Montclair State University Athletics

For the first part of the 1980s very few basketball teams in the Metropolitan area enjoyed the level of success that the Montclair State men’s basketball program did. In a four-year span the then Indians won 60 games and captured two New Jersey State Athletic Conference championships while making three appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament. If one were to look for a constant among those outstanding teams you need to look no further that the one named that appeared on each of those rosters – Charlie Coe. A four-year letterwinner, Coe led the Red Hawks from his guard position averaging just under 10 points per game. But it was his defensive prowess that earned Coe a good portion of his fame. A reserve on the 1980-81 team that reached the regional championship game, the following season Coe averaged 9.8 points and added 36 assists and 41 steals as Montclair made it back-to-back NJSCAC Championships. Coe would be named to the NJSCAC All-Conference Third Team. In 1983 Coe upped his scoring average to 10.1 points per contest shooing over 50 percent from the field while collecting another 41 steals as he was named to the ECAC Division III Metro All-Star Team. In his final campaign of 1983-84, Coe was among the many heroes as Montclair went 22-6 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four years. The Indians face a daunting task facing Scranton on its home court in the opening round yet Coe provided the defensive spark as Montclair knocked off the Royals, and a day later, won the regional with a win over Susquehanna. Coe finished his career scoring 822 points and had more assists than turnovers (121-120) while also setting the career mark for steals with 130.