Former Penn State Basketball coach Jim Ferry hired by UMBC

Former interim Penn State Basketball coach Jim Ferry will get to run his own program, hired as UMBC’s newest head coach

University of Maryland Baltimore County has announced their new Men’s Basketball Head Coach, former Penn State Basketball interim head coach Jim Ferry.

Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) finished 1st in the American East concerence last year at 14-6.  They lost to UMass Lowell 79-77 in heartbreaking fashion in the semifinals, denying the Retreivers a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament despite winning the regular season championship.

Ferry coached the Nittany Lions to an 11-14 record this year after Pat Chambers was fired in August.

While losing a massive amount of painful close games, most people agree Ferry did an excellent job holding together the Lions after the odd-timed firing of Chambers.  Ferry was hired as an aissistant in 2017 by Pat Chambers and held that title until named the interim head coach in October.

Ferry previously coached at Duquesne  in the Atlantic 10 reaching the CBI Quarterfinals in 2016.  He made the NCAA Tournament twice at Long Island (2011 and 2012), where he coached for a decade.

Jim Ferry was mentioned as a candidate for the opening at Fordham and more recently at Central Connecticut State.

UMBC is an opponent the Nittnay Lions have scheduled in the out of conference portion of the slate a few times, most recently on December 29th, 2018 when the Lions won 74-52.  It’s doubtful Sandy Barbour will schedule them now that Ferry’s the head coach, but if he does get to return to the BJC, a hearty ovation is in order for Coach Ferry.