Tennessee State assistant Russ Willemsen has departed the Tennessee State basketball staff, and is headed to the corporate world. The veteran assistant posted the following on X earlier today: Willemsen had been on Penny Collins staff at TSU for the past six seasons, and also spent five seasons at South Alabama (2013-2018) and eight seasons
SEC DIRT: Former JUCO Head Coach set to join Mississippi State Basketball Staff
I can confirm that Kirkwood Community College Director of Athletics/former head basketball coach Doug Wagemester will join Chris Jans’ staff at Mississippi State. It sounds like it will be in administrative role, most likely Assistant to the Head Coach. Wagemester spent the past 23 years at Kirkwood, serving 15 of those as the head basketball
D3 DIRT: SUNY Purchase Head Coach set to take D1 assistant job
Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing) I can confirm that SUNY Purchase head coach Dan Bozzelli is on the move and will join John Dunne’s staff at Marist. Bozzelli had been at SUNY Purchase for the past four years. This past season, he led the Panthers to a 13-12 (7-9 Skyline) record. Bozzelli has also worked as
NAIA DIRT: Cross resigns as Head Basketball Coach at Texas College
Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing) Matt Cross has resigned as the head men’s basketball coach at NAIA Texas College. This past year, Cross led TC their first-ever NAIA National Tournament appearance after going 22-9 (18-5) on the season. The historic season came after the Steers were voted 12th out of 12 teams in Red River Conference
D3 DIRT: Mary Baldwin set to name D2 assistant as new Head Basketball Coach
Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing) I can confirm that Mary Baldwin University will hire Millersville assistant Daniel Eacho as their new head men’s basketball coach. He will replace Matt Griggs, who took over as the head coach at Lake Forest College back in mid-May. Eacho has been at Millersville since 2021, and spent three seasons on
DAILY DIRT – 6/18/24
Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing) A few things that I’ve heard while still celebrating Banner #18 for the Celtics… I have heard that West Georgia (headed D1) will add Willie Evans as an assistant coach and Jalen Sasser as a graduate assistant. Evans played at UWG and had most recently been working for On the Radar
SATURDAY DIRT – 6/15/24
Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing) A few guys leaving the college level and taking HS jobs… Cincinnati assistant coach / director of player development Jake Thelen has been named as the head coach at his alma mater Covington Catholic High School (KY). Thelen had been at Cincinnati since 2021, and also served as the DBO at Georgia
REPORT: Hurley turns down Lakers deal
According to a Woj-Bomb, UConn head coach Dan Hurley has turned down the Lakers six-year, $70m offer, and will remain with the Huskies:
JUCO DIRT: Ft. Scott’s Cochran headed to Clarendon
Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing) I teased this move on X late last week…. I can now confirm that NJCAA D1 Clarendon College has hired Blake Cochran as their new head men’s basketball coach. Cochran has spent that past two seasons as the head coach at NJCAA D2 Fort Scott Community College where he went 41-24.
DAILY DIRT – 5/31/24
Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing) The HOT name right now at Maryland Eastern Shore is Winston-Salem State head coach Cleo Hill, Jr. The veteran head coach has been at WSSU for the past five seasons, and also worked at Cheney University and Shaw University. In 17-seasons as a HC, he has gone 261-204 (.561), including an
NAIA Tennessee Southern opens; Lyne to take D1 assistant job
Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing) NAIA University of Tennessee Southern head men’s basketball coach Dugan Lyne has resigned from his position. The school released the statement below and said Lyne will “pursue a new coaching opportunity.” Sources have told me that Lyne will become an assistant at Austin Peay. More on that part of the move
ACC DIRT: Yale’s Elkin headed to Stanford
Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing) I can confirm that Yale Director of Men’s Basketball Operations Matt Elkin is on the move and will join Kyle Smith’s new staff at new ACC member Stanford. It sounds like he will assume the title of Assistant Recruiting Coordinator. Elkin joined the Yale staff back in 2020 after a two-year