The Reading Railers Owner and General Manager Kay Magee announced today that Sal Mentesana has accepted the position of head coach.

Most recently head coach at Lehigh University for six years, Mentesana started his coaching career as Head Coach at Notre Dame High School in Easton, PA in the late 70’s where he led the team to the first Centennial and first District XI Boys Basketball Championship in the school’s history.

He then became Assistant Coach at Lehigh University for four years working with Head Coach Brian Hill, who later was named Head Coach of the NBA Orlando Magic and Vancouver Grizzlies (currently assistant with the New Jersey Nets). After four years as Assistant Coach at The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, he was named Head Coach at East Stroudsburg University where he coached for nearly a decade.

While at East Stroudsburg, Mentesana coached his team to two Eastern Division championships and the school’s only Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championship in 1990. He was named Coach of the Year for the PSAC Eastern Division in the same year. He and the 1990 team will be inducted into the East Stroudsburg Hall of Fame October 6.

How does Mentesana think the Reading Railers will fit into the community? “I’ve always felt that it was important for the players I have coached to serve as role models and goodwill ambassadors in the community,” he says. “Athletes have an immediate bond with kids, and it’s critical for them to use this gift to reach out and encourage kids to make good decisions, do the right things and work hard to become better people. I’d like to think that my teams will play hard, play smart and be entertaining. We want to represent the city of Reading in the best possible light.”

Mentesana is a native of Easton and currently resides there with Beth, his wife of 25 years.