Engles Leaves Columbia to Take the Helm at Struggling NJIT

On April 10, it was announced that after spending the past five years with the Columbia men’s basketball team as an assistant coach, Jim Engles has taken his first head coaching job at the nearby New Jersey Institute of Technology. Before taking the position at NJIT, Engles had been an assistant coach at Wagner, Rider, and Columbia for a total of 18 years.

Engles joined the staff at Columbia when head coach Joe Jones took control of the team for the 2003-04 season. Since that time, the Lions have enjoyed great success, as the graduating seniors this year are the winningest senior class since 1982-83.

The team that Engles will inherit is one that has become well-known throughout the country, but not for the best of reasons. This past season, the Highlanders set the NCAA Division I mark for most losses in a season, going 0-29. The last time that NJIT won a game was on February 19, 2007, making for a 33-game losing streak.

With 18 years of experience as an assistant coach and his familiarity with helping teams turn things around, Engles should be a good fit for NJIT as it goes into its third season as a Division I program.