Record at Shippensburg: 193-131 (.596), 11 seasons
Career Record: 193-131 (.596), 11 seasons
Chris Fite is in his 13th year (12th season) as the head men’s basketball coach at Shippensburg University in 2025-26 and has established the program as a credible and consistent playoff contender in the ever-competitive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).
Fite is the only SU head men’s basketball coach to have multiple 20-win seasons. He directed the Raiders to six consecutive 20-win seasons and a 167-75 overall record since the start of the 2015-16 campaign.
Overall, Fite has posted a 193-131 record through eleven seasons with the Raiders – including nine overall Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament appearances (eight straight from 2014-15 through 2022-23) and three NCAA Tournament appearances.
Fite has guided Shippensburg to its first three NCAA Tournament victories in school history – including an appearance in the NCAA Atlantic Region Championship game in 2018. SU has also achieved its highest national ranking in school history under Fite’s direction – the Raiders reached No. 5 in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II poll during the 2016-17 season.
As a recruiter, Fite has brought in seven 1,000-point scorers and multiple award winners at both the conference and regional level who have helped to redefine the program. Dustin Sleva ’18, a Pittsburgh native, became the first NABC First-Team All-American in school history. He finished as a two-time All-American and one of four players in PSAC history with at least 2,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds. Sleva, now playing professionally in Paris, is Shippensburg's all-time leading scorer (2,071 points – eighth in PSAC history), all-time leading rebounder (1,140 – tenth in PSAC history), and all-time leader in double-doubles (58).
Other high-profile recruits under Fite’s tutelage include guard Justin McCarthur ’17, a Harrisburg native, who finished his career as SU’s all-time leader in three-pointers (291 – ninth in PSAC history) and single-season leader in three-pointers (101). Jake Biss ’21, a Latrobe native, finished his career ranked third in school history in career three-pointers (212), sixth in career assists (391) and eighth in career free-throw percentage (.802). Abe Massaley ’16, a Philadelphia native and Fite’s first recruit, ranks second all-time at SU in career assists (496) and sixth all-time in points (1,417).
Most recently, Markus Frank joined the 1,000-point club in 2024-25 as a redshirt sophomore season in a program record 53 career games. The All-PSAC East First Team player led the PSAC in regular season scoring and finished fourth in the conference at 19.6 points per game while helping the Raiders qualify for the PSAC Tournament.
In 2019-20, Fite earned his second PSAC Eastern Division Coach of the Year award and directed Shippensburg to its first Eastern Division championship in school history and just its third divisional championship overall. The Raiders won 24 games and led the PSAC in free-throw percentage (77.8) and rebound margin (7.8) while consistently maintaining the Eastern Division's top scoring defense (67.8).
It also marked the first time in school history that Shippensburg hosted the semifinals and finals of the PSAC Men’s Basketball Championships. SU defeated Mercyhurst in the semifinals before falling to IUP in the championship game. The NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic; the Raiders earned the No. 4 seed in the Atlantic Region. Three players earned All-PSAC classifications, including East Athlete of the Year Jake Biss and East Defensive Athlete of the Year Lamar Talley.
The 2018-19 season featured 23 victories and a trip to the PSAC Quarterfinals. It also marked the first time in the modern history of the program that Shippensburg had two players receive All-PSAC First Team honors, as sophomore Jake Biss and senior Antonio Kellem were among the seven picked to represent the best of the Eastern Division.
The 2017-18 season featured 25 victories and SU’s longest postseason run in school history, as the Raiders defeated West Liberty and Virginia State in the NCAA Tournament. Shippensburg finished the season with an 80.6 free-throw percentage (495-of-614), setting a new PSAC single-season record and ranking 10th all-time in Division II single-season history. SU also set new single-season school records for total points (2,666), three-pointers (345) and assists (544).
It also marked the culmination of Fite’s first full recruiting class, a group of seniors (Sleva, McCarthur, Clay Conner) that posted an 85-35 career record and combined for 4,332 points, 1534 rebounds, 953 assists, 574 three-pointers, 1,028 free throws and a combined 80.6 free-throw percentage.
In 2016-17, Fite was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Atlantic District Coach of the Year and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Coach of the Year after guiding the Raiders to their best season in school history. SU set a single-season record for wins (27) and achieved the program's first NCAA Tournament victory – a 79-59 win over Virginia Union in the Atlantic Region Quarterfinals.
Fite guided the 2016-17 Raiders to just the second PSAC Championship in school history, and first since 1991, by defeating East Stroudsburg, IUP and Kutztown in the conference tournament. SU also set school records for both the longest single-season winning streak, and the best start to a single season, as the Raiders posted victories in their first 18 games of 2016-17.
The 2016-17 Raiders led the PSAC in scoring margin at 13.9 points per game as they were the only team to rank in the PSAC Top 5 in scoring offense (third, 84.3 points per game) and scoring defense (fourth, 70.4 points allowed per game). SU led the PSAC in field-goal percentage defense (41.8 percent) and topped the Division II leaderboard in three-point field goal percentage defense (29.2).
