Appalachian State head men’s basketball head coach Dustin Kerns has finalized his first Mountaineer coaching staff for the upcoming 2019-20 season

Patrick Moynihan, Bob Szorc and Frank Young have been tabbed as assistant coaches, while Bradley Fey has been named director of basketball operations. In addition, Jason Allison has been retained as special assistant to the head coach.

“Staff chemistry and alignment are critical, and we are very fortunate to have that here at Appalachian State with our coaching staff,” Kerns said. “These guys were impactful in our time at Presbyterian together, and I am thankful they will be joining the App State family alongside Jason Allison, who I’ve known for a long time and respect the job he does. This group has had great experiences in basketball as players and coaches, while also being a part of March Madness.”

Moynihan owns five years of coaching experience:

• Served as an assistant with Kerns at Presbyterian for two seasons, seeing the Blue Hose win total increase from five to 11 in 2017-18 and from 11 to 20 in 2018-19
• No stranger to the Sun Belt, Moynihan was a graduate assistant at Troy for the 2016-17 season
• At Troy, he helped spark a 13-win improvement, culminating in the Sun Belt Tournament title for the Trojans and a berth in the NCAA Tournament
• Spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at North Alabama, helping the Lions go 16-13 in 2015-16
• Held an assistant position at Buford High School in Buford, Ga. and with the Atlanta All-Stars AAU from 2013-14
• Four-year letter winner at North Georgia, where he graduated with a degree in finance and management in 2013
• Kerns on Moynihan: “Patrick is a rising star in coaching. He has a true passion and great coaching pedigree. He has a very good understanding and reputation in the recruiting world. He is great at building relationships and will develop our players both on and off the court. Coach Moynihan will be an outstanding fit here at App State.” 

Szorc boasts a background of coaching that began in the high school ranks, before moving into roles in Division II and Division I:

• Worked as an assistant under Kerns in 2018-19 at Presbyterian, seeing the Blue Hose win two games in the CIT
• Spent four seasons at Division II Delta State from 2013-17, including one year as associate head coach
• In four seasons at Delta State, helped the Statesmen post 72 total wins, including a 23-9 record in 2016-17 and an appearance in the NCAA Division II South Region Semifinals
• Served as head coach on the high school level at Wheaton Warrenville South High School in Wheaton, Ill. and Alleman Catholic High School in Rock Island, Ill.
• Graduated from St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.
• Kerns on Szorc: “Bob is a coach’s coach. He has been a head coach and has such a drive to grow and develop and be the best he can be. He is an incredible teacher of the game and a relentless recruiter who brings valuable experience to our staff. Coach Szorc will be a huge asset to our staff and players here at App State.”

Young owns six years of experience across various staffs, while also playing overseas for five seasons after a decorated career at West Virginia:

• Served as an assistant with Kerns at Presbyterian for the previous two seasons, assisting in all aspects with the program
• Spent three seasons at North Florida as the director of operations, helping the Ospreys qualify for the NCAA Tournament in 2015 and the NIT in 2016
• Assistant coach at West Virginia Wesleyan in 2013-14
• Played for EnBW Ludwigsburg (2007), Rotterdame Challengers (2008), Landstede Club (2008-09) and the Crailsheim Merlins (2010-11) over the course of five years
• In four seasons at West Virginia, averaged 7.4 points in 125 career games. During his senior season, set a school record for 3-pointers made (117) and led the Mountaineers to the NIT championship while earning tournament MVP honors
• Graduated from West Virginia in 2007 with a degree in marketing and earned his MBA from Florida Institute of Technology in 2013
• Kerns on Young: “Frank is a star. He had a stellar playing career but has now transitioned into a very good coach who understands what it takes to play at the highest level. He has a great rapport with players and in recruiting. More importantly, Coach Young is a high-character person and will be a tremendous addition for our program.”

Fey brings experience on the operational front to the High Country:

• Served as the director of operations at Presbyterian in 2018-19 under Kerns
• Worked as a graduate assistant at Jacksonville University for two seasons, assisting with all aspects of basketball operations
• Appeared in 89 games over four seasons at DePauw in Greencastle, Ind.
• As a junior in 2014-15, helped the Tigers capture the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament title and earn a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament
• Graduated from DePauw in 2016 with a degree in sociology and earned his master’s in educational leadership from Jacksonville in 2018
• Kerns on Fey: “Bradley was an integral part of our success at PC and we expect him to do the same here at App State. He handles a lot of behind the scenes things that may not be seen by the public, but is valuable and important to our program. We are thrilled about having Bradley Fey on the mountain with us.” 

Allison begins his sixth season on the App State staff:

• Promoted to associate head coach for the 2018-19 season, after serving as an assistant for the previous four seasons at Appalachian State
• Responsible for the recruitment of three-time All-Sun Belt honoree Ronshad Shabazz
• Spent nine seasons as an assistant at Virginia Military Institute, helping the Keydets make three appearances in the Big South Tournament championship game
• Also has coached at the college level at King College and Lees-McRae and on the high school level at Gaston Day School and Lynchburg Christian Academy
• Graduated from Liberty in 1999 with a degree in physical education and played three seasons for the Flames
• Kerns on Allison: “I’ve known Jason for a long time through the coaching circles and always had a lot of respect for the job he does and the man he is. Jason will be a huge asset in the transition and I am very excited about him, Hope and his family remaining in Boone with the App State family.”

https://appstatesports.com/news/2019/4/18/mens-basketball-kerns-announces-coaching-staff.aspx