The University of Massachusetts men’s basketball program and head coach Matt McCall announced the completion of the team’s staff on Friday with the hiring of Coty Greene, Brian Grossman, Lucious Jordan and Jacob Kurtz. Greene takes on the role of strength and conditioning coach, Grossman will serve as the video coordinator, Jordan becomes the program’s director of operations and Kurtz is the assistant director of operations and special assistant to the head coach.
Coty Greene – Strength and Conditioning Coach
Greene joins the Minutemen after one season spent as the director of basketball strength and conditioning at Appalachian State, his alma mater, where he worked with men’s basketball and women’s soccer. During his time as a Mountaineer, Greene planned, implemented and evaluated programs focused on individual strength and nutrition.
“Every position on our staff is extremely important – none more important than our director of strength and conditioning,” McCall said. “The responsibility entails having to develop trust with our student-athletes, but at the same time, pushing them to accomplish goals in the weight room and in conditioning that aren’t comfortably reached. We couldn’t be more excited about Coty and what he brings to the table.”
Following his 2013 graduation from Appalachian State with a bachelor’s degree in health promotion, Greene spent two years working with the Mountaineers’ baseball and tennis programs from 2013-15. Between his two stints at his alma mater, Greene joined Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Minnesota Twins organization and assisted with strength and conditioning efforts with the team’s Cedar Rapids (A) and Chattanooga (AA) minor league affiliates.
“Coach McCall’s vision is everything you want in a head coach; leadership, drive, and the proven ability to win,” Greene said. “The opportunity to join his staff and join the historically rich basketball history at UMass was not something I could pass up. I’m excited to be a small piece in the program that puts UMass basketball back on the map.”
Greene holds additional experience as an intern with the University of Florida men’s basketball program while he also interned with the Appalachian State men’s basketball team during his undergraduate studies.
Greene is a certified strength and conditioning coach (CSCS) by the NSCA and has the RSCC recognition, which is given to strength coaches that have demonstrated understanding and application at a collegiate and/or professional level. He is also a USAW-L1 coach.
Brian Grossman – Video Coordinator
Grossman joins McCall at the University of Massachusetts following two seasons as a graduate assistant at Arizona State from 2015-17. While at Arizona State, Grossman assisted the Sun Devils in numerous capacities and worked closely with head coach Bobby Hurley and associate head coach Rashon Burno. He graduated with a master’s degree in May, 2017.
“We not only tried to build our staff with assistant coaches from the Northeast, but our administrative roles as well,” McCall said. “Having gone to prep school in the area as well as playing for some of the Elite AAU teams during his time in high school, Brian fits the mold of what we were looking for. He is young, hungry and brings great energy to our staff.”
Prior to heading to Tempe, Grossman earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. During his senior season, the 6-foot-2 guard helped the Bears win the 2014 MASCAC Championship and reach the NCAA Tournament.
“The past two years in Tempe were great and I was lucky to learn the game from one of the all-time greats, Bobby Hurley,” Grossman said. “Growing up in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and understanding how much the game of basketball means to the people in this area, paired with Coach McCall’s energy and attitude, the decision to come to UMass was a no-brainer. I am extremely excited and fortunate to have the opportunity to work for Coach McCall and serve this great University.”
Grossman is a native of Duxbury, Massachusetts, where he played scholastically at Duxbury High School. He holds additional administrative experience as the director of operations for Zero Gravity Basketball in 2014-15, when he worked alongside Chief Executive Officer Greg Kristof.
Lucious Jordan – Director of Operations
Jordan comes to UMass after one year as the director of operations at his alma mater, Albany, in 2016-17. Prior to his time with the Great Danes, Jordan spent three seasons as an assistant coach nearby at Siena College, where he helped the Saints to a pair of CBI berths.
“It is not often you can pull someone from their alma mater to come work with you and I believe that says a lot about how excited Lucious is for the opportunity to be here,” McCall said. “He holds experience as an assistant coach and in administrative rolls, which will be extremely valuable to our staff. Also, having played in college on a championship team that reached the NCAA tournament as well as playing professionally, Lucious will be a tremendous resource for our Minutemen.”
Before helping guide the Saints for three years, Jordan was the director of operations at James Madison University during the 2012-13 campaign. While working with the Dukes, Jordan oversaw team operations as James Madison won the CAA Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round.
“I am honored and excited for the opportunity to join Coach McCall at the University of Massachusetts,” Jordan said. “Growing up in a basketball-centric household not too far from here, I have always been familiar with UMass and have always held the institution in the highest regard. The university is not only rich in distinguished basketball tradition, but is academically esteemed as well.”
Jordan was formerly the coach of the Albany City Rocks AAU Team in 2010 and 2012 while he also guided the Green Tech Charter High School freshman team.
“Coach McCall is a ‘winner’ in the true sense of the word, and understands what it takes to build a renowned program and to sustain its excellence. His dedication to serve these young men and this community aligns seamlessly with my moral and personal beliefs. I am eager to hit the ground running with the UMass coaching staff and am fully committed to moving the UMass basketball program back to its championship glory.”
Jordan was a two-time co-captain of the Great Danes and key cog in the 2005-06 team’s success as Albany won the program’s first-ever America East Tournament. The America East All-Conference selection finished his career that also spanned two seasons at Loyola (Md.) with 1,418 points. After graduating with a degree in communication and sociology, Jordan traveled overseas and competed in the Netherlands for the Emmen Eagles while he also laced up for the Albany Patroons of the Continental Basketball Association from 2006-09.
The Capital Region standout played scholastically at Colonie Central and was inducted into the Capital Region Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
Jacob Kurtz – Assistant Director of Operations/Special Assistant to the Head Coach
Kurtz joins the University of Massachusetts men’s basketball staff as the team’s assistant director of operation and the special assistant to head coach Matt McCall following two seasons at Chattanooga with McCall as the Mocs’ video coordinator.
“Jake has been a part of the culture we are trying to build, as a player and on staff,” McCall said. “He is a guy our players can really relate to, someone who in 2014 played a major roll on an NCAA Final Four team epitomizing what sacrifice is all about. He made the transition from being a player to getting into coaching and contributed in a major way to the success we had at Chattanooga.”
While at Chattanooga, Kurtz was responsible for the breakdown of team video throughout the season. He filled the role of assistant to the head coach during both of McCall’s seasons leading the Mocs.
“I am very appreciative of the opportunity to work for Coach McCall at the University of Massachusetts,” Kurtz said. “I have been around Coach McCall for seven years now and have great trust and belief in his vision. I look forward to working to get UMass back to a championship caliber program.”
Kurtz’s tenure in Chattanooga marked his second stop with McCall as Kurtz was a student-athlete at Florida during McCall’s time with the team. After Kurtz started as a team manager in 2010-11, he was elevated to walk-on and eventually moved into a part-time starting role as a senior. He was named to the 2015 SEC Community Service Team.
http://www.umassathletics.com/news/2017/7/6/mccall-names-four-to-mens-basketball-administrative-roles.aspx
