ELMIRA, N.Y. -- Elmira College's head men's basketball coach and head softball coach, Randie Torgalski, grew up in a sports family.

He is the youngest of four brothers, whose father, Bob Torgalski, was an excellent basketball player in his own right. Bob also spent over 50 years as a coach and served as a high school athletic director in the Buffalo, New York, area, near the Torgalski's hometown of Hamburg. Brothers Ron and Rick also found tremendous success in athletics. The former served as head coach of the University at Buffalo baseball team for nine seasons until the program was cut in 2017. As a student-athlete at Hamilton College, he earned multiple accolades and graduated with the men's basketball program's all-time assist record. Rick was equally as talented on the hardwood at the Nichols School, but went on to Duke University and earned four varsity letters as a member of the Blue Devils' baseball team.

As the little brother, Randie was forced to adopt a competitive nature, and he had to do so playing against the big kids. That prepared him to be a four-year starting point guard at the University of Rochester. Torgalski helped the Yellowjackets reach the NCAA Tournament twice, and as a senior, he was named a team captain and an All-University Athletic Association honoree. He graduated second all-time in assists with 519 and ranks among U of R's all-time leaders in games played (103) and starts (95).

Coach Torgalski is the next subject in our "Get to Know" series.

Q: What made you fall in love with basketball?
A: I grew up in a gym and on a field. It's in the blood. My father was a coach for 54 years.

Q: What do you remember most about your time as a student-athlete?
A: I remember my teammates, our road trips, and big games. I remember the hours of work in the gym; the process.

Q: How competitive was your household growing up and how did your relationship with your brothers shape your athletic career?
A: We competed in everything we did. My brothers are all much older than me, so I was forced, at ages five and six, to play with the big guys eight to 12 years older than me and figure out a way to compete. There were no freebies in my house just because I was smaller. As I got older, I had four of the toughest critics you could find in my dad and three older brothers. I'm not sure I ever played a good game, but it drove me to compete harder and be better.

Q: You also played baseball in high school and you were an assistant baseball coach at Hamilton College at one point in your career, but can you explain how you got involved coaching softball?
A: My daughter started playing softball when she was five. Other people coached her until she was eight, then I was asked to take a team in the 8U division. And we have gone from there! Some of my daughter's current teams on our 16U team were her teammates on the 6U team when she was five years old.

Q: What stood out to you about Elmira College?
A: Beautiful campus. Great home court. The traditions and history. We are like nobody else in the Empire 8.

Q: How would your student-athletes describe you?
A: High energy, intense, demanding, family-oriented, supportive, and fun at times.

Q: If you were not coaching, what career would you have pursued instead?
A: I honestly never thought of any other profession. I'm a coach, but athletic administration would be next on the list.

Q: Favorite hobbies/pastimes outside of sports?
A: Disney World fanatic. Family. Board games and card games with my kids.

Q: If you could eat dinner with anyone famous – past or present – who would it be?
A: Sports famous? Magic Johnson. Non-sports? Bill Murray.