Some things that I’ve heard while waiting to see how many 3’s Villanova will make tonight…
- I have heard that former Loyola (MD) head coach G.G. Smith will be heading to High Point with his father Tubby. G.G. resigned at Loyola back in March after a five-year run at the school. It sounds like he will be the “coach in waiting” at High Point when Tubby eventually decides to retire. It is still unknown if Saul Smith will join the staff as well. He was on his father’s staff at Memphis.
- I’ve mentioned the search at North Alabama a few times (NORTH ALABAMA SEARCH UPDATE I & II). I have now heard from multiple sources that the school will not fund the third assistant position, and they are requiring that one of the current assistants be retained. This has apparently been an issue with a few of the candidates. Interesting to see how this will play out. **UPDATE: One of the candidates mentioned HERE has been told that he did not get the job…sounds like they are closer to finding their guy. More as I hear it** **UPDATE #2…Tony Pujol got the job. Read more HERE**
- Chris Ogden is the HOT name at Texas Arlington. He had spent 12 seasons on the staff at Texas and was there when current UTA AD Jim Baker was an administrator for the Longhorns. Other names here are Houston assistant Kellen Sampson and Arizona State assistant Levi Watkins. UTA is still negotiating the buyout for former head coach Scott Cross. Not sure if this will effect the timing of making the new hire.
- A HOT name at Delaware State is Jareem Dowling. The current North Texas assistant has also worked at Arkansas State, Southern Miss, and Morehead State. He went to HS in Wilmington, Delaware.
- A couple names that I’ve heard at South Dakota are TCU assistant Ryan Miller and Virginia Tech associate head coach Steve Roccaforte. Miller is a South Dakota Native who has also been at UNLV, Auburn, New Mexico, and Memphis. Roccaforte has had a ton of stops, including South Florida, Tulane, Memphis, Wyoming, and Lamar. Current South Dakota AD David Herbster played basketball at Virginia Tech in the early 1990’s.
- I can confirm that Northern Kentucky Director of Basketball Operations Tony Rack will become an assistant coach at Western Carolina. He and new WCU head coach Mark Prosser served on Pat Kelsey’s staff together at Winthrop. Rack had been at NKU since 2015. The official announcement is expected shortly.
- I can confirm that Southwest Tennessee CC head coach Jerry Nichols will join Penny Collins new staff at Tennessee State. This move will be made official once it gets through HR. Nichols has been the head coach at Southwest since 2013, and led them to a 24-5 (15-3) record this past season. He also spent four seasons as the head coach at Motlow State (TN).
- I have heard that VMI assistant coach Steve Lepore will be headed to Eastern Kentucky where he will rejoin new head coach A.W. Hamilton. The pair had previously worked together at Hargrave Military Academy. Lepore, who played at Wake Forest, has spent the past three seasons at VMI.
- It sounds like the search at DIII Lawrence University (WI) is ramping up. The names that I have heard here are: Dan Evans (head coach Ohio Dominican – played at LU), Mike DeGeorge (head coach Rhodes College – former LU assistant), Keven Bradley (assistant coach Wisconsin Parkside – played at LU for two seasons), and Joe Fano (associate head coach North Park).
- I can confirm that Joel Nietz is no longer the head coach at DIII Clark’s Summitt (PA). Neitz took over back in 2014 after spent ten seasons as an assistant at the school. The Defenders went 1-24 this past season.
- The complete up-to-date list of coaching changes at all levels can he found here: HoopDirt.com Coaching Changes Tracker.
