Former North Platte Community College Knights basketball player Chase Grabau has been named the NPCC Knights assistant coach for the 2016 – 17 basketball season, replacing Ryan Glenney, who took an assistant coaching position at Dallas Baptist University.
Grabau was born and raised in Boulder, Colo. He led Faith Christian High School to the Colorado 3A High School State Championship as a senior.
Grabau played for the Knights from 2008 – 10. During Grabau’s sophomore season, the Knights were the Region IX champions and qualified for the National Junior College Athletic Association Men’s Basketball tournament in Hutchinson, Kan., the first time in the college’s history. Grabau was named to the All-NCCAC team and the All-Region IX team.
Grabau started 55 of the 68 games that the Knights played during his career, averaging 10 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game. He ranks 44th on the Knights All-Time Scoring List with 681 points. During his sophomore season, he led the Knights in rebounding with 7.23 rebounds per game. Grabau also had 71 assists and 69 steals.
Following his career with the Knights, Grabau finished his college playing career with the Idaho State University Bengals. He started 55 times in 56 games during the two years at Idaho State, led the Bengals in minutes played average (35.2), field goal percentage (50.6), total assists (93), assists per game (3.3), and steals per game (1.9), averaged 12.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Grabau led the Big Sky in minutes played average with 37.1, earned second-team all-Big Sky, and all-academic honors.
Grabau graduated from Idaho State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science in 2012. Following graduation, Grabau began coaching as a graduate assistant at Eastern Washington University. He helped coach the team to its first Big Sky Championship and second NCAA Tournament appearance in school history.
Grabau is currently finishing his master’s degree in communications from Eastern Washington University.
“I am excited to be back with the Knights. My experience was incredible. We were able to succeed and excel both on and off of the court. Being a Knight is more than just developing as a basketball player, it is developing as a human being.” Grabau said, “The program was able to help me become the person I am today. Coach O’Connor has constructed a tremendous program built on doing things the correct way. I am honored to be able to give back to a program that has done so much for me.”
Grabau will be moving to North Platte on July 1. He will also be the assistant director of housing at NPCC.
