Wednesday night we recognized Coach Lee Cigliano at Half time of the Men's match up vs Roane State. For the last 25 years, Lee Cigliano has been a fixture on the sidelines as he guided the Cleveland State Community College men's basketball team.  "I want to congratulate Coach Cigliano on an outstanding career and thank him for his dedication and commitment to the men's basketball program the past 25 years. He led the program with integrity and was a mentor to his players," said CSCC Director of Athletics Mike Policastro. 

Over his 25 years as the Cougars head coach, Lee has established himself and his teams as always being well prepared and playing with a competitive spirit. He led the Cougars to success during his career with TCCAA Division Championships, Region VII Championships, and NJCAA National Basketball Championship in 2019."

 Cigliano accomplishments:

• Won the TCCAA East Division Championship twice — 1998 and 2021

• Advanced to the NJCAA Region 7/TCCAA State Championship game four different times — 2007, 2009, 2019, and 2021.

• Won the NJCAA Region 7/TCCAA Championship in 2019.

• Qualified for the NJCAA National Tournament in 2019; won a first-round game defeating Casper College (Wyoming) which was 32-2 and ranked sixth in the country. 

• Led Cleveland State as the only 24th seed and the only Cleveland State men's team to ever win a game in the National Tournament — defeating a ninth seed.  

• Named the District 7 Coach of the Year in 2019 and named the TCCAA East Division Coach of the Year in 2021.

• More than 60 players in Cleveland State's program transferred on scholarship to a four-year college or university.

• Finished with 349 career wins.

"Perhaps my greatest accomplishment was earning my Ed.D in Educational Leadership from East Tennessee State University during my tenure at Cleveland State," Cigliano noted.