With Matt Mahar at the helm, the Silversword basketball program has compiled an overall record of 81-55 over the last five seasons, 80-40 versus non Division I opponents.
The Swords won the Pacific West conference twice during that time, earning Chaminade's first and second-ever trips to the NCAA Tournament . They advanced to the "Field of 32" both times and Mahar was named Conference Coach of the Year in 2006 & 2008.
The 2009-10 campaign was one filled with new faces for the Swords. CUH returned no starters from the 2008-09 campaign, which led many of the Swords to "learn on the job". Chaminade finished fifth in the nine team Pac West, finishing the year 10-15 overall and 10-11 against non-division I competition. The up and down year left quite a few bright spots, as the vast majority of the first year Swords who contributed greatly in 09-10 and will be veterans for the upcoming 2010-11 season. Both Steven Bennett (Second Team) and Matt Cousins (Honorable Mention) received conference accolades.
The 2008-09 campaign saw a battered Silversword team play it's way to a 15-12 record and a third place finish in the PacWest Conference. Chaminade lost five players throughout the course of the season and finished two of their last three contests with four players on the court. Both Joel Smith and Mohamed Tangara earned first team all-conference honors. Smith was also named to the Daktronics All West Region Team. This marks the fourth Chaminade player in as many years to earn all region honors.
The 2007-08 season ended with a list of seconds. A second Pac West Championship in three years. A second NCAA Tournament appearance, and a second NCAA tournament win. The Swords capped the year ranked 25th in the country, and won 21 games, the first time in twenty-three years the school has accomplished the feat, and the first time in Division II. The year bested the previous DII school record for wins, which was 19. The previous mark was Coach Mahar's first year as head coach. This year concluded with five all-conference nominations, making that 14 total in Mahar's tenure. Chaminade has also had three All West Region selections and two All Americans in the past three years. He was also named Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons.
Coach Mahar's second year, 2006-07, the Swods were tantalizingly close to meeting the landmarks of the year before. Chaminade had the Pac West Player of the Year, Zack Whiting, who was also named an All-American and Bob Cousy Awad Finalist. Four Swords were named All Pac West. CUH finished 16-11 on the year.
The 2005-06 season maked coach Mahar's first season as head coach. Mahar led the Swords to their first ever PacWest Conference Championship. The Swords also made a first ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2005-06 and defeated their first round opponent, Alaska-Anchorage, to advance to the "Field of 32". Chaminade accumulated 19 wins on the season. At the time, it was the most wins for a CU basketball team in 17 seasons. Chris Reaves was named Pac West Player of the Year under Coach Mahar's tutelage. Chaminade saw four players earn all-conference honors while Mahar was named PacWest Coach of the Year in the banner 2005-06 season.
Mahar, an east coast native has the best winning percentage in NCAA school history, 64% (71-40) and has won 71% of his games vs. non-division I opponents (70-29).
Coach Mahar joined the Silversword staff in 2001 and spent three years as an assistant coach under Aaron Griess prior to being promoted to head coach in 2005.
Mahar also serves as an Assistant Director of Athletics for the University which sponsors ten varsity sports including: men's basketball, cross country, golf and soccer, while also sponsoring women's basketball, cross-country, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball.
Before joining the CU staff, he served as assistant coach to head coach Bob Tipson at Champlain College in Burlington, VT. Prior to his position at Champlain College, Mahar was an assistant coach at the University of Vermont, Johnson & Wales University, and Johnson State College. His father, Buddy, is the former head basketball coach and 1982 NABC Coach of the Year at Columbia University in New York City. He won the award after leading the Lions to a 16-10 season and a second place finish in the Ivy League.
Mahar graduated from Johnson State College where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science in 1996. In his two seasons at Johnson State College, Mahar led the Badgers to back-to-back winning seasons, while earning First Team All-Conference nominations. He also led the nation in assists per game (9).
Mahar played his first two seasons at the Community College of Rhode Island under Hall of Fame Coach Vin Cullen. Mahar helped lead CCRI to two national tournament appearances including an appearance in the Division III Junior College National Championship game in Delhi, New York.
