Stephen Sauers, a veteran coach with 25 years of coaching experience at the Division I level, joins the NJIT men’s basketball staff as an assistant coach in August 2017.
In two seasons as an assistant coach at NJIT, Sauers and the Highlanders are a combined 36-29 (.554).
Coach Sauers made NJIT history in the 2018-19 season with a 22-13 record, 11 road wins and 13 non-conference wins – all program records. NJIT’s ASUN Championship Quarterfinals win at Florida Gulf Coast marked the program’s first-ever ASUN tournament victory. The team earned its third CIT berth and advanced as far as the CIT Quarterfinals following a first round win as second round bye as one of the top three seeds in the tournament.
The 2018-19 season was the winningest in program history.
For the first time in program history, NJIT received its first AP Top-25 Poll vote on Dec. 10, 2018. The Highlanders received one vote for three consecutive weeks (Dec. 10-24).
The 2018-19 team earned multiple accolades for their performances on and off the court, including Abdul Lewis (Preseason All-ASUN, First Team All-ASUN), Zach Cooks (Second Team All-ASUN), Shyquan Gibbs (ASUN All-Academic Team, CoSIDA Academic All-District), Diandre Wilson (ASUN All-Tournament Team) and Reilly Walsh (Preseason Fan-Voted ASUN Defensive Player of the Year).
Individually, Lewis broke Tim Coleman’s all-time rebounds record (773), eclipsed 1,000 career points (1,015, NJIT & 232 South Alabama), reached 1,000 career rebounds (773, NJIT & 227, South Alabama), broke his own single-game rebounds record versus Jacksonville with 21 boards and set NJIT’s double-double record with 22 in his three seasons for the Highlanders. Cooks also added his name to the record books by tying Damon Lynn’s single-game scoring record (34 points) against Quinnipiac in the CIT First Round and averaged 17.6 ppg, third most in NJIT history.
Prior to his arrival at NJIT, Sauers served two seasons as head coach for Canarias Basketball Academy in Gran Canarias, Spain, where he guided the team to a 25-7 record in 2016-17. CBA, the academy in Europe, has sent over 70 players to Division I institutions in the last eight years.
At UC Riverside, Sauers spent two seasons as top assistant (2013-15) before serving as the Interim Assistant Coach and Director of Basketball Operations at Seton Hall (2010-13) and Assistant Coach at Iona College (2008-10).
Sauers re-joined the Seton Hall men’s basketball staff for two seasons (2006-07; 2007-08) as Director of Basketball Operations and Basketball Camps after a year at the Hoop Group, the largest basketball instruction organization in the world.
At the Hoop Group, he was responsible for the recruitment of high school student-athletes to all company events, and was Director of the Eastern Invitational Camps and Top 100 clinics, including site Director for all high school and AAU tournaments.
As head coach at United States Military Academy Prep School in 2004-05, Saures led the team to a school-best 16 wins.
Sauers' got involved with coaching at Marist upon graduation from University at Albany in 1990. He moved up the ladder, starting as a Graduate Assistant Coach (1990-91), Assistant Coach (1993-96), Senior Assistant Coach (1996-01) and Associate Head Coach (2001-04).
At Marist, the Red Foxes made an appearance in the National Invitation Tournament in 1996 and captured the 2000 MAAC regular season title during his tenure. He was responsible for recruiting 17 All-League performers, including 2007 MAAC and Met Basketball Writers Association Player of the Year Jared Jordan, who was drafted 45th overall in the 2007 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers.
Sauers gained international coaching experience, coaching for the Junior and Senior Nigerian National teams as an assistant from 1992-96.
His father, Hall of Fame Coach Richard "Doc" Sauers, was a legendary coach at University at Albany (then New York State College at Albany) from 1955-97, winning over 700 games. Sauers is among the top 40 winningest college coaches in NCAA history.
Sauers, a player at Albany under his father, was a two-year starter, captain and team MVP as a senior and helped the Great Danes to a four-year record of 77-34. The Great Danes advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen (1990), ECAC Champions (1989) and second-place finish in ECAC (1987).
(Last Updated: April 2019)
