Caldwell College Men's Basketball

After serving as assistant men's basketball coach for 30 years, Dean Johnson was promoted to head coach in October 2022. And what a first year it was. In 2022-23, Johnson's Cougars put together the most successful season in the program's Division II history, winning 22 games, securing the CACC regular season and tournament championships, and not only advancing to the NCAA Division II East Regional but toppling #1 seeded St. Anselm in the first round. Their record marked a 10 1/2 game improvement from the previous season, among the most in Division II. For his efforts, Johnson was named CACC Coach of the Year and Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association Co-Coach of the Year. His Cougars followed up with a 14-14 campaign in his second campaign in 2023-24, with two All-Conference players, an NABC Honors Court Academic recipient and four All-Academic honorees. This past year, the Cougars won 18 games and featured three 1,000 point collegiate scorers. Then in 2024-25, he mentored CU to an 18-11 record and return to the CACC Tournament.    During Johnson's run as an assistant, the Cougars reached the NCAA Division II Tournament twice since moving to NCAA status in 2002. They won six CACC Championships along with an NAIA District 31 finals appearance in 1992. Johnson’s commitment to Caldwell was recognized in 2008, when he received the prestigious Caldwell Cup from then-Caldwell President Sister Patrice Werner, and again in 2019, when he was elected to the Caldwell University Athletics Hall of Fame.   Johnson came to Caldwell in 1990 after coaching on the high school and college levels and has extensive experience as a men’s basketball player and coach over his four decades around basketball. He served as an assistant coach for the 1988-89 University of New England’s men’s basketball team that won a school-record 24 games with the team being inducted into the UNE Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008. Johnson was a standout player for UNE from 1982-86, totaling 1,442 points and 541 assists in his career. He ranks in the top-15 in scoring and third in assists. Johnson was inducted into the UNE Varsity Club Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2022 for his outstanding playing career. Johnson also is the Associate Director of Athletics and was the head softball coach at Caldwell from 1995 through 2013.   A native of Belgrade Lakes, Maine, Johnson attended the UNE in Biddeford, Maine, where he left as the program’s all-time leading scorer. Johnson graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Secondary Education. He earned a Master’s degree from Caldwell University in 1997. Johnson File   Overall CACC Year Wins Losses          Wins Losses Postseason/Notes 2022-23 22 10 14 4 CACC Regular Season, Tournament Champion NCAA East Region Second Round CACC Coach of the Year Met Basketball Writers Coach of the Year 2023-24 14 14 9 7 2024-25 18 11 9 7 CACC Tournament Quarterfinals Total 54 35 32 18

Joe Scott enters his 23rd season as an assistant coach for the Cougars in 2024-25. Scott, who was an assistant coach at Caldwell from 1998 to 2005, returned to Caldwell in 2009 after spending four seasons as the head coach at Union County College in Cranford, N.J. Scott is involved in all aspects of the men’s basketball program including recruiting, scouting and on-the court coaching. During Scott’s time at Caldwell, the Cougars won the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) championship and advanced to the NAIA national tournament in his first season on the staff in 1999. In the 2001-2002 season, Caldwell went 25 – 6, captured the CACC title and won their first round game in the NAIA national tournament. In 2021, Scott helped guide the Cougars to the NCAA tournament for the second time in school history and earned their first NCAA tournament win in program history. The Cougars also made postseason appearances in the semi-finals of the ECAC tournament in 2005 and advanced to the championship game of the ECAC tournament in 2014. Scott has been instrumental in the recruitment of many outstanding Cougar players including 9 different players who have been selected to the CACC All Conference team and 7 players who have scored 1000 career points. Coach Scott was also an integral part of the 2022-23 squad which won the CACC Regular Season and Tournament Championships, then went on to defeat host and #1 seed Saint Anselm in the NCAA Division II East Regional. From 2005 to 2009, Scott was the head men’s basketball coach at Union County College. During his tenure, six players were selected to the GSAC All Conference team and one player was awarded the prestigious Robert Zifchak Award as the male scholar athlete in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 19 in 2008. Prior to coming to Caldwell, Scott was an assistant coach at Rutgers Newark in 1997-1998 and at Stevens Institute of Technology from 1993-1997. He graduated from Union College in 1989 and earned a master’s degree in Counseling Education from SUNY Oneonta in 1990. In addition to his coaching position at Caldwell, Scott has worked in the Office of Career Exploration and Success at Rutgers University-New Brunswick since 1990. He and his wife, Kate, reside in Iselin, NJ.  

Ed Ryan is in his eighth season as assistant coach, having returned to Caldwell for his second stint on the staff as an assistant coach in 2021-22. Ryan previously served from the staff from 2011-14.  For his efforts during Caldwell's run to the CACC regular season and tournament championships and NCAA Regional appearance, Ryan was tabbed East Region Assistant Coach of the Year by D2EastHoops.com. Ryan served as an assistant coach on the Pace University men's basketball staff from 2014-2021. While with the Setters, Pace compiled 19 victories in 2019-20, which represents the most wins in a season since 2007 and also saw the Setters lead the Northeast-10 Conference in four defensive statistical categories. Coach Ryan assisted in the recruitment and development of three Northeast-10 All-Conference and five All-Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association performers, including the 2019-20 MBWA Division II Player of the Year and also the all-time program leader in career assists. In addition, Ryan assisted with scouting, practice planning and academic monitoring as well as youth camps, clinics and other administrative duties.  Prior to joining the Cougars’ staff in 2011, Ryan spent three seasons as an assistant at Centenary College in Hackettstown, N.J. While at Centenary, Ryan was responsible for film exchange, recruiting, advanced scouting and coaching the guards, among other duties. The Cyclones won 33 games and qualified for the Colonial States Athletic Conference Tournament twice with Ryan on head coach Enrico Mastroianni's staff. Before his stint at Centenary, Ryan was an assistant coach at Rutherford High School for two years under Brian Gaccione, a 1995 graduate of Caldwell College and the Cougars' all-time leader in assists. He has also served as a camp instructor at various basketball camps, including Hoop Group and the Villanova Basketball Camp. Ryan attended Misericordia University in Dallas, Pa., and graduated in 2006 with a degree in History/Pre-Law after making the Dean's List all four years. As a member of the basketball team, he earned a spot on the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference All-Academic Team four times and was named Misericordia's ECAC Scholar Athlete of the Year as a senior. Ryan also received his team's Coach's Award in 2006. A native of Rutherford, N.J., Ryan attended St. Mary's High School in Rutherford.