Men's Basketball
Tarca, Greg
Greg Tarca
- Title:
- Director of Basketball Operations
- Email:
- inmbb@lehigh.edu
Greg Tarca enters his fourth season on staff in 2021-22 and third as Director of Basketball Operations after serving as Video Coordinator in 2018-19. Tarca came to Lehigh after graduating from Quinnipiac in May of 2018 as a four-year member of the men’s basketball program.
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The Mountain Hawks’ Sixth Man Award winner in his first season with the program, Tarca played an integral role in video breakdown. Lehigh finished the 2018-19 season with a 20-11 record, 12-6 in league play, their fifth straight season with 10+ Patriot League victories. The Mountain Hawks also finished top four in the final standings, earning a quarterfinal home game for the ninth time in the last 10 years. Lehigh’s 7-4 nonleague record was its best since 2011-12. Lance Tejada received All-League recognition for a second straight season, garnering first-team laurels for the first time. The Mountain Hawks did not lose two straight games all season, showing strong resiliency and an ability to bounce back. In the Patriot League Quarterfinals vs. Army, Lehigh came back from a double-figure second-half deficit to advance, marking the Mountain Hawks’ third double-figure second-half comeback against the Black Knights of the season. In the Patriot League opener at Holy Cross, Lehigh erased an 18-point deficit to beat the Crusaders in overtime, the largest comeback in head coach Brett Reed’s head coaching tenure. Tejada tied the program record for three-pointers with 10 in the victory, tying the mark set by Joe Knight and teammate Pat Andree. Less than a month later, Lehigh went on to erase a 19-point deficit at Army West Point.
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Also in 2018-19, Lehigh knocked down 42.3 percent of its three-pointers, leading the nation and almost a full percent better than any other team in the country. It also marked a Patriot League record.
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In Tarca’s first season as Director of Operations in 2019-20, the Mountain Hawks fought through some early struggles, but never quit and finished the season 6-3 over their final nine games. It included wins over three of the four eventual Patriot League semifinal teams, and a home Patriot League Tournament victory over Loyola. It was the 10th time in 11 seasons Lehigh hosted at least one PLT contest. The Mountain Hawks won their final three regular-season contests, which included topping Bucknell in a wire-to-wire Senior Day win (69-60). Three days later, Lehigh picked up a hard-fought 57-55 overtime win over Boston University, handing the eventual league champion Terriers what proved to be their final loss of the season.
In the shortened and atypical 2020-21 season (due to the COVID pandemic), Marques Wilson was named third team All-Patriot League and NABC second team All-District, becoming Lehigh's first NABC All-District honoree since Tim Kempton in 2016-17, and just the Mountain Hawks' sixth different NABC All-District honoree in program history. Also during that season, the Mountain Hawks opened the season with a thrilling overtime win over archrival Lafayette, which included a long Wilson 3-pointer at the buzzer that led SportsCenter as Scott Van Pelt's best thing he saw today. Lehigh picked up an exciting road win at Loyola in February, against a team that went on to advance to the Patriot League Championship Game.
Tarca played in 18 career games for Quinnipiac, earning a full scholarship in December of his senior year after spending four years as a walk-on. Tarca started his Senior Day game vs. Saint Peter’s and scored a layup in the game’s final minute. His impact went far beyond the court, which included serving as legislative chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Tarca led a group of student-athletes in weekly meetings, spoke on behalf of the organization and more.
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Tarca has experience as a supervisor/coach at the Grundy Hoops Academy, facilitating basketball clinics for students ages eight to 16 and teaching fundamental basketball skills. Tarca has also interned at The Hoop Group, assisting in the recruitment of future campers nation-wide, building relationships with high school, college and AAU coaches, and assisting with logistics, planning and day-to-day operations of camps.Â
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The Mountain Hawks’ Sixth Man Award winner in his first season with the program, Tarca played an integral role in video breakdown. Lehigh finished the 2018-19 season with a 20-11 record, 12-6 in league play, their fifth straight season with 10+ Patriot League victories. The Mountain Hawks also finished top four in the final standings, earning a quarterfinal home game for the ninth time in the last 10 years. Lehigh’s 7-4 nonleague record was its best since 2011-12. Lance Tejada received All-League recognition for a second straight season, garnering first-team laurels for the first time. The Mountain Hawks did not lose two straight games all season, showing strong resiliency and an ability to bounce back. In the Patriot League Quarterfinals vs. Army, Lehigh came back from a double-figure second-half deficit to advance, marking the Mountain Hawks’ third double-figure second-half comeback against the Black Knights of the season. In the Patriot League opener at Holy Cross, Lehigh erased an 18-point deficit to beat the Crusaders in overtime, the largest comeback in head coach Brett Reed’s head coaching tenure. Tejada tied the program record for three-pointers with 10 in the victory, tying the mark set by Joe Knight and teammate Pat Andree. Less than a month later, Lehigh went on to erase a 19-point deficit at Army West Point.
Â
Also in 2018-19, Lehigh knocked down 42.3 percent of its three-pointers, leading the nation and almost a full percent better than any other team in the country. It also marked a Patriot League record.
Â
In Tarca’s first season as Director of Operations in 2019-20, the Mountain Hawks fought through some early struggles, but never quit and finished the season 6-3 over their final nine games. It included wins over three of the four eventual Patriot League semifinal teams, and a home Patriot League Tournament victory over Loyola. It was the 10th time in 11 seasons Lehigh hosted at least one PLT contest. The Mountain Hawks won their final three regular-season contests, which included topping Bucknell in a wire-to-wire Senior Day win (69-60). Three days later, Lehigh picked up a hard-fought 57-55 overtime win over Boston University, handing the eventual league champion Terriers what proved to be their final loss of the season.
In the shortened and atypical 2020-21 season (due to the COVID pandemic), Marques Wilson was named third team All-Patriot League and NABC second team All-District, becoming Lehigh's first NABC All-District honoree since Tim Kempton in 2016-17, and just the Mountain Hawks' sixth different NABC All-District honoree in program history. Also during that season, the Mountain Hawks opened the season with a thrilling overtime win over archrival Lafayette, which included a long Wilson 3-pointer at the buzzer that led SportsCenter as Scott Van Pelt's best thing he saw today. Lehigh picked up an exciting road win at Loyola in February, against a team that went on to advance to the Patriot League Championship Game.
Tarca played in 18 career games for Quinnipiac, earning a full scholarship in December of his senior year after spending four years as a walk-on. Tarca started his Senior Day game vs. Saint Peter’s and scored a layup in the game’s final minute. His impact went far beyond the court, which included serving as legislative chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Tarca led a group of student-athletes in weekly meetings, spoke on behalf of the organization and more.
Â
Tarca has experience as a supervisor/coach at the Grundy Hoops Academy, facilitating basketball clinics for students ages eight to 16 and teaching fundamental basketball skills. Tarca has also interned at The Hoop Group, assisting in the recruitment of future campers nation-wide, building relationships with high school, college and AAU coaches, and assisting with logistics, planning and day-to-day operations of camps.Â
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