Former Barry University men’s basketball player Charles Agumagu was named the lead assistant coach for St. Thomas University men’s basketball team. His contract becomes official in August.
“To be completely honest with you, it still feels surreal,” Agumagu said. “To God, I give the glory. I had no idea I would get into coaching. When I first began at St. Thomas, I thought I was going to pursue a career in athletic administration. I was scared, I was nervous. Then one day, coach (Patrick) Gayle took me to lunch and told me he wanted to hire me. He liked my work ethic, he liked my knowledge of the game and he liked my leadership skills.”
Agumagu, who graduated from Barry with a bachelor’s degree in sport management in December, completed an internship at St. Thomas in the spring. Part of his coaching contract will allow him to complete his master’s degree in sports administration in the upcoming school year. The following year, he will work toward his master’s degree in business administration while also collecting a salary.
“It had been in the works for about a month,” Agumagu said. “We were just talking numbers and figures, and just making sure that everything added up.”
Agumagu will be responsible for player development, recruiting, scheduling and administrative duties.
“I’m taking a crash course on everything,” he said, noting he is learning the ins and outs of the university and its policies.
“This is an opportunity for me to give back to the game that has given me so much,” Agumagu said. “I want to teach the young individuals how to win. When I say win, I mean to win the conference and put us in a position to go to the NAIA National Tournament. I truly believe with the talent we have, we can put ourselves in a position to win our conference and go to the national tournament.
“I just want to say thank you to the whole Barry community. Barry allowed me to be myself, from the staff to the student body. If I had to do anything over, I wouldn’t change anything. I’m a proud alum. I’ll always be a Buccaneer for life.”
