HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College, has a new coach this year, Pat Gahr, who leads the college's men's basketball team in defense of the Pennsylvania Athletic Collegiate Conference state championship title. Their home opener is this Thursday, November 18, at 8pm. They will face Northampton Community College in the James Evans Physical Education Center the Harrisburg Campus of HACC. Dave Baker, who coached the team to the state championship title, was not able to return after a job promotion.

Gahr brings more than 25 years of coaching experience to the program, which is in its fourth season. As a high school coach, Gahr has led his teams to numerous play-off and championship games at the state and district level. He currently works for Cedar Cliff High School as its basketball coach and health and physical education teacher.

Gahr has served on the PIAA Basketball Steering Committee and the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Coaches Association, was president of the Pennsylvania Association of Basketball Coaches and was named Coach of the Year by the Carlisle Sentinel in 1996 and 1997.

"We are very happy to have Coach Gahr lead our men's basketball team," said Lynette DiBrito, associate dean of student life. "The phenomenon of community college athletics is that there is a high amount of turnover on the teams. For this upcoming year, there are 12 men on the team and only one player is returning from last year's winning team."

HACC's men's basketball team won the PACC state championship last year, setting the stage for an exciting home opener on Thursday, November 18. Currently they are 1-1. They are the second game at 8pm of a double-header that begins with the women's game at 6 p.m.

HACC Athletics includes men and women's basketball, women's volleyball, team tennis and soccer.