Chris Casey took on the job of Niagara’s head coach exactly one month ago and has seen plenty of change since then.

The head coach, coming from Division II LIU Post, has logged travel back and forth from recruiting to making the full move to Niagara. In that month his roster was dealt a blow when sophomores Juan’ya Green and Ameen Tanksley transferred from the school to Hofstra and freshman T.J. Cline left for Richmond.

Casey said that his job has gone according to plan, adding a recruiting class, while constantly adjusting in the past month.

“The best way you could describe plans at this type of the year is that they have to be adjusted constantly,” Casey said. “The only thing you have control over, at this point, is to go out and recruit as hard as you can and try and find the best players that you can to put in a Niagara uniform and I’m happy with the guys we got.”

“I think they’ll be major contributors to our program, all four are good students and quality people, character people and I know they’re going to represent the basketball program and the university very well. We’re excited to get started with them and coach them.”

At the end of the spring signing period Niagara added four players. Karron Davis, Aaron Bodie, Dominique Reid will enter as freshmen and Emile Blackman will transfer from LIU Post to Niagara and sit out next season. Casey said he expects the freshmen to come in and have an impact right away with Davis having the ability to play both guard spots.

“He’s very physical,” Casey said of Davis. “[He] can score the ball or make plays for others and get them scoring opportunities. He can guard both positions on the floor.”

Casey and his staff pulled in two athletic big men in Bodie and Reid.

“We anticipate him being very good in transition,” Casey said of Bodie. “We anticipate him  contributing right away, rebounding the ball and defensively around the basket. Good mid range jumper. He will put it on the floor and attack the rim.”

Niagara landed Reid in the late signing period, getting the big man who had offers from St. Joseph’s, Robert Morris, Delaware and Providence as early as his junior season.

“Dominique Reid very aggressive forward offensively,” Casey said. “He can score the ball around the basket, can put it on the floor, has a decent mid range jumper and plays very hard.”

The last part of Casey’s recruiting class will add more familiarity to the roster. Blackman, who will sit out the 2013-14 season due to NCAA transfer rules, took the next step late in the season at LIU Post. Blackman scored 102 points in his final six games with the Pioneers including a career-high 23 points in LIU Post’s 102-79 victory over Mercy.

“He’s very athletic,” Casey said. “He will be good in transition, getting to the basket and attacking the rim with his athleticism. He will play both spots on the perimeter the two and the three because he rebounds well so we’re excited about him.”

Blackman shot 47% from three point range in his first collegiate season after redshirting his first year.

When Casey inherited the job, he was unable to work out his players because NCAA rules prohibit individual workouts one week before finals begin. This week, Casey has had the first opportunity to work out his players during the university’s summer session.

“I’m anxious to get into the gym and start coaching them,” Casey said. “I’m sure they’re anxious to get in the gym and start working out again and spend a lot of time in the weight room getting stronger. It’s going to be great to get back to basketball.”

The core of the returnees are led by redshirt junior Antoine Mason. Casey, who has familiarity with Mason’s family as he was on St. John’s staff when Anthony Mason Jr. played for the Red Storm, said that Mason has taken on a leadership role with the Purple Eagles.

“He’s arelady taken on a leadership role with the team from the moment I walked through the door,” Casey said. “He has a very high character to him, which usually results in good outcomes. I’m excited to work with him and we all know what he can do on the court and obviously going to be a focal point of what we do.”

The disappointment Casey said he had in seeing Juan’ya Green, Ameen Tanksley and T.J. Cline transfer from the school in his first month is only that he won’t be able to coach them.

“The only disappointment is I don’t get to coach those guys,” Casey said. “I’m not disappointed in them. They’re all good kids and they’ve all made major contributions to this program and to Niagara university and the community.”

“They’re good kids and they made a decision, which they felt was best for them and I wish them very well. I hope they’re a big success, all of them whatever they decide to do. The only disappointment on my end is I know they were good players and good people and that I don’t get an opportunity to coach them, but no disappointment in them and certainly wish them well in their next move.”

One change since Casey took the job was his decision to join twitter @NUCoachCasey, something he joined as an assistant at St. John’s previously, but felt now was the time to give fans the opportunity to follow him and the program.

” I had been on that a little bit at St. John’s, but got away from it,” Casey said. “I felt it might be a good opportunity to involve the fans a little more in the basketball program. We will do the best we can to tweet out as much information as we can.”

Ryan Restivo covers Stony Brook, Hofstra and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference for Big Apple Buckets. You can follow Ryan on Twitter @ryanarestivo. For more on Niagara’s non-conference schedule, check out the non-conference schedule tracker.