Kean University

David Turco returns for his sixth season in 2025-26.

Coach Turco Highlights

NJAC Tournament Appearance: 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25.

Three All-MET Selections

Three All-Region Selections

One Regional Rookie of the Year

Six All-NJAC Selections

One NJAC Rookie of the Year

In 2024-25, Kean qualified for the NJAC playoffs for the fifth straight season under Coach Turco. DJ Alicea was an All-NJAC second team selection and was named to the All-Met Honorable Mention.  

In 2023-24, Kean qualified for the NJAC playoffs for the fourth straight season under Coach Turco. Tyler Spencer was named the NJAC Rookie of the Year along with being named the D3Hoops Region IV Rookie of the Year. 

In 2022-23, Turco guided the Cougars to their best record since 2010-11 with a 18-8 overall record. The third year head coach helped Kean earn a third straight appearance in the NJAC Tournament. Newcomer Griffin Barker was selected to the All-MET First Team, All-ECAC First Team, NABC All-District Second Team, D3Hoops All-Region Second Team and All-NJAC First Team...Teammate Letrell West joined Barker as a All-MET second team selection and a All-NJAC First Team selection. 

In 2021-22, Turco guided the Cougars to their best season record since 2013-14 with a 14-10 overall record. The second year head coach helped Kean earn a second straight appearance in the NJAC Tournament. Newcomer Letrell West became Turco's second All-NJAC selection. 

In 2020-21, Turco tallied his first collegiate coaching victory during a COVID shortened season. In addition, JD Daniels became the first All-NJAC selection under the new coaching staff.  

Turco comes to Kean with almost 500 wins to his credit while coaching the past 23 plus years in the state of New Jersey.  He boasts a combined .780 winning percentage while at the reigns in both the high school and collegiate levels.  For his efforts he was inducted into the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Hall of Fame. 

In 21 seasons coaching at St. Joseph (Metuchen), South Brunswick and Carteret high schools, he won a combined 448 games.  In the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) he is the only coach to win five consecutive league championships (2010-2014).

Most recently Turco was at Middlesex County College where he collected 48 wins in just two seasons.  Turco took over a team that only won 13 games the previous year and led them to a 27-7 record in his first season. The 2018-19 Blue Colts won the Region XIX Championship and appeared in the NJCAA National Tournament.  This accomplishment led him to being named the Region XIX Coach of the Year and Region VI National Coach of the Year.  This past spring he led the team to the Region XIX semifinals and had 10 players named All-Academic.

Prior to his recent collegiate stint, he manned the sidelines at St. Joseph for 12 seasons with an impressive 285 wins (.828 win %).  His teams won three Parochial A State Championship titles with a Tournament of Champions crown.  Under his tutelage, 11 players crossed the 1,000 point plateau.  He coached many players who went on to impressive collegiate careers.  Furthermore, two of those players, Karl Anthony Towns and Wade Baldwin IV, advanced their careers into the professional realm in the NBA.  

In the nine years prior to his time at St. Joseph he combined for 163 wins at South Brunswick and Carteret and qualified for the state tournament every year.  His teams added five divisional championships. He has never had a losing season in his 23 years of head coaching.

Turco graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Moravian College after playing with the Greyhounds for four seasons.