LAKELAND, Fla. – Florida Southern College men's basketball head coach Mike Donnelly has announced the return of Luke St. Lifer '18 as the General Manager of Men's Basketball.
 
"I am thrilled to have Luke back with us on staff," said Donnelly. "Not only is he a terrific coach, but he is a great person who will add a ton of value to our program both on and off the court. As our General Manager, I look forward to working closely with Luke. He is the perfect fit and will do a fantastic job in this new role."
 
St. Lifer returns to his alma mater after spending the last year as the Director of Operations for men's basketball at Virginia Commonwealth University. In his time with the Rams, the team went 28-8, winning the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship and a second-round appearance in the NCAA tournament. As the Director of Operations, St. Lifer was responsible for all logistics related to the day-to-day operations of the men's basketball program, including non-conference scheduling, team travel, management of the program's operating budget, and coordination of recruiting visits. He also served as the program's liaison to the athletic department.
 
"I am extremely thankful to President Martin, Drew Howard, and Coach Donnelly for allowing me the opportunity to come back home to Florida Southern," shared St. Lifer. "It is a national brand. It is a place you can win championships and achieve true excellence. I am excited to get back in the community and get to work."
 
A 2018 graduate of Florida Southern College, St. Lifer served the Florida Southern College men's basketball coaching staff as an assistant coach from 2022-23 to 2024-25. In the fall of 2024, St. Lifer assisted the women's basketball staff for the 2024-25 season.

In three years at Florida Southern, he helped guide the Mocs to back-to-back NCAA postseason appearances in 2023-24 and 2024-25, including an appearance in the South Region Championship game. Florida Southern posted a 68-28 overall record with St. Lifer on the sideline, with a 42-18 mark in league play.
 
St. Lifer, a native of Mountain Lakes, N.J., spent four years as a member of the Florida Southern men's basketball team one as a student manager and three as a player. The 2018 Florida Southern College graduate was a student manager for the 2014-15 NCAA DII National Champion Moccasins before joining the team for the 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18 seasons.
 
St. Lifer played in 22 games for the Mocs where he finished his career with 17 points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal. He earned NABC Honors Court following his junior season while also earning Sunshine State Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll twice in his career. He served on the FSC student government as a freshman.
 
Prior to Florida Southern, St. Lifer served as the Director of Basketball Operations at Division I Bryant University for the past two seasons. He completed three years on the staff at Bryant after joining the 2018-19 season as the Director of Basketball Analytics before heading over to Division II Le Moyne College for 2019-20. St. Lifer returned to Bryant for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
 
While on staff, the Bulldogs had two of the best seasons in program history. In 2020-21, the Bulldogs went 15-7, entered the mid-major top-25 and advanced to the Northeast Conference Championship. In 2021-22, Bryant won its first-ever NEC Regular Season and Tournament Titles, advancing to the NCAA DI Men's Basketball Championships. While at Le Moyne, St. Lifer helped the Dolphins go 19-9 and advance to the NCAA tournament.
 
St. Lifer spent the summer of 2017 as the Director of Player Development Intern at Green Bay and gained experience as a summer camp coach at Iowa and Georgia Tech while also serving as a summer coach at the Robert Jacobson Sports Foundation and John ByDook Basketball Academy.
 
What Others Are Saying
Phil Martelli Jr., VCU Basketball Head Coach
"Luke is a tremendous worker who can impact a program in many areas. He is a connector who has a high care factor for people."
 
Greg Fahey, Syracuse University Basketball General Manager 
"With the GM role constantly evolving you need someone that has the ability to move in different circles. He will bring an energy to the job that donors will feed off and his creativity will keep Florida Southern at the forefront of this college basketball landscape."
 
Cole Teal, Charlotte Hornets Front Office 
"I've been consistently impressed by Luke's work ethic, knowledge of the game, and ability to build genuine relationships. He's someone who approaches every decision with preparation, integrity, and a team-first mindset. Florida Southern is getting a terrific general manager, and I have no doubt he'll make a lasting impact."
 
Harley Borish, Houston Rockets Front Office
"Home run hire for Florida Southern Basketball. Luke's extensive knowledge of the game and how it blends with today's landscape will be an immediate difference maker."