It’s a homecoming for new Malvern Prep basketball coach Paul Romanczuk,

Malvern >> For Paul Romanczuk, who has been hired as Malvern Prep’s head basketball coach after a successful 15-year coaching stint at Archbishop Carroll, his new job is a homecoming of sorts.
Romanczuk played basketball for Malvern Prep as a freshman and sophomore (1991-1993) before transferring to Carroll for his junior year.
“Some of my best friends to this day are guys that I met playing basketball as a freshman for Malvern Prep,” said Romanczuk. “The brotherhood at Malvern Prep, the community, and the lifelong friendships that I formed back then make Malvern a special place for me. It’s a place where you’re surrounded by young athletes who not only want to be great athletes but have an academic determination – they want to be the best in the classroom as well. That excites me, and it will be a new challenge for me coaching in the Inter-Ac.”
As head coach of the Archbishop Carroll boys’ basketball team (2003-2004, 2006-2018), Romanczuk led the Patriots to 283 wins, as well as a PIAA state title in 2009, and second-place finishes at the PIAA state tourney in 2013 and 2015. From 2008-2018, Romanczuk led his team to 10 consecutive 20-win seasons and 10 straight appearances in the PIAA state tournament.
Romanczuk was named Philadelphia Catholic League Coach of the Year in 2009, 2012 and 2016, and coached more than 40 players who played collegiately and beyond, including 20 Division 1 players, five professional players, and one current NBA player, Derrick Jones Jr. of the Portland Trail Blazers.
“Stepping away from Carroll [in 2018] was one of the harder decisions I had to make in life,” said Romanczuk. “It was a family decision, I wanted to make sure I was around for my kids’ sports activities. I thought [in 2018] that I’d be back coaching eventually, but it happened a little sooner than I thought – the sidelines were calling me back, and it was Malvern Prep, it was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.”
Malvern Prep’s Director of Athletics Jim Stewart, Jr. said, “Malvern Prep has a proud tradition of success in Philadelphia area basketball. Coach Romanczuk has walked the walk with a proven track record of leadership and success. We are excited to bring Coach Romanczuk on board.”
Romanczuk said, “It’s exciting to be back on the Malvern campus, and it looks so much different than it did when I went there – with the new buildings, it’s such a lively campus with a beautiful football field and baseball field. The basketball court, the O’Neill Center, wasn’t around when I was on campus – we played in Dougherty Hall.”
After playing basketball for Malvern Prep as a sophomore in 1993, Romanczuk transferred to Archbishop Carroll, where he was a standout for two seasons playing for Tom Ingelsby. He graduated from Carroll in 1995, and his jersey was retired by the Radnor school in 2020.
Playing for Fran Dunphy at the University of Pennsylvania, Romanczuk was a four-year starter for the Quakers men’s basketball team, and was named First Team All-Ivy and Second Team All-Big Five for the 1998-1999 season, and Second Team All-Ivy and Second Team All-Big Five for the 1997-1998 campaign.
Romanczuk scored more than 1,000 points and grabbed more than 600 rebounds for Penn, and was selected as Quakers captain for his senior season. He went on to play professionally in Spain for Club De Baloncesto Calpe Aguas De Calpe in 2000-2001.
Romanczuk is a Certified Public Accountant and resides in West Chester, with his wife, Kelly, and three children, Cooper (14), Collin (12) and Riley (9). All three of his children attend Episcopal Academy.
“I’ve already been serenaded by my daughter Riley with ‘Let’s go EA!’ chants,” said a laughing Romanczuk.
“I want to thank Father Reilly, Mr. Stewart, the hiring committee, and the Malvern Prep administration for giving me an opportunity to get back to the sidelines. The Malvern Prep campus and its community are second to none.  I am excited to build upon the great athletic tradition and success that precedes me.”