Bernie Cieplicki completed his sixth season on Tom O’Shea’s coaching staff in 2004-05. Cieplicki was an assistant coach for O'Shea during the 1997-98 season before working in private business for a year and then spending a one-year term as the athletic director at Rice Memorial High School in South Burlington, Vt.

Cieplicki brings a wealth of basketball experience to the Saint Michael's staff. As a student at Rice, he scored 2,061 points in his career and was a three-time all-state selection. He spent his freshman year of college at Fairfield (Conn.) University before transferring to the University of Vermont for his final three seasons of collegiate eligibility.

Widely regarded as one of the top shooters in Catamount history, Cieplicki scored 1,011 points in his collegiate career. At Vermont, Cieplicki set an America East Conference record by draining 91 three-pointers in one season. He ranks among the leaders in career three-pointers and three-point field goal percentage at Vermont, and graduated from the University in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in physical education.

Following his graduation, Cieplicki spent one season as a part-time assistant under Vermont basketball head coach Tom Brennan before coaching at Saint Michael's in 1997-98, helping the team to a 16-13 record and a berth in the ECAC Division II Championship.

In 1999-00, in addition to his duties as athletic director at Rice, he served as an assistant boys basketball coach as the team won the Division I Championship. He returned to the Saint Michael’s sidelines the following season.

The Cieplicki name is highly regarded in Vermont basketball circles. Bernie's father, the late Bernard H. Cieplicki ‘57, is a member of the New England Basketball and Saint Michael's College Athletic halls of fame. He played basketball for the Purple Knights from 1953-57, graduating as the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,138 career points. Bernie's brother, Keith, recently completed his second season as head coach of the Syracuse University women's basketball team. Bernie’s wife, Betsy, a former Vermont women’s basketball player, spent four seasons as the head volleyball coach at Saint Michael’s and is the recreation director for the town of Shelburne.