Chris Kelly enters his third season at SUNY Old Westbury as assistant men’s basketball coach ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.
“I am excited to join the Old Westbury family,” said Kelly. “To work under and learn from coach Tomlin is an honor. I look forward to assisting coach Tomlin in providing the best possible student-athlete experience.”
Kelly brings a wealth of basketball coaching and playing experience to Old Westbury. He was a NCAA Division II assistant men’s basketball coach at his alma mater, Dowling College, from 2003-08. During his five-year stint at Dowling, he played a key role in player development, academic support and recruitment.
We are excited to have him here because he’s been through trenches,” said SUNY Old Westbury head men’s basketball coach Bernard Tomlin. “I respect the fact that he competed at the NCAA Division II level and is going to do a really good job coaching our backcourt.”
Prior to Dowling, Kelly served as junior varsity boys head coach at Baltimore City College High School (2001-03) in Baltimore, Maryland. During the 1998-99 season, Kelly held the title of head coach for the varsity boys team at La Salle Military Academy in Oakdale, New York.
Since 2009, Kelly has developed Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) talent as a head coach for Team Underrated. He continued honing his craft with his involvement as a lead drill instructor at the Middle School Elite Basketball Camp (2016), assistant coach for the Elmont Cardinals Sports Club (2014-15), head coach at St. John the Baptist Diocesan High School Basketball Camp (2014) and a summer camp coach at College of Holy Cross (2004).
During his four-year playing career (1992-96) at Dowling, Kelly, a two-time captain, helped the Golden Lions reach back-to-back ECAC Championship title games in his final two seasons. Kelly averaged 7.0 points per game during the 1994-95 season to contribute to the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. As a senior, Kelly played in all 29 games to conclude his 107-game career with 938 points and 269 assists.
As a graduate of the class of 1996 at Dowling, Kelly studied sociology and anthropology while minoring in physical education before receiving his master’s degree in social work from Adelphi University in 2013. He played under the 2015 New York State Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Frank Romeo at Comsewogue High School and credits his legendary coach for his desire and passion for coaching young people in the sport he loves.
Kelly, a product of Brooklyn, currently resides in Wyandanch, New York, and since 2013, has served as the director of education at Martin De Porres Youth and Family Services.
