Record-setter Coen grateful
Northeastern boss happy where he is
Fresh out of Hamilton College in 1983, Bill Coen worked as a software engineer at Raytheon and moonlighted as a CYO basketball coach at Saint Agnes Parish in Arlington.
Raytheon paid the bills, and men’s league games kept him active, but he felt most fulfilled molding young minds at Fidelity House on the weekends. As he contemplated his next move, he realized coaching was his true passion.
“It just never really leaves you, the love of the game,” Coen said.
He quit his day job, and at age 25, Coen became the coach at Canajoharie High School in New York. After three years as an assistant at Hamilton, eight at the University of Rhode Island, and nine at Boston College, he accepted the head job at Northeastern in 2006.
Eighteen years later, Coen, 62, is the 15th-longest-tenured Division 1 men’s coach and the program’s alltime wins leader. Fresh off a triumph at Elon Saturday, he is the Coastal Athletic Association’s alltime leader with 184 combined regular-season and postseason conference wins.
“I have an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for Northeastern,” Coen said. “They took a chance on me when they didn’t have to.”
In an age when upward mobility largely defines the sport, Coen has found peace and purpose at Northeastern for close to two decades. He has followed the blueprint of his college coach, Tom Murphy, who is on his staff as coordinator of basketball advancement. Coen has built a program in which tradition, continuity, and enduring relationships are foundational pillars.
Northeastern is the only Division 1 men’s basketball team in the country where every assistant coach played for the head coach. Brian McDonald, Manny Adako, and Joel Smith, plus graduate assistant Jon Lee, all have Coen to thank for where they are.
“He cares more about the individual than he does about the player,” McDonald said. “He’s so invested in making sure each and every one of us accomplishes our dreams.”
When McDonald arrived as a student at Northeastern during Coen’s first season, the Huskies had only nine bodies for away games and held an open tryout. McDonald walked on, learned from Coen for four years, became a graduate manager as he pursued his MBA, then slid down a few seats as a full-time assistant coach.
McDonald is part of a group chat with close to 20 former players. It’s not uncommon for someone to ask what it’s like coaching and if a spot is available. Whenever he gets the chance, McDonald raves that Coen is a “great sounding board” for life after basketball and can help provide a bridge for those who need direction.
“He has an open door at any time,” McDonald said. “Everybody goes through turmoil at some point when they’re in college, or even afterward. Coach is always the first call for all of us. There’s a reason why so many of us are drawn to come back.”
McDonald said each assistant occupied a different role as a player, so they all know first-hand what it takes to maximize that role. They remind young players that Coen has a plan and encourages them to trust his vision.
For graduate student and Marlborough native Chris Doherty, the bond extends off the court. When Doherty’s grandfather, Peter Paul, died in 2021, Coen checked on Doherty daily to see how he was holding up.
Doherty marvels at Coen’s accessibility and unselfishness, and he knows the program wouldn’t be where it is today without his longevity and drive. He’s proud to play a small but significant role in Coen’s milestone moment.
“It just shows what kind of coach he is,” Doherty said. “It’s not that common, especially at the midmajor level. If you succeed in it, you definitely have chances to move up, but it’s really cool that he’s stayed here this whole time.”
When Coen became the program’s all-time wins leader, the team mobbed him with a celebratory water-bottle dousing in the locker room. Coen appreciated the gesture, but he immediately deflected the credit and shifted the team’s focus to the next opponent.
As Coen inched closer to the
CAA record, the former player group chat blew up, and many returned to campus to show their support. To Coen, the record is simply a reflection of what they’ve built together.
“I always say the biggest accomplishment is if you can help create a bond between the players that will last a lifetime,” Coen said. “That’s the ultimate championship for me.”
He abides by a mantra of a dear friend, who said, “Don’t run from happiness.” Many people think the grass is always greener elsewhere, but in Coen’s eyes, he has all he needs: a world-class city, an elite global institution, and players and coaches who care.
Coen said being around young student-athletes keeps him energized. He feels like the Huskies are “just getting started” and plans to coach as long as he can.
His ultimate goal is to teach life lessons through the game and how to deal with adversity. As long as he’s doing that, he’s content right where he is.
“When you step back, and you reflect on it, you’re just really grateful,” Coen said. “It’s more than a dream come true.”