Midwestern State men’s basketball coach Justin Leslie announced the addition of assistant Casey Weitzel to his bench Friday afternoon.
“Casey sees this an opportunity to build,” Leslie said. “He’s a builder and is relishing this challenge of putting MSU basketball back on the map in the Lone Star Conference. He has experiences across the country and internationally that will prove critical in the long term success that we are after.”
Weitzel previously served on Leslie’s staff at Azusa Pacific for six seasons from 2012-17 helping guide the Cougars from a transitioning Division II program to back-to-back Pacific West Conference titles and three trips to the NCAA Division II postseason including a West Region title advancing to the Elite Eight in 2015.
“Building a program with coach Leslie is attractive as we have a lot of the same ideals and goals for the program, while restoring the program’s deep tradition of success,” Weitzel said. “The Lone Star Conference is one of the best in D2, so having a chance to compete at the level is a factor (in coming to MSU Texas). The fact that MSU supports all of its teams at a high level is also key in a community as supportive as Wichita Falls.”
Weitzel spent the past season as head coach at Pierce College, a junior college in Los Angeles. He brings a total of 14 seasons of collegiate coaching experience to Wichita Falls.
Weitzel’s experience leading a program combined with his stops at Azusa Pacific (2012-18), Shepherd (W. Va.) (2010-12), West Virginia (2008-10) and Grand Canyon (2005-08) makes him not only a familiar face on a Leslie coaching stuff, but key cog in the process of building a winner at Midwestern State.
“It’s cliché says sliding over one seat is harder than everyone expects, however it’s true,” Leslie said. “I have no doubt having been a head coach makes him significantly more prepared to be an even more effective assistant coach.”
Weitzel thrived with Leslie’s philosophy of producing well-rounded coaches at Azusa Pacific where he contributed in all areas of coaching including recruiting, scouting, game preparation, strength and conditioning, practice planning, fundraising, video evaluation and on-court coaching.
Weitzel brings a wealth of coaching experience which includes two years at Shepherd (W. Va.) from 2010-12 which followed a graduate assistantship under Bob Huggins during two highly successful seasons at West Virginia.
The Mountaineers claimed their first Big East conference championship in 2010, then rolled to their first Final Four appearance in 51 years finishing the year ranked No. 3 in the final USA Today Coaches’ Poll.
In addition to winning the Big East Tournament championship in 2010, West Virginia was also recognized as the conference’s top academic team, claiming the Big East Academic Excellence Award which recognized the highest collective grade-point averages in each conference sport.
In Weitzel’s first year at West Virginia, the Mountaineers posted a 23-12 record and earned a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Among the players Weitzel helped coach at West Virginia were Da’Sean Butler, an Associated Press All American, and Devin Ebanks. Both were selected in the 2010 NBA Draft.
While at Shepherd, Weitzel helped the Rams end a streak of three losing seasons and aided in the development of Chad Moore, the program’s first All-Atlantic Region selection in more than a decade.
Weitzel started his coaching career at Grand Canyon University. During his three-year run as an assistant from 2005-08, the Antelopes claimed the 2007 Pacific West Conference title advancing to the NCAA D2 West Region semifinals.
Weitzel graduated from Grand Canyon University, receiving his bachelor’s degree in 2007 with a major in physical education and a minor in athletic coaching. In 2010, he completed his master’s degree in athletic coaching education at West Virginia.
Casey Weitzel Named Assistant Coach at Midwestern State
