Bay View's New Head Basketball Coach Is South Kingstown Man

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI — Bert DeSalvo, of South Kingstown, is Bay View Academy’s new head basketball coach, the school said Tuesday. He replaces Doug Haynes, who left to take over as head women's basketball coach at Community College of Rhode Island.

“I’m excited about this opportunity," DeSalvo said in a press release from Bay View. "I want to thank the committee and the Bay View administration for bringing me on board. This is a great program with a great tradition. I am looking forward to giving back to the student-athletes and sharing insights from my basketball journey.”

He has coached at college, high school, and private schools.

"Most recently, DeSalvo served as the head girl’s basketball coach at the Rocky Hill School in East Greenwich" the school said, "but has primarily spent most of his coaching career in the collegiate ranks. His first collegiate coaching experience came in the 2005-2006 season as an assistant men’s basketball coach at the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore where he was responsible for developing three members of the MEAC All-Rookie Team and an All-MEAC Second Team selection. DeSalvo then moved on to become the lead women’s assistant basketball coach at MacMurray College for one season. After that, he had successful four-year run as the head women’s basketball coach at Penn State-Beaver where he compiled a 99-26 (.792) record and qualified for the USCAA National Tournament in all four campaigns. In 2011, DeSalvo and the Lady Lions finished as the national runner-up after an undefeated regular season."

His resume also includes a Division I stint as assistant women’s basketball coach at Sacred Heart University.

DeSalvo is a Rhode Island native. He grew up in South Kingstown, was graduated from the University of Rhode Island and lives in town with wife Becky and two daughters.

“We are very excited that Coach DeSalvo will be joining our Bay View community. His expertise and basketball knowledge will sustain our continued success at the Division I level,” said Colleen Gribbin, Principal of St. Mary Academy - Bay View, “Coach DeSalvo’s history and participation in community service align with our mission and that of the Sisters of Mercy.”

Courtesy Photo Bay View Academy

Caption: Bengals coaching staff Tamara Small, left, Coach Bert DeSalvo, and Dave Maccarone.