Jim Hesch is in his first season as assistant coach for the Bulls after a successful decade of coaching across town at Canisius College.

Hesch spent 10 years as the head coach at Canisius, becoming the school’s all-time wins leader in 2007.  The brother of interim coach Dave Hesch, Jim coached a total of five players to the All-MAAC Team for a total of nine selection, including Alan McGreal, the first four-time selection in program history at Canisius.

As a collegiate player, Hesch won a national championship with Southern Connecticut University in 1990 before transferring to Cortland State, where he played from 1991-93 and was named a first-team All-American. He earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1994.

A Central New York native, Hesch played in the National Professional Indoor Soccer League from 1995-2002, which included a stint with the Buffalo Blizzard from 1999-2000. In 2000, Hesch played in 38 games and tallied 21 goals wih 14 assists. He played with the Harrisburg Heat from 1996-99 and was named an NPSL All-Star in the 1997-98 season after posting 119 points, the eighth-best single-season total in Heat history. In 2002, Hesch captured a Major Indoor Soccer League championship as a member of the Philadelphia Kixx, tallying 36 points in 28 games.

Hesch and his wife, Linda, reside in Amherst with their daughter, Ryan, and son, Connor.