Bobby Gonzalez

Bobby Gonzalez

Head Coach

Seton Hall Pirates

173-108

Pete Gillen

Known as an excellent recruiter -- and for his fiery personality on the bench -- Bobby Gonzalez has the unenviable task of rebuilding the Seton Hall program in a Big East conference loaded with powerhouses like Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Georgetown.

The third-year coach's approach is raising some eyebrows.

Gonzalez first made a name for himself as a top assistant to Pete Gillen, and followed Gillen from Xavier to Providence to Virginia before landing his first head coaching assignment at Manhattan College in 2000. He coached the Jaspers for seven seasons, leading them to two NIT berths and two NCAA tournament bids. The high-water mark came in 2004, when Manhattan went 25-6 overall and knocked of fifth-seeded Florida in the first round of March Madness.

He took over at Seton Hall for the 2006-07 season. His Pirates compiled a 13-16 overall record in year one, which improved to 17-15 in 2007-08. They narrowly missed out on an NIT bid, and declined an offer to participate in the inaugural Basketball Invitational.

Suspension

Just because the Pirates didn't make the postseason doesn't mean their March wasn't eventful. Their season finale against in-state rival Rutgers was marred by a shouting match between Gonzalez and Rutgers coach Fred Hill. Gonzalez also directed some very pointed criticism at the officials during his post-game press conference -- and as a result will be suspended for Seton Hall's first Big East game of the 2008-09 season.

The suspension is the first such punishment in Big East basketball history.

Transfers

Gonzalez hopes to be surprisingly competitive in the Big East this year, thanks in part to two incoming transfers -- Herb Pope, formerly of New Mexico State, and Keon Lawrence, who played for Missouri. Both are asking for a waiver of the one-year waiting period usually required of transfers. Pope's case, in particular, has raised questions about abuse of the transfer rule.