Today’s Dirt…
- I can confirm that Amorrow Morgan is headed to South Alabama with Richie Riley. Morgan spent last season on Riley’s staff at Nicholls State. He has also been an assistant at Henderson State (AR), Our Lady of the Lake (TX), and Illinois Springfield. He will be the only NSU assistant joining Riley as Austin Claunch became the Colonels head coach, and John Aiken joined Heath Schroyer at McNeese State. No word yet on the rest of the staff.
- No secret here, but Minnesota assistant Kimani Young will become an assistant at UConn. Young is a New York City native with big recruiting ties there. He has been with Richard Pitino for five seasons at Minnesota, and one at Florida International. **UPDATE – it’s official – read more HERE**
- Speaking of FIU…a few early names there are Florida associate head coach Stan Jones and Grambling State head coach Donte’ Jackson. Jones has been on the FSU bench for the past 16 seasons, and also worked as an assistant at Miami. Jackson led GSU to a 17-14 record this past season and was recently named as the Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year by Collegeinsider.com.
- Another one that’s not a secret but is now confirmed…Daytona State head coach Erik Pastrana has accepted an offer to join Dusty May’s staff at Florida Atlantic. This was confirmed when Daytona State sent us the posting for Pastrana’s position (HEAD MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH – DAYTONA STATE). Last season was Pastrana’s first at DSC where he led the Falcons to a 19-12 record. He served as an assistant at FIU before that, and also worked for Brad Underwood at Stephen F. Austin. Pastrana will join Kent State’s Akeem Miskdeen on May’s new staff.
- Another name has surfaced at South Dakota. I have now been told by multiple sources to add Grand Canyon associate head coach Todd Lee to the list. Lee is a South Dakota alum who has spent the past five seasons with Dan Majerle at GCU. Prior to joining the Lopes staff, Lee spent eight seasons as the head coach at Kentucky Wesleyan (154-81). It sounds like South Dakota officials met with as many as 12 candidates during the Final Four. **UPDATE – Done…Lee hired at South Dakota. More HERE**
- I have heard that DIII Frostburg State (MD) will begin phone interviews this week with 10-12 candidates. A few names that I’ve heard here are Pitt Bradford head coach Sean Brown (spent eight seasons as an assistant at FSU), and Harford CC (MD) head coach Mike Smelkinson. Former head coach Webb Hatch is officially off the books in mid-May, so it sounds like they want to have someone in place by then.
- It sounds like DII Seton Hill University (PA) could announce a new head coach at the end of this week. I have heard that the final group included two Patriot League assistants, a high major ops guy, a DII assistant, and an DIII head coach. More on this one when it’s made official.
- The HoopDirt.com Coach of the Year Awards presented by Just Play Solutions will be announced later this week. All coaches who have won weekly honors at the DI, DII, DIII, NAIA, and JUCO levels are eligible to receive the end of the season COY award.
- The complete up-to-date list of coaching changes at all levels can he found here: HoopDirt.com Coaching Changes Tracker.
