Veteran assistant Josh Pelletier begins his first season at UMBC after spending the last seven at Albany. He comes to UMBC with 12 years of division one coaching experience between Albany, LIU Brooklyn, and Duquesne. During his time at Albany they twice set records for single-season win totals and averaged over 20 wins a season from 2015-2019. He has been a part of six teams that have qualified for National Postseason Tournaments including two NCAA Tournament berths. During the 2020-2021 season that was shortened due to COVID, Pelletier was in charge of a transformation that saw Albany play at the fastest tempo in the America East.
Pelletier’s recruiting efforts ultimately helped re-write the record book at Albany. He recruited David Nichols, the only sophomore in Albany history to be selected to the America East All-Conference First Team. Nichols’ 625 points in the 2017 season are the second-highest total ever in the history of Albany basketball. Nichols was also selected as America East Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men's basketball in 2016-2017.
In the 2018-2019 season, two freshmen from Australia left their mark. Cameron Healy set single-season program records for three-pointers made and attempted and set a freshman program record for total points en route to All-Conference and All-Rookie honors. Adam Lulka became the only freshman in program history to be named team captain. Lulka started all 32 games for Albany, shooting 56% from the field and leading the Great Danes in rebounding.
Pelletier also recruited Travis Charles who holds the records for highest field goal percentage and points per game for a forward in Albany basketball history. The All-Conference forward was in the top-10 in scoring and rebounding in the America East as a senior in 2018. Also in the frontcourt, that season was Alex Foster, the team's first-ever graduate transfer, who tied a program record with 15 rebounds in a game at Louisville.
Working with both guards and forwards, Pelletier has coached and recruited five America East All-Conference First Team players in Nichols, Sam Rowley, Ray Sanders, Evan Singletary, and Joe Cremo. Cremo was also selected as America East Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year in the 2015-16 season.
The Troy, New York native spent one season with Duquense in 2013-14. As the Director of Basketball Administration, Pelletier served as the team's primary contact for donor and alumni relations in addition to coordinating the team's travel and daily itinerary. Pelletier also developed scouting and recruiting strategies in conjunction with the Duquesne coaching staff.
Pelletier served as the Director of Basketball Operations for LIU Brooklyn in 2012-2013. The Blackbirds became the only team in Northeast Conference history to advance to the NCAA Tournament in three consecutive seasons.
Pelletier started his coaching career as a graduate assistant and video coordinator with Albany from 2009-2012.
A 2009 graduate of The College of Saint Rose, Pelletier was a four-year letter winner for Brian Beaury and helped the Golden Knights advance to three NCAA Division II Tournaments while serving as team captain in his senior season. Pelletier graduated from Saint Rose with a Bachelor’s Degree in secondary education before earning a Master's Degree in liberal studies at Albany.
In the high school ranks, Pelletier played at LaSalle Institute in addition to his AAU time with the prestigious Albany City Rocks. Pelletier was elected to the Upstate New York Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020 and still holds the career scoring record at LaSalle Institute.
Pelletier and his wife, Robin, have a son Elijah and a daughter Charlotte.
