The Lakeland Magic, the NBA G League affiliate of the Orlando Magic, have named Stan Heath head basketball coach, Orlando Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced Tuesday. Per team policy, terms of his deal are not disclosed.
Heath has spent the last two seasons (2015-17) as an assistant coach at Boston College. He served as head coach at Kent State University, the University of Arkansas and the University of South Florida, compiling a record of 209-206 (.504) from 2001-14. Heath guided all three schools to the NCAA Tournament, including a trip to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2002 with Kent State.
Heath began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Hillsdale College (Mich.) in 1988. After the 1988-89 campaign, he moved on to Albion College (Mich.), where he served as an assistant coach and the junior varsity head coach for two seasons (1989-91). Heath then worked at Wayne State University (Mich.) for three seasons, including associate head coach in 1994 when the Tartars set a school-record with 25 victories. Wayne State also reached the NCAA Division II Final Four in 1993.
After two seasons as an assistant coach at Bowling Green State University (1994-96), Heath joined Tom Izzo’s staff as an assistant coach at Michigan State University for five seasons (1996-2001). During his time in East Lansing, the Spartans made three consecutive trips to the NCAA Final Four (1999-2001), captured the 2000 NCAA National Championship and had a combined record of 132-37 (.781).
Heath was hired as head coach at Kent State University. During his only season (2001-02) at Kent State, he guided the Golden Flashes to a 30-6 record, setting a school and Mid-American Conference record for victories in a season. Kent State captured the Mid-American Conference regular season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight, before falling to Indiana University in the South regional finals. They became the first MAC school since 1964 (Ohio University) to reach the Elite Eight.
Heath then served as head coach at the University of Arkansas for five seasons (2002-07), compiling a record of 82-71 (.536). The Razorbacks posted 20-win campaigns in both 2005-06 and 2006-07 and received berths into the NCAA Tournament. Following his time at Arkansas, he was head coach at the University of South Florida for seven seasons (2007-14), posting a record of 97-129 (.429). Heath led the Bulls to a pair of 20-win seasons (2009-10, 2011-12), a berth into the NCAA Tournament in 2011-12 and a trip to the NIT in 2009-10.
Heath earned a bachelor’s degree in social science from Eastern Michigan University in 1988, where he was a member of the basketball team and garnered three varsity letters. He also went on to receive his master’s degree in sports administration from Wayne State University in 1993. Heath and his wife, Ramona, have two sons, Jordan and Joshua.
