Staten Island, NY - Former assistant men's basketball coach turned associate head coach Mike Babul passed away on Sunday, December 29 at the age of 47.

Babul joined the Seahawks as an assistant coach prior to the Seahawks 2012 campaign. In his fourth season on the roster, Babul was elevated to associate head coach, where he held the position until the conclusion of the Green & White's 2019 season.

During his tenure, Babul helped Wagner to a 48-44 record across three seasons as an assistant and 75-52 record during his four seasons as an associate head coach next to Bashir Mason.

Under Babul's guidance, Wagner captured the program's lone NIT victory against St. Bonaventure in 2016. Two seasons later, Babul and the Seahawks earned another trip to the NIT before being defeated by Baylor in the first round. Individually, guard Kenneth Ortiz ('14) became the first-ever three-time NEC Defensive Player of the Year and center Naofall Folahan ('14) shattered the Seahawks' single-season and career blocks records. 

Babul helped six student-athletes reach 1000 points during their collegiate career (Jojo Cooper, Kenneth Ortiz, Marcus Barton, Corey Henson, Romone Saunders, and Latif Rivers). 

At the end of the 2015-16 season, Babul was tabbed No. 10 by CoachStat.net ranked among the nation's Top-25 Assistant Coach Recruiters List (Low-Major). 

In four of his first five seasons, the Seahawks ranked first in the conference in field-goal percentage defense, three-point field goal percentage defense and scoring defense. Among the entire NCAA, the 2015-16 Wagner squad ranked among the top-75 collegiate programs in each of those categories, with the most impressive season coming in 2013-14, when the Seahawks placed 12th in field goal percentage defense and 14th in three-point field goal percentage defense. 

Babul was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter for UMass from 1996-2000, helping the Minutemen to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. Babul was a team captain and named to three Atlantic-10 (A-10) All-Defensive and All-Academic Teams (1997-2000). He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Sports Management. 

Prior to joining the Minutemen, Babul was a standout at North Attleboro High School. As a senior in 1996, he was a McDonald's All-American nominee while being named the 1996 Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year and the Massachusetts High School Coaches' Association Player of the Year. 

We send our sincere condolences to the family of Mike Babul, who passed away in late December.

Babul was a member of the Wagner College men's basketball family from 2012 to 2019, and helped the Seahawks secure the program's first ever NIT victory. pic.twitter.com/igA07UX2Sw

— Wagner Men's Basketball (@Wagner_MBB) December 31, 2024

A moment of silence for Babul's passing will be held prior to the Seahawks conference opener against Chicago State On Friday, December 3 at 7:00 pm.