Athletics

Entering his  tenth season, Coach McBreen has turned the Roadrunner Men’s Basketball Program into a highly competitive play–off team. He is the first ever full–time Basketball Coach at Ramapo College. McBreen is entering his 10th season of coaching, and his 12th in the college ranks.  Coach McBreen’s program has been nationally ranked in the top 25 for the past seven years.  The Roadrunners are the winningest four year college basketball program in the state of New Jersey for Divisions I, II, and III over the past six years, 134-42.

A native of North Bergen, NJ, McBreen accomplished one of his goals of qualifying for the post–season in just his second year. Last season McBreen led his team to their second NJAC Championship after winning Ramapo College’s first ever in 2004-2005.  The Roadrunners defeated New Jersey City University, 83-81 in overtime, after falling behind by as many as 13 points in the second half.  His team finished 22-8 overall while finishing 9-4 in conference play.  In 2004-2005, Ramapo hosted the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight for the first time in school history.   That year he finished the season 24-5 overall, 13-3 in the NJAC. In 2003-2004, he was able to finish 23-6 overall, 9-4 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. He won the 2003-2004 ECAC Metro Championship defeating NYU, 69-66.  In 2002-2003 he took his team to the Elite Eight in the NCAA's.  In his nine season’s as head coach at Ramapo, McBreen has led the Roadrunners to an overall record of 172–77, and 92-58 (NJAC). His team has been at the top of the New Jersey Athletic Conference standings for the past six years. He has led his team to seven Roadrunner Tip–Off Tournament Championships.  Coach McBreen has also taken his team across the country to Arizona, where they participated in the Phoenix Cactus Jam Fest, winning it for the first time in 2005-2006, by defeating nationally ranked #23 in Division I NAIA Biola, California.

In just nine years at Ramapo, he has been named Ramapo College Coach of the Year in both basketball and tennis. In 2002-2003 and 2004-2005 he was named NJAC, Met Writers, and NABC Atlantic Region coach of the year as well.  During the 2002-2003 season Coach McBreen set school records for overall wins, 26, conference wins, 17, and consecutive wins, 17.

As a recruiter, McBreen has proven that he is one of the best in the state. Despite being hired in late June of 1998, Coach McBreen landed one recruit, Tuquan Smith of Jersey City, NJ who was named NJAC "Rookie of the Year." In his second year, he landed Charles Ransom, Tennyson Whitted, and, Amin Wright, all of Jersey City, NJ, and former assistant coach Robert Anderson.  Ransom was named NJAC "Rookie of the Year," and NJAC “Player of the Year” his junior year while Whitted earned NJAC “Defensive Player of the Year” honors in his sophomore, junior, and senior years.  Wright was also a Two-Time “Defensive Player of the Year” while also receiving Atlantic Region Player of the Year.  All four recruits went on to be named All-Americans.  As McBreen continues to stock–pile tremendous student–athletes, the program continues its climb to one of the top teams in the country.

Before coming to Ramapo, McBreen spent two years as an assistant coach at Division I Western Carolina University. Prior to his time at WCU, Coach McBreen served as the head boy’s basketball coach at Union Hill High School for four years. A two–time Hudson County Coach of the Year, McBreen turned around a program that had only won five games in three seasons. After posting a 9–16 record in his first year in 1992, he led his team to three consecutive winning records of 17–9, 15–9, 19–8, and took each of those teams to the state playoffs. The teams’ 19–8 record in 1996 was the best at Union Hill in 25 years.

McBreen began his coaching career at North Bergen High School as an assistant during the 1988–89 season and spent three years at his alma mater in that capacity.

A graduate of Towson State University in 1988 with degrees in physical education, driver’s education, and health.  He is also in charge of athletic scheduling for the department’s 22 intercollegiate sports. 

Coach Talamini is a former Ramapo Coach.  He was an assistant for the Roadrunners from 1994-1996.  This is his seventh year as an assistant on Coach McBreen’s staff.

Coach Talamini comes from Cliffside Park High School where he has coached for the past 20 years. As the head coach of Cliffside Park, he has won two State Championships and eight Bergen County Scholastic League Championships.He is a two-time recipient of the Bergen/Hudson County Coach of the Year award.

Coach Talamini is a graduate of New Jersey City University where he is now in the Hall of Fame.

He currently resides in Harrington Park, NJ. 

James Puliatte joins the Roadrunner staff after graduating from West Virginia University in 2007.  Puliatte earned a Bachelor's degree in Science in Business & Economics with a concentration in Marketing from WVU's College of Business and Economics.

James worked as an assistant for Suffern High School's basketball team. The youngest of four siblings he resides in Norwood, NJ.

Jerry Braswell - ASSISTANT COACH

Richie Aponte - ASSISTANT COACH

Coach Rich Aponte will be joining the Ramapo College Men’s Basketball program as assistant to Head Coach Chuck McBreen for the first time in 2007-2008.  Coach Aponte, like Coach McBreen, graduated from North Bergen High School.  He also graduated from Bergen Community College with an  A.S. in Professional General Education.

Aponte has been coaching basketball for over 25 years beginning at his own high school as an assistant, and then at Union Hill High School in Union City.  In 1989, Aponte moved to the head coach position at Wood-Ridge High School where he remained until 1993.  He is experienced in coaching  both boys and girls basketball programs at several schools within Hudson and Bergen counties including St. Mary’s (Rutherford), Ferris High School (Jersey City) and Pascack Hills High School (Montvale).  In addition, Aponte has coached baseball, softball, and football within Hudson and Bergen counties.

Currently Coach Aponte is employed at Pascack Hills High School with the Special Services Department.  He also is the Head Varsity Softball Coach at Teaneck High School.  His overall record as a head baseball and softball coach is 156-96, with two state sectional and division titles.

Aponte also spends a great deal of time teaching children the fundamentals of basketball, baseball, and football within his community as a volunteer in his hometown of Hillsdale, NJ, and at a summer camp in nearby Westwood, NJ.