WALTHAM, Mass. – Joe Fremeau, a 2011 graduate of Bentley University, has returned to his alma mater as an assistant men's basketball coach, head coach Jay Lawson announced.

Fremeau spent the past two years as an assistant women's basketball coach at Southern New Hampshire University while he pursued his MBA in marketing. His coaching resume also includes a year (2011-12) as an assistant boys' basketball coach at his alma mater, Manchester Central High School.

"We're very excited to have Joe join our staff as the full-time assistant we rely heavily on," said Lawson, who coached Fremeau from 2007-11. "First of all, he played for us so he has an excellent knowledge of how we approach things.  Second, Joe was a very intelligent and unselfish player who always put the team ahead of himself and that mentality obviously transfers well to the coaching profession.  Most important, Joe is a very willing worker, proud alum and a person of high character who will be a strong role model for our present and future players to learn from.  We lost an excellent person in Kevin Bettencourt but are fortunate to add another in Joe Fremeau."

Bentley reached the NCAA Division II Regional Final in all four years of Fremeau's career with the Falcons advancing to the national semifinals during his freshman and junior seasons.   In total, the team posted a 110-23 record with Fremeau in uniform, including 50-15 during his junior and senior seasons when he started every game.

"I'm looking forward to representing Bentley again, this time as a coach, and to help our players gain the values that were instilled in me during my time as a player," said Fremeau. ""Looking forward to this season, I'm extremely excited to work with such a high character group of guys who really put the time in on and off the court."

Fremeau, 26, received his Bachelor of Science degree in management from Bentley and recently completed work on his MBA at Southern New Hampshire.

Bentley opens the season Nov. 14-15 with games against Phiadelphia and Holy Family in the annual Bentley Tip-Off Classic.