Modesto Christian’s Fantazia accepts MJC head coaching job
The Modesto Junior College men’s basketball program will run under the new guidance of one of the area’s most successful high school coaches in recent years, Modesto Christian’s Brice Fantazia, MJC announced in a release on Wednesday.
He follows Mike Girardi, who coached the Pirates for four seasons and led them to a state playoff berth.
“We are thrilled to welcome Brice to Modesto Junior College and are confident that he will elevate our men’s basketball program to new heights,” said David Voortman, MJC’s interim athletic director. “With Brice’s proven leadership and passion for the game, we are excited about the future of MJC’s basketball and the positive impact
Brice will have on our studentathletes, campus community, and alumni.”
Said Fantazia in the release: “I’d like to thank Athletic Director David Voortman for the opportunity to lead the MJC basketball program. My family and I are thrilled to be joining the MJC family and are eager to make an impact in the community that my wife and I both grew up in. We want to become an integral part of our men’s basketball future and contribute to the success of the overall athletic department and institution. I am committed to the development of our studentathletes both on and off the court. I plan to hit the ground running and work extremely hard to make this community proud.”
Fantazia has turned down Division I assistant coaching offers in the Big West and Big
Sky conferences over the past few seasons to remain at Modesto Christian. It is a decision that has paid dividends since sports resumed after the pandemic, as he led the Crusaders to an 85-19 overall record with three straight Sac-Joaquin Section Division I titles, three Northern California Open Division postseason berths with a NorCal title and NorCal and state runner up finishes.
Since taking over the Modesto Christian program in 201617, Fantazia has a 197-51 record with seven league titles between the Tri-City Athletic League and Modesto Metro Conference. He will coach his final season at Modesto Christian during the 2024-25 season.
Fantazia says practices and games on both levels will not conflict with each other.
“People are gonna think it’s crazy, but I definitely think I can do it,” Fantazia said in a phone call with The Bee. “I think I can give both programs my full attention and I think it’s an opportunity for me to do something special and impact even more kids than just one team.”
Fantazia said agreeing to take over the MJC program was about keeping the area’s best unsigned talent local after high school graduation.
He is a living example to local products that playing at a high level is possible. A Turlock native, Fantazia graduated from Modesto Christian before playing two seasons of junior college basketball and transferring to Culver Stockton College in Canton, Missouri. He played four years professionally overseas in Portugal and the United Kingdom.
“I want as many kids as possible from this area to be able to experience what I was able to experience,” Fantazia said. “My goal is to build a fence around the 209. Get as many of the top kids as we can to stay home and not go to other JCs if JC is where they have to go.”
Fantazia is still rounding out the MJC basketball coaching staff. His longtime friend and current Modesto Christian assistant coach Greg Rosenbaum
will join him in coaching the Pirates.
His staff at Modesto Christian will remain the same. Associate head coach Chris Teevan, who has head coaching experience at Weston Ranch (2012-2021) and Rosenbaum will remain on the Crusaders sidelines.
Fantazia is excited to welcome back local high school graduates who recently left the area to begin their college careers as part of his first recruiting class.
“Fantazia is not only committed to success on the court but also to fostering strong connections with the local community and engaging alumni in supporting the program’s growth,” Voortman said in the release. “He understands the importance of basketball as a unifying force, and his vision includes leveraging the program to positively impact the lives of fans, youth athletes, and community members.”