First-year Southern Utah University men’s basketball Head Coach Nick Robinson has taken the first steps in putting his mark on the Thunderbird program as he has named Jared Barrett and Todd Okeson as assistant coaches.

Barrett is currently the coordinator of basketball operations at Washington State, while Okeson serves in a similar capacity at the University of Georgia.

A graduate of Eastern Oregon University with a degree in physical education and health, Coach Barrett is in his second season at WSU where he has been in charge of academics and has assisted with recruiting. Prior to joining the Cougar staff Barrett spent two seasons as the top assistant to Dick Hunsaker at Utah Valley University, where he was the primary scout for Wolverine opponents, worked as position coach for the guards, was in charge of academics, assisted with scheduling, and was also actively involved with on-the-floor coaching and recruiting. Barrett also has ties to SUU’s new league, the Big Sky Conference, as he served as an assistant at Sacramento State University from 2001-2007, with much the same responsibilities as those he held at Utah Valley.

Okeson is a 2005 graduate of the University of Nevada and he has since gone on to receive a Master’s Degree in sports administration from Georgia. He has served as the Bulldogs’ operations coordinator for the past season and was a graduate assistant with the program from 2009 to 2011. While at Georgia, Coach Okeson has worked with film exchange, opponent scouting, academics, and he has assisted with recruiting. Prior to joining the Bulldog staff he spent a season with the Reno Bighorns of the NBDL as assistant for basketball operations and three seasons on the staff at Nevada under current Georgia Head Coach Mark Fox.

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