Beau Braden, who was a member of the Morehead State men’s basketball staff from 2011-2014, has once again been named assistant coach.
“Beau and I have been extremely close since we both got into coaching. We’ve always bounced ideas off of each other and talked about X’s and O’s, so this is a real dream for both of us to have the opportunity to work with one another and build this program the way we’ve always envisioned building it,” said head coach Preston Spradlin.
Braden comes to Morehead State after spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Bellarmine University (Ky.). With Braden’s assistance, Bellarmine had an extraordinary season in 2016-17. The Knights earned a fourth NCAA Division II Midwest Region title and trip to the Final Four in seven years while going 32-4 in accumulating the second-most wins in program history. Bellarmine won an outright Great Lakes Valley Conference East title and its third GLVC Tournament championship.
In his first season, Braden helped guide the Knights to their eighth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. In addition, he helped lead Bellarmine to its second-straight GLVC East regular-season title (15-3) and a 23-7 overall finish.
“I am thrilled to be back at Morehead State and to get the chance to work with Coach Spradlin and a tremendous staff,” said Braden. “His plan for the future of the Eagles basketball program coupled with the tradition and resources of this outstanding institution make this a tremendous opportunity. I’m excited to begin working with our current players and recruiting future ones as we strive to accomplish our highest goals.”
Prior to joining the staff at Bellarmine, he spent two seasons as video coordinator and assistant coach at Tennessee.
During Braden’s previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Morehead State, the Eagles recorded 35 overall victories, 18 conference wins and posted a 20-win campaign in 2013-14.
Braden spent the first half of the 2011-12 season as Morehead State’s director of basketball operations and the second half as a graduate manager.
In 2010-11, he worked as an assistant coach under newly hired J.T. Burton at St. Catharine College (Ky.). He helped guide the Patriots to a 24-9 record, an NAIA national tournament berth.
Braden’s first collegiate staff experience came as a graduate assistant and junior varsity coach at Georgetown College in Georgetown, Ky., during the 2009-10 campaign. The Tigers posted a 27-6 record that season, captured the Mid-South Conference Tournament championship and earned an NAIA national tournament berth.
A native of Louisville, Ky., Braden played basketball at Centre College in Danville, Ky., for four seasons and was a two-time team captain. The Colonels were 92-21 during his playing career, and they posted a 25-3 record and ascended as high as No. 2 in the national rankings during his junior season.
He was part of three Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference championship teams and played in three NCAA Division III national tournaments.
Braden received his bachelor’s degree in government and economics from Centre in 2009 and his master’s degree in sports management from Morehead State.
Story Courtesy: Nick Evans, Morehead State Athletic Media Relations
http://www.msueagles.com/news/2017/4/13/beau-braden-returns-as-mens-basketball-assistant-coach.aspx
