Looking to assemble a versatile coaching staff, first-year Missouri Baptist University head men’s basketball coach Preston Ingram now has the first puzzle piece in place. On Friday, Dr. Thomas Smith, Associate Vice President & Director of Athletics, announced the hiring of Andrew Grantz as assistant men’s basketball coach.
“I am very excited that God is calling me to serve at Missouri Baptist University,” Grantz said. “I want to thank Coach Ingram, Dr. Smith and Dr. Chambers for allowing me such an amazing opportunity. I know that under the leadership of Coach Ingram, Missouri Baptist men’s basketball will continue to positively influence young men while reaching new levels of success on the court, in the classroom and in the community.”
Likewise, Coach Ingram is elated to welcome Grantz to the Spartan
family. With a coaching resume that includes five years as a successful
high school head coach in Indiana and Florida as well as three seasons
as an assistant at the collegiate level, Grantz will bring with him a
wealth of recruiting ties from the Midwest and Florida.
“Andrew is someone who I have known for some time and have great respect for,” Ingram said. “Our program is very fortunate to be adding Coach Grantz as he is an exceptional coach with vast knowledge of the game, he’s a proven winner and he has the ability to connect with his player by bringing out the best in them everywhere he has been. In addition to his work with our program, Andrew will be a great team member in our athletics department, on campus and in the St. Louis community. We are thrilled be gaining a God-fearing and high energy coach to our staff.”
Most recently, Grantz was head coach at Fort Myers High School in Fort Myers, Fla., where he led the Green Wave to a Class 7A district title and a trip to the Sweet 16 in the Class 7A state playoffs in 2018-19. He guided the team to a 23-6 overall record and helped develop The News-Press Southwest Florida Player of the Year Javian McCollum. Off the court, Grantz’s squad owned the highest team GPA (3.5+) of any school in Class 7A earning them the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) academic state championship both years.
Prior to his two-year stint at Fort Myers, Grantz was head coach at Our Lady of Providence High School in Clarksville, Ind. for three seasons. His long list of accomplishments included but were not limited to a No. 1 state ranking for just the second time in school history, a Class 2A Final Four appearance and a program-best 22-3 record.
At the collegiate level, Grantz was a graduate assistant at NCAA DII Pittsburg State University and served as an assistant coach on two different occasions at Indiana University Southeast (NAIA DII). While at IU Southeast, the Grenadiers were ranked No. 2 in the country and led the nation in scoring at 97 points per game.
Grantz has coached and/or trained more than a dozen student-athletes who have gone on to play professionally. The native of Floyds Knobs, Ind. is also the creator of The Attack & React Offense and Attack & Pack Defense while being featured in seven coaching instructional DVDs with Championship Productions.
A 2012 graduate from the University of Louisville, Grantz served as a Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) sponsor at Fort Myers HS and also volunteered at his local church in children’s ministry.
Andrew and his wife, Jenna, are the proud parents of newborn daughter, Charlee.
An official start date for Grantz is anticipated for Aug. 1.
https://mbuspartans.com/news/2019/6/28/general-grantz-hired-as-assistant-mens-basketball-coach.aspx
