LPC's men's basketball team has a new head coach.

Livermore resident James Giacomazzi, who coached Cosumnes River College in Sacramento to 209 victories over the past 11 years, has been hired to coach the Hawks. He will take over the program this summer.

Giacomazzi becomes the third men's basketball coach in the team's 9-year history. He succeeds Lon Rork, LPC's coach the past two seasons who guided the Hawks to a 16-13 record last season and a berth into the Northern California Regional playoffs.

"I am really looking forward to teaching and coaching at Las Positas College," Giacomazzi said. "Once I stepped foot on campus, I new this place was special.  LPC is the only college I would have left Cosumnes River College for."

At Cosumnes, Giacomazzi's teams won 2 Big 8 Conference titles, reached the postseason 6 times, and made 5 appearances in the Sweet Sixteen. This past season, he led Cosumnes to a 23-8 overall record and a 12-2 mark -- good for first place -- in the Big 8. He was named the conference's coach of the year for the second time.

Giacomazzi also coached 5 all-state first-team players at Cosumnes. Including his 7 years as an assistant coach at San Jose City College -- 4 of which he also served as the team's athletic advisor -- 60 of Giacomazzi's players have transferred to 4-year colleges with scholarships (18 Division I, 42 Division II/NAIA). Six of his players went on to play professionally.

"I'll always cherish my time at CRC," he said. "It was the school that gave me my first shot as a head coach.  They took a chance on a 28-year-old assistant coach, and I will always be grateful. I am very pleased that I am leaving the program in a great position to have continued success... The last 11 years has prepared me for this moment and I am thrilled and eager to lead LPC into being one of the elite programs in the state."

In addition to coaching at Las Positas, Giacomazzi will be a full-time instructor in the Kinesiology Department.

Giacomazzi grew up in Fremont, where he played basketball at Washington High School. He later played at San Jose City and UC Riverside.

"I can't wait to work with our guys and teach them my system of offense and defense. But even more than that, I want my players to be good husbands and fathers one day and teach them more than just basketball. I am excited for the opportunity to build a program here in Livermore, the city in which my family and I have resided for the past 6 years," he said.