Purchase College Athletics

Three-time Purchase College Coach of the Year Jeff Charney returns for his seventh full season.

Charney had the interim tag removed from his title at the end 2008 and was thusly appointed the full-time head men’s basketball coach at Purchase in 2008-09. He led the Panthers to an amazing turnaround in his first season, taking Purchase from three to 15 wins and a playoff berth in the Skyline Conference Tournament.

Charney followed his first full season in Orange and Blue with a Skyline Conference Tournament crown and the college's first ever berth in the NCAA DIII Tournament in 2009-10. 

The Panthers would repeat as league champs in 2010-11, earning consecutive bids to the NCAA DIII Tournament. After falling in the finals in 2011-12 to Farmingdale State, Purchase garnered another back-to-back championship run, winning it all in 2012-13 and 2013-14. 

Last year, Purchase enjoyed its finest season in Panther history, with Charney and company leading the Panthers to a consistent national ranking in the Top 25, a 26-3 overall record (17-1 in conference), another Skyline Conference crown and another berth in the NCAAs. The Panthers won the first round of March Madness against Hartwick, hosting the regionals at Purchase before falling to Albertus Magnus in the second round.

Under Charney, Purchase celebrated its fourth conference title in five years. The team made five straight league final appearance and advanced to the NCAAs for the fourth time in five years.  

It was also the fourth 20-win season for Charney. He was later named All-Met Coach of the Year for the second time (2014 and 2010) and shared PC Coach of the Year honors with men's soccer head coach James Bruno.  

A longtime local baseball, football and basketball coach, Charney turned around a poor year for the Panthers in the second half of the 2007-08 campaign, using his success in previous coaching endeavors to spark that turnaround.  

The Rye Brook, NY native has led his Blind Brook H.S teams to a Federation Championship game, a State Championship and made 5-of-5 County Center Final Four appearances. Overall, Charney has amassed over 200 wins in 15-plus years of coaching basketball locally at the high school level. 

For his success on the high school hardwood, Charney received numerous accolades, including Madison Square Garden Tri-State Coach of the Year in 2002, presented by Mike Quick of the MSG Network.

Charney has also been recognized for his success on the diamond and the gridiron. On the baseball field, Charney received coach of the year honors from both the NY Daily News and The Journal News. In 1992, he was named Junior College National Coach of the Year after coaching Westchester Community College to the Junior College World Series. He’s also enjoyed success at the high school level where he won a Section 1 record six sectional championships, four regional championships, 10 league championships and made four State Final appearances in 17 years.

In 29 years of coaching football, Charney never had a losing season at the JV level at Rye High School, winning three state titles (2005, 2006, 2008).