Head Coach Chuck McBreen has turned the Roadrunner Program into a highly competitive play–off team after taking the reins at the start of the 1998-1999 season. He is the first ever full–time basketball coach at the College. McBreen is entering his 27th season at Ramapo, and his 29th in the college ranks. McBreen was honored for his achievements by being inducted into the Ramapo College Athletic Hall of Fame on April 27th, 2019 and having the basketball court in the Bradley Center named after him on November 16th, 2024. McBreen enters the 2024-2025 season with a 434-241 coaching record at Ramapo College.
In 11 of his 20 seasons, the men's basketball program has appeared in the D3hoops.com Top 25 National Poll. The team has made 10 straight appearances in the NJAC playoffs from 2000-2001 to the 2007-2008 seasons. In 2016-2017 the team won the NJAC Championship with an ESPN Top Ten buzzer beating half-court shot from Thomas Bonacum. The Roadrunners have won five NJAC Championships and for the first time the team went back-to-back titles in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. Ramapo is one of the winningest four-year college basketball programs in the state of New Jersey for Divisions I, II, and III over the past 20 years holding 434 wins and 241 losses (.643 winning %). Under McBreen, the team won seven NJAC regular season championships, 18 NJAC tournament appearances along with five NJAC tournament crowns. The Roadrunners made eight trips to the NCAA Championship Tournament while posting 20 or more wins nine times.
The 2019-2020 team finished 15-11overall, 11-7 in the NJAC and earned the #3 seed in the NJAC Tournament. Senior Rob McWilliams was named NJAC Second Team All-Conference. Coach McBreen’s 2018-2019 squad finished fourth in the NJAC before falling in the semifinals to rival NJCU. The Roadrunners (18-10 overall) earned the programs third straight NCAA Tournament appearance as they earned an at-large bid. Seniors Rob Lewis and Kashaun Barnes earned multiple accolades at the conclusion of the season. Lewis was named All-MET First Team, and NJAC First Team All-Conference while he was named MVP of the Rick Martin-Holiday Inn Express Tournament. Barnes earned All-MET Second Team and NJAC Second Team All-Conference.
The 2017-2018 Roadrunners, who finished with a 25-7 record, won their second consecutive NJAC Championship at home on March 3rd when they defeated William Paterson University 67-59. The Championship also earned them an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Ramapo won the NCAA Elite 8 on their home court in Mahwah on March 10th, 2018 when they defeated MIT 68-66 in front of a packed Bradley Center crowd. Ramapo defeated Moravian College (86-61) in the NCAA opening round game at Williams College before they defeated the host Ephs 66-62. Ramapo was awarded with hosting the NCAA Sweet 16 & NCAA Elite 8 on March 9th & 10th. The Roadrunners advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four in Salem, VA the weekend of March 16th. The Roadrunners finished the 2017-2018 season ranked #6 in the D3hoops.com Top 25 Poll. McBreen was named MET Writer’s Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year and fifth time overall.
A native of North Bergen, NJ, McBreen accomplished one of his goals of qualifying for the post–season (ECAC) in just his second year with the Ramapo program. After winning the ECAC Metro Championship in 2003-2004, going 23-6 overall, McBreen led the Roadrunners to the college’s first ever NJAC Championship during the 2004-2005 season and posted the program’s second NJAC Championship in 2006-2007. That season, the Roadrunners defeated New Jersey City University, 83-81 in overtime, after falling behind by as many as 13 points in the second half. The team went 22-8 overall and 9-4 that year in conference play. In 2004-2005, Ramapo hosted the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight for the first time in school history.
The Roadrunners have posted ten Roadrunner Tip–Off Tournament Championships. McBreen has also taken his team across the country to Arizona, where they participated in the Phoenix Cactus Jam Fest, winning it for the first time in 2005-2006 by defeating nationally ranked (#23 in Division I NAIA), Biola University out of California, 74-70. Ramapo has participated in the D3hoops.com Classic since the 2011-2012 season, playing top competition from across NCAA Division III.
In his 21 years at Ramapo, he has been named Ramapo College Coach of the Year in both basketball and tennis. In 2002-2003 and 2004-2005 he was named Met Writers, and NABC Atlantic Region Coach of the Year. During the 2002-2003 season, McBreen set school records for overall wins, 26, conference wins, 17, and consecutive wins, 17.
Following the 2016-2017 season was named All-Met Coach of the Year, Atlantic Region Coach of the Year by NABC and D3hoops.com and ECAC Metro Region Coach of the Year after leading the Roadrunners to one of the most successful seasons in the program's history. He also took home NJAC Coach of the Year honors, his third during his tenure (02-03, 04-05, 16-17). During the 2016-2017 season the Roadrunners were ranked in the Top Ten by D3hoops.com, the highest was the #5 spot in the nation.
As a recruiter, McBreen has proven to be one of the best in the state. Despite being hired in late June of 1998, McBreen landed one recruit, Tuquan Smith of Jersey City, NJ who was named NJAC Rookie of the Year. In his second year, he landed Charles Ransom, Tennyson Whitted, and Amin Wright, all out of Jersey City, NJ, and former assistant coach Robert Anderson. Ransom was named NJAC Rookie of the Year, and NJAC Player of the Year his junior year, while Whitted earned NJAC Defensive Player of the Year honors in his sophomore, junior, and senior years. Wright was also a two-time Defensive Player of the Year while also receiving Atlantic Region Player of the Year honors. All four recruits went on to be named All-Americans. As McBreen continues to stock–pile tremendous student–athletes, the program continues its climb to one of the top teams in the country. He landed Thomas Bonacum who wrapped up his career as a Roadrunner at the 2018 NCAA Final Four. Bonacum won numerous awards during his time as a Roadrunner including MET Writer’s Co-Player of the Year, All-American of the 2017 D3 News Third Team, D3hoops.com All-America Third Team, NABC Atlantic Region First Team, NABC District Player of the Year, NABC Coaches' Division III All-American First Team.
Before coming to Ramapo, McBreen spent two years as an assistant coach at Division I Western Carolina University. Prior to his time at WCU, he served as the head boys’ basketball coach at Union Hill High School for four years. A two–time Hudson County Coach of the Year, McBreen turned around a program that had only won five games in three seasons. After posting a 9–16 record in his first year in 1992, he led the team to three consecutive winning records of 17–9, 15–9, 19–8, and took each of those teams to the state playoffs. The team’s 19–8 record in 1996 was the best at Union Hill in 25 years.
McBreen began his coaching career at North Bergen High School as an assistant during the 1988–89 season and spent three years at his alma mater in that capacity.
He is a 1988 graduate of Towson State University with degrees in physical education, driver’s education and health. He is also in charge of athletic scheduling for the department’s 20 intercollegiate sports.
2024-2025 Season
