Jerry Buccilla has been named Head Men’s Basketball Coach for Tiffin University

Jerry Buccilla has been named Head Men’s Basketball Coach for Tiffin University
Posted: Apr 23, 2013

Jerry Buccilla has been named Head Men’s Basketball Coach for Tiffin University. He had been serving as Interim Head Coach since the resignation of John Hill at the end of the 2012-13 season.

Buccilla has served for the last four seasons as Tiffin University’s Associate Head Men's Basketball Coach and was active in every phase of the program, assisting with all aspects of game preparation, on-court instruction and playing a major role in recruiting as the programs recruiting coordinator. He also directed Tiffin's summer basketball camps. 

"I am grateful to President Paul Marion and Athletic Director Lonny Allen in having the confidence in me to lead the program and continue our progress towards being one of the best programs in the GLIAC,” said Buccilla. “I understand their expectations about wanting to compete for GLIAC titles and I plan on pursuing that. I feel privileged to have worked with Coach John Hill over the last four years and indebted to him for allowing me to be his right hand man during this time. I am excited about coaching the young men we have in the program, including senior-to-be Joe Graessle. Joe is one of the top players not only in the GLIAC but in the country. I am confident that behind Joe’s leadership and the increased experience and talent of the returning team members we can achieve our goals.”

According to Tiffin University President Paul Marion, “Coach Buccilla has been an important part of the resurgence of the Dragons basketball program for the past four years, and we are confident that his leadership will continue the positive momentum.”

“We are very pleased to have Jerry in charge of the men’s basketball program,” Tiffin University Athletic Director Lonny Allen said. “He will help continue the development and forward progress that the team has made over recent seasons. He also has an extensive knowledge of the game as both a player and a coach and we look forward to seeing the team reach new levels of success in the near future.”

As the recruiting coordinator for the program, Coach Buccilla's three recruiting classes have produced two 1st team All-GLIAC performers, two 2nd team all-GLIAC performers and two GLIAC Freshman of the Year performers. The back to back GLIAC freshman of the year awards (2010-11 and 2011-12) represents the first time that a GLIAC basketball program has won this award in consecutive years dating back 23 years to the 1988-1989 seasons. 

Coach Buccilla has an extensive background in basketball both as a player and a coach. Directly prior to joining the Dragons basketball staff, Coach Buccilla was the Head Boy's Basketball Coach at Fisher Catholic High School in Lancaster, Ohio. His 2008-09 team was co-champions of the Mid State League Cardinal Division, finishing with a league record of 12 - 2 and earning Buccilla the Mid State League Cardinal Division Coach of the Year. During his playing days at Heidelberg University, Buccilla garnered many honors, including All Ohio Athletic Conference citations for three seasons, the Mike Gregory Award Winner honoring the OAC Player of the Year, First Team Great Lakes Region, and NCAA Division III National Tournament East Regional MVP. He was inducted to the Heidelberg College Hall of Fame in 1999.

Coach Buccilla graduated from Heidelberg University with a degree in Business Administration and has completed his coursework towards earning his Master's of Sport Management Degree. He and his wife Lisa have two grown children, Kyla and Kassy as well as three younger children, Brianna, Gino and Helena.