VESTAL, NY--Friday, Tommy Dempsey officially became the fourth head coach in the Division I history of Binghamton University men's basketball.

A native of Northeast Pennsylvania, Dempsey spent the last seven seasons as the head coach at Rider University, and says he thinks a bright future is ahead for the BU hoops program.

"This, in my opinion, is a sleeping giant, we have everything here that we need to be successful, it's just a matter of developing the players that are currently in the program and playing good basketball and going on the recruiting trails and letting people know just how special this university is," Dempsey said.

Dempsey landed the job out of an applicant pool of more than 100 candidates. He posted a .531 winning percentage during his time at Rider, and was named the 2008 MAAC Coach of the Year...a resume that has his new team excited.

"I think that this is a new start for us, everybody is anxious to finally get somebody here that is as confident as he is to lead us in the direction of success," said Bearcats' Junior Guard, Jimmy Gray.

His winning ways stood out to the BU Athletic Department, but it was his teams' successes off the court that sealed the deal for Binghamton.

"Very impressive success rate with his academic progress rate, as well as his graduation success rate, those are two things that really stood out to me," said BU Athletic Director Patrick Elliot.

Since winning the America East Championship in 2009 and advancing to the NCAA tournament for the first time that year, the Bearcats have faced much adversity...including a scandal that led to six players and then-coach Kevin Broadus leaving the team.

Last year, Binghamton went 2-29, it's worst season in school-history, then lost three players to transfers in the off-season, none of which deterred Dempsey from taking the job.

"What attracted me to this institution was all the things that are positive about the institution, from the standpoint of the facilities, to resources, to the reputation academically," Dempsey said.

But it will still likely be an uphill battle for Dempsey and the Bearcats, one that begins this fall.