Denison's Ghiloni retires from men's basketball position

Bob Ghiloni led the Denison men's basketball program for nearly two decades, and he now is leaving it in good hands.

Ghiloni announced his retirement earlier this month a few days after Denison wrapped up its season in the semifinals of the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament. The athletic department immediately promoted assistant coach Chris Sullivan to take Ghiloni's position.

"Having the chance to coach basketball at Denison University has been a tremendous opportunity," Ghiloni said in an university press release. "If someone had told me 30, 40 or 50 years ago that I was going to be a head college basketball coach for 18 years, I would have told them they were crazy."  

Ghiloni, who will remain a professor in the department of health, exercise and sport studies, won 190 games. He led the Big Red to a NCAC tournament title, earning the program's second NCAA appearance in 2016 and to a school-record 22 wins the next season, a team that was powered by Newark Catholic graduates Jett Speelman and David Meurer and Newark graduate Bret Woolard.

Ghiloni twice was named NCAC Coach of the Year and was heavily involved in community service, particularly with the West Licking Warriors Special Olympics.

"My life has been impacted by this university, my colleagues, but most of all by the men I have had the privilege to coach and work with," he said. "I am grateful for all the ups and downs, the wins and the losses, and the competition that makes college basketball special." 

Sullivan has assisted Ghiloni for nine seasons. He had a stellar playing career at Upper Arlington and Wittenberg.