his new squad of players. Dickson stepped away in April from a program he ran since 1986, compiling a 719-376 record, 22 NCAA tournament appearances, and 2 regional championships (1999-00,2018-19). So that means Santo definitely has some big shoes to fill. Replacing a famous head coach is no easy task for Santo so some fans are probably a bit nervous or skeptical on what he has to offer for the team, but most players seem confident on the new season and in their new coach. “Everything has been going well so far for the team”, says senior guard Jadon Archer, “Having a new head coach has taken some time to adjust to for the guys but we all have the same goal and that is to win.”We are starting to ramp it up and get into season mode day by day”. Santo also hired Trey Witter from Trinity College as assistant coach ahead of the season opener. At Trinity, Witter helped the club post an impressive 9-1 record during the 2023-24. “I am thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to join Chris Santo’s staff at Saint Anselm”, Witter said, “I have tremendous belief in him and look forward to contributing to his vision for the program”. A little background on Santo saw him play one season for University of Vermont and then transferring to Saint A’s for his last 3 years. During his 2014-15 senior year, Santo averaged 21.4 points a game on a 62.2 shooting percentage (3rd all time in a single season). He ended his career with 1487 points, good for 17th all time. He was a part of 3 NCAA tournament bids as well. Santo also was an assistant video coordinator for the New York Knicks of the NBA, piecing together bits of strategy for opponent scouts. Santo spent 4 seasons as assistant coach on the Hilltop. Santo’s basketball resume is certainly promising and it shows he knows and plays the game well so this is a sign of good things to come for the upcoming season. The team is coming off a 16-15 season last year, where they went 12-10 in conference play including the postseason. The team also earned the No. 7 seed in the 2024 NE10 Championship. “Going into the new year, we understand that the expectations aren’t high for us”, says Junior guard Josh Morissette, “We have a new coach, a lot of new guys on our team, and people don’t really know what we can do”. “What I can say is that the worth ethic is there”. The schedule for the season was released in early October and the hawks have 14th games in the friendly confines of Stoutenburgh Gymnasium. The hawks open their season against Roberts Wesleyan which is a non-conference game in western New York on November 8, which is only a few weeks away. The hawks seem ready to go and a lot of players are confident in themselves and in their new season & head coach so there is no telling how the season will go, but this is going to be a very fun and interesting season for the hawks nonetheless.