Siena College Women’s Basketball Head Coach Jim Jabir has announced his retirement following a decorated 36-year collegiate head coaching career. Jabir led the Saints for the past three seasons in his second stint with the program, after having previously served as head coach from 1987-90.
Jabir’s wife, Angie Jabir, who has served concurrently during his tenure as Siena College’s Senior Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator, has accepted an exciting new opportunity as the Executive Associate Athletics Director at Stanford University, and the family plans to follow her as she begins her new endeavor.
“After coaching for longer than I thought was possible, I would like to announce my retirement from the game I love,” said Jabir. “I want to thank all the coaches and players and my family who have been a part of this amazing journey that I’ve been so blessed to be on. It’s a bittersweet time because I was so proud to be a Saint once again. My staff and I have built something special here in Loudonville. I know the future is so bright, and I look forward to seeing this program reach new heights never achieved before. I want to devote my time with Angie and our son Jude moving forward as we start the next chapter of our lives. Thank you to everyone for sharing a part of yourself with me.”
A finalist for the 2013 Naismith National Coach of the Year Award, Jabir amassed 561 career victories spanning stops at Buffalo State (1986-87), Siena (1987-90, 2021-24), Marquette (1990-96), Providence (1996-02), Dayton (2003-16), and Florida Atlantic (2017-21). The Brooklyn, New York native led his programs to eight NCAA Tournament berths, highlighted by a 2015 Elite Eight appearance.
“I would like to thank Jim for coming back to Siena to help us move our women’s basketball program forward,” said Siena College Vice President and Director of Athletics John D’Argenio. “It was a great benefit to Siena to have had someone with his coaching pedigree and history of national success guiding the program. Working collaboratively, he has set the Siena Women’s Basketball program up for success in the MAAC by recruiting outstanding basketball players who are outstanding people as well. He certainly deserves a long, enjoyable retirement.”
“I would also like to recognize and thank Angie as well,” added D’Argenio. “The administrative skill that she brought to Siena has made us better. Her commitment to work across campus departments was extremely beneficial to our student athletes, and she played an integral role in helping us further our mission of ‘Building Better Saints.’ The national committee work she has done has been a benefit to college athletics.”
In two stints spanning six total seasons leading Siena, Jabir posted a 97-73 (.571) record including a 41-32 (.562) mark in four years of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference competition. He concluded his career by guiding the Saints to the program’s first back-to-back MAAC Semifinals appearances in 11 years. This past season, Siena achieved an 18-12 overall record including a 14-6 ledger in MAAC action, marking the program’s most conference victories in more than two decades dating back to the 2002-03 season.
A national search for the next Siena Women’s Basketball head coach will begin immediately.
