Tim Sweeney, formerly the men’s basketball associate head coach at Elon University, was named the 19th head coach of the Statesmen basketball program in August of 2014. Sweeney succeeded Mike Neer, who retired following his 37th season as a collegiate head coach. Sweeney played for and served as an assistant coach for Neer at the University of Rochester between 1999 and 2006.
Sweeney inherited a team dealing with the graduation of the Jostens Trophy winner (Richie Bonney) and the two-time Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year (Joe Gibbons). Thanks to Sweeney's tutelage and the outstanding leadership of the three returning starters, Hobart went 18-8 and finished second in the Liberty League regular season standings, despite being picked to finish out of the top four in the league's preseason coaches poll. The 2014-15 team's 18 victories tied for sixth on the program's season wins list. Two of his Statesmen earned spots on the All-Liberty League teams while six were honored with Liberty League All-Academic recognition.
In 2015-16, Sweeney led a Hobart squad bereft of seniors and lacking any player with more than six career starts. Despite their youthful inexperience, the Statesmen finished 12-13 overall and tied for fourth place in the Liberty League standings with an 8-8 mark. Hobart's lineup consistently featured three first-years, two of whom were named to the conference's all-rookie team.
In 2016-17, Sweeney's Statesmen posted a 16-11 overall record and finished tied for third in the Liberty League with a 10-6 mark. As the No. 4 seed in the Liberty League Tournament, Hobart stunned top-seeded Skidmore 70-65 to return to the conference championship game for the fourth time in six seasons. Sweeney mentored two all-conference selections and two all-rookie picks, including Liberty League Rookie of the Year Tucker Lescoe '20. Additionally, Sweeney and his assistants were voted the Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year.
The 2017-18 season saw Sweeney lead Hobart to its best winning percentage in the 108-season history of the program (.808). The Statesmen began the season with back-to-back wins over nationally-ranked teams, breaking into the D3hoops.com Top 25 at No. 19. As January dawned, Hobart's record stood at 6-3, but Sweeney's squad was about to catch fire. Over the next seven weeks, the Statesmen won a program record 15 consecutive games. The winning streak helped Hobart clinch the Liberty League regular season title. During that impressive run, juniors Colin Dougherty and Jamal Lucas both scored their 1,000th career points. Both student-athletes earned first team All-Liberty League and second team All-East honors while Lescoe received all-league honorable mention and Dan Masino was voted the Liberty League Rookie of the Year.
From 2009-2014, Sweeney played a key role in rebuilding the Elon program. He joined the Phoenix following one season as an assistant coach at Bucknell University. Elon won just nine games in 2009-10, but improved each season on its way to a 21-12 mark in 2012-13. The Phoenix won the Southern Conference North Division Championship that season and made the program’s first NCAA Division I postseason appearance, playing in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. That team’s success earned him a promotion from assistant coach to associate head coach. Last season, Elon went 18-14. The program’s 39 wins over the past two years is the best two-year mark in the Phoenix’s Division I era.
During his time at Elon, Sweeney has helped coach 11 All-SoCon players and six 1,000-point scorers.
Prior to coaching at Bucknell, Sweeney served two seasons as an assistant coach at Davidson College. The Wildcats went an impressive 58-12 in those two seasons, winning back-to-back Southern Conference Championships. Led by current Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry, Davidson reached the Elite Eight in 2008.
Sweeney’s coaching career began alongside the man he replaces, Neer. Following a very successful playing career at Rochester, Sweeney joined the Yellowjackets’ coaching staff as an assistant coach. In his first season on the bench, UR went 25-2, won the University Athletic Association with a 13-1 mark, and reached the round of 16 of the NCAA Division III Championship. Neer, Sweeney and the rest of the Rochester coaches were named the 2002-03 UAA Coaching Staff of the Year.
The next season, the Yellowjackets produced a 25-5 mark, capturing the UAA title with a 12-2 mark and finished runner-up in the NCAA tournament. In three years under Neer’s tutelage, Sweeney helped Rochester to a 66-16 record.
An exceptional student and athlete, Sweeney graduated cum laude from UR in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. The four-year starter ran the point for the Yellowjackets, earning four All-UAA honors and three UAA All-Academic awards. Sweeney served as a team captain as a junior and a senior, guiding UR to consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. The 2001-02 squad finished the year with a 24-6 mark and advanced to the NCAA semifinals.
Sweeney ranks among the all-time best in Rochester history. When he graduated, he held the record for most games started in a career (106) and ranked fourth in career 3-pointers made (175), seventh in career assists (364), seventh in career 3-point field goal percentage (.403), eighth in career free throw percentage (.807), and 10th in career steals (99).
