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During the 2000-01 season, Rickrode led Wilkes to a 23-3 record, the Freedom Conference championship, and the school's sixth berth in the NCAA Tournament in seven years. During the 1997-98 campaign the Colonels posted a 26-5 overall record, won the MAC title, and advanced to the Division III Final Four for the first time in school history. Both the 1995-96 team, which fashioned a 28-2 record, and the 1994-95 teams advanced to the Division III Elite Eight. During Rickrode’s tenure the Colonels have been ranked number-one in Division III twice. Under the guidance of Rickrode the Colonels have posted 15 straight winning seasons, including seven campaigns in which they have registered at least 20 wins. They have also copped six of the last 12 Freedom championships. Rickrode was honored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches as their Mid-Atlantic Regional Coach of the Year after the 2000-01, 1998-99, 1997-98 and 1995-96 seasons. Previously, he has also been named the Freedom coach of the year on three occasions, including 2000-01. Rickrode came to Wilkes after spending four years as a full-time assistant coach at Ithaca College, where he was in charge of coordinating recruiting and scouting, along with assisting at practices and floor coach during games. In addition, Rickrode directed the pre-season and in-season strength and conditioning programs and was a full-time instructor in the Health and Human Performance Department. Prior to Ithaca, Rickrode was an assistant at Utica College in 1987, a graduate assistant at Ithaca in 1986, and head freshman coach at Skidmore College in 1985. Rickrode is a graduate of Skidmore College with a degree in Biology and Physical Education and from Ithaca College with a Master's Degree in Physical Education. At Skidmore, Rickrode earned NAIA Basketball Academic All-American recognition. He was also named the school's senior athlete of the year in 1985 after establishing Skidmore standards for points and assists in a season and for career field goal percentage. Rickrode, his wife Kathy, daughter Jordyn, and son Christian, reside in Hanover Township.
Neal Biscaldi is entering his first season on the Colonels sidelines. The combination of basketball experience and a terrific basketball mind makes him a great fit with the rest of the Wilkes staff. Biscaldi’s coaching responsibilities include recruiting, preparing the team for opponents, on-court coaching duties, scouting, travel planning and monitoring of student-athletes’ academic progress.
Success has followed Biscaldi at all levels of collegiate basketball. He has served on the coaching staffs of five NCAA Tournament teams throughout his career.
His wealth of basketball experience makes him no stranger to successful college basketball. Most recently, Biscaldi served as an assistant coach at St. Francis College, NY, where he helped lead them to a conference best record over a four year period. Prior to that, Biscaldi, served as an assistant coach at Bloomfield College and helped guide them to their first conference tournament as an NCAA Division II program. He was an assistant at Fairleigh Dickinson University when the Knights beat Long Island University in the Noreast Conference Tournament to earn a berth in the 1998 NCAA Division I Tournament. Biscaldi also served as an assistant at Gettysburg College, where he helped lead them to there first NCAA Division III Tournament. He began his coaching career at Rowan University, where they went to the Sweet 16 and two Final Fours, and were ranked number-one in Division III on three occasions.
Biscaldi has coached a countless number of All-Conference and All-American players, including several who have played or are still playing in various places overseas.
Kalyim Williams begins his first season as an assistant coach with the Wilkes University men's basketball team. Williams previously served as an assistant coach at Keystone College.
Williams is a 1999 graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School. Upon his graduation he enrolled at Luzerne County Community College, where he played basketball from 2001 to 2002. During his two seasons there he was named the team's Most Valuable Player. Williams moved on to Keystone College for two years and helped the Giants establish themselves as one of the premier teams in the North East Athletic Conference. An All-Conference performer at Keystone, Williams was also selected as the team Most Valuable Player. Williams, who studied Criminal Justice at Keystone, currenly works at the Children Service Center.
Tyler Jenkins is in his first season as a student assistant coach with the Colonels. Jenkins was a four-year member of the men’s basketball team from 2003 to 2007 and helped Wilkes garner three berths in the Freedom Conference playoffs. The Colonels amassed an overall record of 59-40 during his four seasons and played in the conference title tilt in his freshman and junior seasons.
Jenkins, who went to high school at Rutgers Prep, is pursuing his degree in communications.
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