Siena College Vice President & Director of Athletics John D’Argenio has announced the promotion of Terry Primm to the post of Siena Women’s Basketball Head Coach. The Saints’ top assistant coach for the last three seasons, Primm succeeds retiring head coach Jim Jabir to become the tenth head coach in program history.
Primm will be formally introduced at a press conference on Monday, April 15 at 1 PM in the UHY Center on Siena College campus. The press conference will be streamed live on Siena All-Access at sienasaints.com/watch.
“I would like to thank President Seifert, Vice President & Director of Athletics John D’Argenio, and the entire Siena family for their trust and support in me, my family, and our student athletes,” Primm said. “Siena is a special place with an incredible spirit. We are dedicated to winning championships and supporting the growth of our incredible young women. Jim Jabir started a resurgence here that we will continue to build into being the best program in the MAAC and one of the best on the court.”
The 49-year-old Primm has played an integral role in the improvement of the Siena Women’s Basketball program, highlighted by consecutive MAAC Semifinals appearances the past two seasons for the first time in 11 years. Working in lock-step with Jabir, the Detroit native helped Siena achieve an 18-12 overall record including a 14-6 ledger in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action this past season, marking the program’s most league victories in more than two decades dating back to the 2002-03 season. Primm previously led the Saints for seven games as acting head coach during the 2022-23 season, guiding the team to a 6-1 record.
“We are thrilled to welcome Terry Primm as the new head coach of the Siena women’s basketball program,” said Siena College President Dr. Charles “Chuck” Seifert. “Following our region’s recent honor of hosting the NCAA Super Regional, it is clearer than ever that our community is primed to support women’s basketball at the highest levels. Terry has had a profound impact as an assistant coach, underscored by back-to-back MAAC Semifinal appearances and instilling a winning mindset both on and off the court. His deep understanding of the Siena Mission and values, combined with a proven track record of producing results with our program, positions him as the ideal leader at this pivotal moment. With Terry at the helm, we look forward to embracing this growing momentum and are confident in the bright future ahead for Siena basketball.”
During Primm’s tenure, he has helped recruit and develop 10 All-MAAC honorees highlighted by the 2022-23 MAAC Rookie of the Year and 2023-24 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year. The coordinator of the team’s defensive efforts, Siena ranked in the top-15 nationally this past season in both turnovers forced per-game and steals per-game.
“We are very excited that Terry Primm will take over our women’s basketball program,” D’Argenio said. “Coach Primm has been a key part of Coach Jabir’s coaching staff over the last three seasons, which has led to the recruitment of outstanding student athletes and success on the court. He is the right choice to lead our student athletes and to continue to move this program toward a MAAC Championship. Join me in congratulating Coach Primm and his family on being part of a new chapter in Siena Women’s Basketball.”
Prior to arriving in Loudonville, Primm spent four seasons serving as the associate head coach under Jabir at FloridaAtlantic University (2017-21). He helped guide the Owls to their most conference wins and first conference tournament victory in program history, and aided in the development of the 2020-21 Conference USA Newcomer of the Year in addition to other multiple All-Conference selections during his tenure. Primm previously served as an assistant coach at Coastal Carolina University (2015-17), and spent two seasons as the head girls’ basketball coach and director of basketball operations at Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches in Florida. His team at Oxbridge held a .780 winning percentage and completed a historic playoff run to the program’s first Regional Final appearance during the 2014-15 season.
From 2007-13, Primm was the men’s basketball head coach at his alma mater, Division II Palm Beach Atlantic University. His teams consistently faced the top competition in the NCAA Division II South Region, and knocked off three top-25 nationally ranked teams as well as numerous regionally ranked squads. Included in PBA’s notable wins during Primm’s tenure was an overtime victory over North Greenville University in the 2009-10 NCAA South Region Championship Game to claim the NCCAA Regional Championship. Primm previously served as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Sailfish from 2003-05, helping the program to a pair of NCAA Regional Championships and 20-win seasons.
Primm is the founder of the Top Performance Basketball Academy, and has additional coaching experience as an assistant at The Benjamin School (Palm Beach Gardens) and various camps. He helped guide The Benjamin School to a state title in 2001.
A two-year starter for Palm Beach Atlantic from 1995-97, Primm ranks fourth all-time in program history averaging 18.7 points. He shot 57.4% from the field while making over 37% of his three-point attempts to rank in the top-five in school history in both categories as well as steals.
Primm is a two-time graduate of PBA, earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration before completing his Master’s degree in organizational leadership. Primm is the proud father of two daughters, Crystal and Journee. Crystal starred at both Duke University and Auburn University before completing her collegiate basketball career alongside her father at FAU.
