Bentley Celebrates 60 Years Of Falcons Basketball In June

WALTHAM, MA — One of the most successful programs in all of NCAA Division II basketball turned 60 years old this year.

The 2022-23 season marked year 60 for the men's basketball program at Bentley University. More than 300 players and coached have been present on the sidelines through that journey, producing the seventh-highest all-time winning percentage in Division II history along the way.

On June 10, the program will celebrate the milestone by hosting the Sixty Years of Bentley Basketball Reunion, officials announced.

The event will be held Bentley's campus at the Dana Athletic Center in Waltham. A 3 p.m. alumni game will start the event, followed by a reception and program.

The men's basketball program began in 1963 as Bentley's first varsity team sport while the college was still located in downtown Boston. Since, Bentley basketball has earned 50 winning seasons, 1,053 victories and 20 NCAA tournament berths.

The program has spent 162 weeks ranked in the top 25, including 78 weeks in the top ten, 49 in the top five and 16 at number one in the country.

Since 2005, Bentley teams have advanced to the Sweet Sixteen eight times, the Elite Eight four times and Final Four twice. The program also established the two longest winning streaks in New England basketball history (all divisions) and set the all-time NCAA Division II record of 55 straight regular season wins.

"We should all be very proud of the consistency of our basketball program over the past six decades", said Head Coach Jay Lawson. "We have a wonderful tradition that has clearly stood the test of time during the many changes of college basketball and our university."