By Kerry Van Malderghem
Two years ago at this time, Joe Mihalich '09 was playing in the NCAA Division III Tournament after the Nazareth men's basketball team won the Empire 8 Conference tournament to earn an automatic berth in the Big Dance for the first time in school history.

Fast forward two years and Mihalich is dancing again, but in a different role as a graduate student manager with the Villanova University men's basketball team.

The Wildcats (24-7 overall), earned an at-large berth and are the No. 2 seed in the South Region. Villanova faces Robert Morris, the No. 15 seed on Thursday in Providence, R.I. 

“I'm fired up…can't wait,” Mihalich said recently of playing in the NCAAs. “It's exciting because we get to see our work finally pay off…all the early practices and all of the lifting. It's a great chance for us to play with our backs against the wall and survive and advance.”

It's something Nazareth senior point guard Corey McAdam knows well. McAdam, a teammate of Mihalich's for three years, recently led the Golden Flyers back to the NCAA Division III tournament after winning the Empire 8 Conference tournament for the second time in three years. While Mihalich and McAdam are no longer teammates, McAdam realizes how special it is for Mihalich to be in the position he's in.

“It's unbelievable,” McAdam said. “I hope he gets some time to sit back and reflect and enjoy it. A lot of hard work has gotten him there.”

Mihalich's road to Villanova began when he worked as a basketball camp counselor for Villanova head coach Jay Wright two years ago. The son of Niagara men's basketball coach Joe Mihalich Sr., Mihalich knew coaching was an avenue he wanted to pursue and accepted a two-year position as a graduate student manager following graduation. But while Mihalich is learning the ins and outs of coaching from working with the Wright and the Wildcats, the Wildcats in return have Mihalich, a hard worker who understands the balance between academics and athletics.  

Instead of attending classes, studying for exams and practicing with the Golden Flyers, Mihalich is now responsible for ensuring the Villanova players are doing the same things. And it was his experience as a student-athlete at Nazareth that prepared him for his current role. 

“Most of what I do involves academics, making sure guys go to class, making sure they're getting to meetings with their professors, study halls, making sure they're up on their homework,” Mihalich said. “There's a lot of grunt work. We always say 'humble and hungry' and to be a graduate assistant you're not going to get to do the glorified jobs. You have to be humble and hungry because someday it's going to pay off.”

Mihalich's ultimate goal is to be a college basketball coach. But in the meantime, he knows long hours and hard work will one day pay off.

“You have to claw your way to the top and if they see that you're willing to grind it out and work hard then anybody's going to want you on your staff,” Mihalich added.

And he's on the staff of one of the best college coaches in the country in Wright, a man who got his start working for University of Rochester coach Mike Neer.

“He certainly talks about how he came up and he's a great guy to learn from,” Mihalich said of Wright. “I mean I can't ask for a better start. He's seen everything, he's been coaching for almost 30 years.” 

Another coach Mihalich had an opportunity to learn from was former head coach Mike Daley. Daley, who put Mihalich in charge of the team's study halls, provided Mihalich with another great mentor to learn from. 

“Coach Daley's an awesome coach, and everything he did for me for four years, I can take that and I can do the same thing for our players,” Mihalich said. “I think the best quality about Coach Daley was he was so understanding and he was always there, his door was always open.”

It's a quality Mihalich realized he could take with him to Villanova and beyond. 

“These student athletes are just students and sometimes with everybody talking to them all the time, sometimes they just need to talk, they just need an ear,” Mihalich said. “That's something Coach Daley did for me, and that's something I can do for these guys.”

Mihalich's even returned the favor to McAdam, lending an ear and providing guidance for the senior who himself is considering a coaching career.

“He's told me how to reach out, how to address coaches,” McAdam said. “A lot of people have helped him so he's willing to help others.”

McAdam is also grateful for what Mihalich brought to Nazareth during his four years. 

“There was never an “I” or “me” that came out of Joey's mouth,” McAdam said. “He gave a Division III team a Division I feel with his business approach. He's one of those kids that you want to look him in the eye and do right by him.”

A well-rounded individual, Mihalich has translated his experience from Nazareth to Villanova with ease, dignity and grace. And McAdam realizes how special it all is for his former teammate. 

“Joey and I used to work out and now he's working out with Scottie Reynolds,” McAdam said. “It's good to see him come from Nazareth and have an impact on their program.”