Upon his hiring on June 20, 2013, Fite inherited a seven-win team. After a three-win debut season, Fite improved the Raiders by 10 wins in his second season and earned the Eastern Division No. 6 seed in the PSAC Tournament. That 2014-15 squad posted noticeable improvements in a variety of categories, including finishing fifth in the conference in shooting (.454) after finishing last the year before (.392).
Fite, a NCAA National Champion center in his playing days at Rochester, worked hand-in-hand with SU center Dylan Edgar during the 2014-15 season. Edgar was named to the 2014-15 PSAC Eastern Division First Team and went on to sign a professional contract to play in Canada. He became SU's first All-PSAC First Team selection since Chuck Davis in 2006-07 after leading the PSAC in double-doubles (12) and in rebounding average (9.5) while also ranking ninth in scoring (15.7).
The 2015-16 edition of the Raiders won 20 games, which tied for the second-most victories in a single season in school history. Fite’s squad began the year 5-5 but finished 15-4 down the stretch – including a road win at Kutztown in the PSAC Quarterfinals that put SU into the conference semifinals for the first time in 10 years.
Shippensburg’s success in 2015-16 marked the first time in 10 years that the Raiders had earned postseason berths in consecutive seasons. SU’s conference tournament victories over Bloomsburg (first round) and Kutztown (quarterfinals) also marked the program’s first postseason wins since the 2005-06 campaign.
Fite has already overseen significant improvement and positive development during his time with the Raiders. Of those whom he inherited upon his arrival that remained with the SU program, along with those whom he has recruited, Fite has witnessed 14 players and two team managers graduate over the last five years.
The Raiders have maintained an active role in the community, often visiting local elementary schools and community centers to provide assistance with both reading activities and with physical education. Fite’s squad has also proudly welcomed Harrisburg Christian School student Jerrick Griffin through TeamIMPACT – Griffin was a mainstay with the Raiders on the sidelines for the better part of three seasons.
Overall, Fite is the 10th head coach in SU history and just the third different man to coach the team over the last 50 years. Rodger Goodling (356-443 record) coached the team from 1970 to 2001 and Dave Springer (144-189 record) coached from 2001 to 2013, a combined span of 1,112 games.
From 2006-13, Fite was Joe Lombardi’s primary assistant coach at IUP. During that time, the Crimson Hawks compiled a 149-65 record while qualifying for the NCAA Tournament in his last five seasons. In 2012-13, IUP was 26-6, PSAC Champions, and reached the Atlantic Region Championship game. It continued a stretch of four consecutive Top 25 national finishes and PSAC Western Division titles for the Crimson Hawks.
One of Fite’s specialties is his work on defense. In 2011-12, IUP led the PSAC in scoring defense and ranked second in defensive rebounding.
Fite coached nine All-PSAC Western Division athletes with the Crimson Hawks. Among the many talented players Fite has coached is Darryl Webb, the 2011 NABC Division II Player of the Year who graduated as IUP’s all-time leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker.
Before arriving at IUP in 2006, Fite spent the 2004-05 campaign at Saint Vincent College in his hometown of Latrobe before returning to his alma mater, the University of Rochester, as an assistant coach for the 2005-06 season.
Fite graduated from Rochester in 1992 with a degree in integrated sciences. A 2005 inductee into the Yellow Jackets Hall of Fame, Fite is Rochester's all-time leading scorer (2,066 points) and shot blocker (179) while ranking second in rebounding (1,023) and field goals made (731).
A 6-foot-9 forward, Fite is a two-time NABC All-American who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 1990 NCAA Division III Final Four as a sophomore when Rochester won the NCAA Division III national title.
His post-collegiate playing career included 11 seasons of professional basketball in Europe, wrapping up in 2003. Fite spent seven years in the British Basketball League, the top professional league in England, before spending one year in the Bundesliga (Germany's premier league) and his final three seasons in the top division of the Belgian National League.
Fite is married to wife Susan, whom he met while playing in England. The couple are the proud parents of their daughter, Grace.
Overall PSAC Postseason
2024-25 10-19 7-14 PSAC First Round
2023-24 8-20 4-18
2022-23 19-11 16-6 PSAC Semifinals
2021-22 21-9 16-6 PSAC Semifinals
2020-21 No season
2019-20 24-7 18-4 NCAA Tournament, PSAC Finals
2018-19 23-7 16-4 PSAC Quarterfinals
2017-18 25-8 18-5 NCAA Sweet 16, PSAC Semifinals
2016-17 27-4 19-3 NCAA Second Round, PSAC Champions
2015-16 20-9 15-7 PSAC Semifinals
2014-15 13-14 9-13 PSAC First Round
2013-14 3-23 1-15
Overall 193-131 139-95 9 PSAC Tournaments, 3 NCAA Tournaments
