It's a homecoming for Jim Jabir at Siena College in Loudonville.

After coaching the Saints for three seasons in the late 1980s, Jabir is back at his old stomping grounds for round two, trading the sunny skies of Florida for the Capital Region.

“This really is home," Jabir says of the Capital Region. "This is a big part of my life, even though I was only here for three years. It really shaped who I am. I wasn’t expecting the feeling I have right now, and it’s amazing, so you can keep the beach. I’m where I belong.”

What You Need To Know

  • Jim Jabir was introduced as the new Siena College women's basketball head coach on Friday afternoon

  • Jabir coached at Siena in the late 1980s

  • Jabir calls the Capital Region home

After the early stop at Siena in his career, Jabir returns to Siena a proven winner. He’s collected over 500 wins and been to eight NCAA Tournaments, including an Elite 8 appearance, but his fit as a person and skill to bond with players made this an easy hire for Athletic Director John D’Argenio.

”You can be the best strategist there is, but if you’re not relating to your players, that stuff doesn’t matter,” D'Argenio said.

The players also having a voice in the process. Their demands were simple.

“He’s had a lot of success and that was really the main thing we were looking for was a coach, that knows how to win and we’re ready for that," junior guard Margo Peterson said. "We’re ready to get going.”

“I don’t want to go out of here without winning a championship, and I believe he can do that for us,” junior center Lala Watts added.

And that championship mindset is what he will bring as he looks to turn this team into a winner in all facets.

“The expectation here is going to be, if I’m coming here, it’s to win a championship in everything I do, whether it’s at the mall, on the court, or in the classroom, everything I do is going to effect that ability to win a championship," Jabir said.

"We’re going to have setbacks and we’re going to fall, but we’re going to get up and we’re going to learn and were going to keep moving forward.”

Jabir is now working on getting his staff in place and forging bonds with the current players before turning his attention to summer workouts and the season in November.