The 2013-14 season may mark a new era with the Daemen College men's basketball team
 joining the East Coast Conference (ECC) of NCAA Division II, but it will be a familiar face leading the charge as longtime sideline fixture Don Silveri returns for his silver anniversary season at the helm of the program. During his tenure, Silveri has established the program as a regional power within both the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the United States Collegiate Athletic Assocation (USCAA) as he and his team now embark on this new journey in the ECC.
In a coaching career that has spanned some 37 years at the junior college, four-year college and professional levels, Silveri has amassed an overall record of 563-378. In that time, Silveri has coached five Junior College All-Americans, eight NAIA All-Americans and three USCAA All-Americans while earning several Coach of the Year awards.
At Daemen, Silveri is closing in on his 400th victory with an overall record 393-337 (.538). Â His Daemen record boasts eight 20-win seasons, including four consecutive from 2002-2006 and seven in the last 11 years. Â He has guided the Wildcats to four conference championships (1999-2000, 2003-2004, 2005-2006, 2011-2012), four appearances at the NAIA Division II National Tournament and one appearnace at the USCAA National Tournament. Â
2012-13 was a season for the record books as Silveri guided the Wildcats to a team-record 27 wins and a runner-up finish at the USCAA National Tournament.
Silveri's 2003-04 squad enjoyed the program's best post-season success at the NAIA National Tournament, advancing to the Elite 8 before bowing out to finish the season at 24-10 and ranked 21st nationally.
Silveri has earned conference Coach of the Year honors on five occasions, including his selection for the honor within the Independents Collegiate Athletic Assocation (ICAA) in 2012-13. Career milestones during his Daemen stint have included his 500th career victory (99-86 vs. Point Park, Feb. 18, 2010) and his 300th win at Daemen (96-77 vs. Siena Heights, Nov. 22, 2008).
Prior to arriving at Daemen, Silveri was the Head Men's Basketball Coach at Erie Community  ollege (ECC) from 1982-1986. While there, Silveri developed the ECC program into a contender at the regional and national level of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) as evidenced by three Empire State Conference Championships and three appearances at the NJCAA National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kan. Silveri was also a three-time Coach of the Year honoree during his time at ECC.
With his ECC program gaining respect and recognition around the region, Silveri was selected to be an assistant coach on the staff of the United States East Team that participated in the Olympic Sports Festival in Baton Rouge, La. in the summer of 1985. Silveri worked under the team's head coach, legendary St. John's University bench boss Lou Carnasecca.
Before landing at ECC, Silveri was an assistant on the coaching staff at Buffalo State College under the Bengals' longtime coach and Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame inductee Dick Bihr, working there from 1980-1982 and helping Bihr's squads to two straight State University of New York Athletic Conference Championships.
Silveri's first college head coaching job came at Villa Maria College where he worked from 1976-1980, transforming the program at the two-year school into a winner.
Silveri also has experience at the professional level as he was the Head Coach of the Mayaguiz Tianos of Puerto Rico's Superior League, a position he held each summer from 1987-1995. In that league, Silveri coached against the likes of Phil Jackson, P.J. Carlesimo, Henry Bibby and Gene Bartow and earned one Coach of the Year award.
In addition to his coaching duties, Silveri has served Daemen College in different capacities over the years, first as an Academic Advisor and later as Athletic Director, a position he held from 2000-2011. For his service to the college as Athletic Director and his continued success as the Head Men's Basketball Coach, Silveri was inducted into the college's Athletic Hall of Fame in May of 2011.
A native of Hamburg, N.Y. and a graduate of Frontier High School, Silveri holds a Bachelor of Science Degree with a permanent certification in History and Physical Education from SUNY Brockport ('70) and a Master of Science Degree in Student Personnel Administration from Buffalo State ('82).
Silveri and his wife, Donna, reside in Hamburg.
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DON SILVERI QUICK FACTSBornDonald Silveri
April 21, 1948
Buffalo, N.Y.
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High SchoolFrontier Central High School, Hamburg, N.Y., 1966
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College Career2-year letterman
Niagara County Community College, 1966-68
2-year letterman
SUNY Brockport, 1968-70
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College DegreesB.S./Permanent Certification in History & Physical Education
SUNY Brockport, 1970
M.S. Student Personnel Administration
Buffalo State, 1982
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FamilyWifeDonna (Flores)
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DaughtersLeah Hepworth
Tara Bialy
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GrandchildrenAlex Hepworth (10/31/02)
Sam Hepworth (8/31/04)
Stella Bialy (1/14/08)
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Coaching CareerHead Coach, Villa Maria College, 1976-80
Assistant Coach, Buffalo State College, 1980-82
Head Coach, Erie Community College, 1982-86
Head Coach, Mayaguiz Tianos (Puerto Rico Superior League), 1987-95
Head Coach, Daemen College, 1989-Present
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Coaching AccomplishmentsOver 500 victories in 36-year career
Daemen College Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee (2011)
Four trips to the NAIA Division II National Tournament
Two-time American Mideast Conference North Division Coach of the Year
Three American Mideast Conference Championships
Two-time North Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year
One North Atlantic Conference Championship
One selection as Puerto Rico Superior League Coach of the Year
Three-time Empire State Conference Coach of the Year
Three Empire State Conference Championships
Selected as Assistant Coach for the Olympic Sports Festival, Baton Rouge, LA (1985)
Assistant Coach for two State University of New York Athletic Conference Championships
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