Allegheny alumni Patrick Martinelli, ’17, has been added to the men’s basketball team coaching staff. As of this month, Martinelli will join head coach Bob Simmons as an assistant coach.

The Campus: How long have you been a part of the team?

Martinelli: “I was involved in the basketball program for all four years that I was a student here. For the first two years I acted as a team manager and I primarily focused on filming. In my later two years, my role expanded and I became more involved in aspects beyond filming, like helping out in team practices and developing workouts.”

Campus: Why did you decide to become involved in the Allegheny basketball program?

Martinelli: “I love basketball and I knew for a long time I wanted to become involved in coaching. When I was a freshman here, I decided to try and become a walk-on player, but I quickly realized that wouldn’t happen for me. I was asked to stay on and help out however, and I did. When Simmons then became the head coach, he told me I was a great asset to have and granted me more responsibility as a member of the team.”

Campus: Why did you want to become involved in coaching sports?

Martinelli: “It’s predominantly my passion for the game, for basketball. I knew that even if I wasn’t physically playing the sport, that I wanted to be a part of the game in some capacity still.”

Campus: What are your aspirations for after this year?

Martinelli: “I graduated in May 2017 and I genuinely enjoy being a part of the Allegheny community still. In the future, I do hope to still be coaching. I would like to find a position at another Division III program because of the culture of those programs, the value in academics they give.”