Anthony Latina enters his 13th season as head basketball coach at Sacred Heart, continuing one of the longest tenures in the program’s history. After joining the Pioneers as an assistant in 2005, he took over the top job in 2013, becoming just the third head coach in school history. He succeeded longtime coach Dave Bike, who led the program for 35 seasons.
Latina's Resume
Since stepping into the role, Latina has guided Sacred Heart to a 156-211 overall record, including 100-107 in conference play. While the Pioneers have yet to make an NCAA Tournament appearance under his watch, Latina’s teams have consistently battled in the MAAC. His best season came in 2019-20 when the Pioneers finished 20-13 overall and 12-6 in conference play.
Last year, Sacred Heart went 15-18 and 10-10 in league play. The Pioneers entered the MAAC Tournament as the seventh seed, defeating 10th-seeded Fairfield in the opening round before falling to second-seeded Merrimack 66-62 in overtime.
Before entering coaching, Latina was a point guard at Brandeis College in Waltham, Massachusetts. He began his coaching career as an assistant at UMass Lowell in 1995, followed by a stint at Central Connecticut starting in 1999. Those early experiences helped shape his disciplined, detail-driven coaching style that’s defined Sacred Heart basketball for nearly two decades.
The Pioneers enter the 2025-26 season picked to finish third in the MAAC, earning two first-place votes in the preseason coaches poll. They trail only Quinnipiac and Siena in the projections. Following a season-opening win over Merchant Marine Academy, the schedule quickly stiffens with three straight road games at Duquesne (Nov. 7), Villanova (Nov. 11), and Queens (Nov. 15).
Sacred Heart in 2025-26
Forward Anquan Hall will be the offensive focal point after scoring 21 in the opener. Now in his second season with the program, Hall started 21 games last year and averaged 12.8 points per game. Guards Mekhi Connor and Dadhon Gittens round out the core, giving Latina a blend of scoring, playmaking, and defense that could make this group dangerous.
With experience, balance, and a renewed sense of purpose, Anthony Latina might finally have a team capable of breaking through and giving Sacred Heart fans the March moment they’ve been waiting for.