Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing)
Catching-up on a bunch of things that I have heard…
It sounds like UCSB assistant Ben Tucker is the leader to become the next head coach at NAIA Embry-Riddle (AZ). Tucker has been at for the past five seasons, and was at Northern Arizona before that. The former manager at Arizona also spent time on the staff at College of Idaho, and Walsh University, and worked as the assistant DBO at his alma mater. More on this one as I hear it.
The Athletics Brendan Marks first reported today that Duke intends to hire Oklahoma assistant Emanuel Dildy to replace Amile Jefferson (who took a job with the Celtics). Dildy had been on Porter Moser’s staff at OU since 2021, and also worked for Moser at Loyola (2013-16). The veteran assistant has also worked at Northwestern, Valpo, Missouri, and Eastern Illinois. More on this when it becomes official.
Ricky Hewell has been added to the Texas Southern basketball staff as the new Video Coordinator. He had been the Director of Video Operations at High Point since 2018, also worked as a GA and assistant video coordinator at Texas Tech.
D2 Franklin Pierce wrapped-up Zoom interviews on Monday and Tuesday of this week. It sounds like they will bring candidates to campus early next week. Working on names now.
D3 Milwaukee School of Engineering has removed the interim tag from head coach men’s basketball coach Brian Hurd. Following former head coach Brian Miller’s resignation on 11/19/22, Hurd was elevated from assistant coach, and led the program on an interim basis for the rest of the season. Hurd has been at MSOE since 2021, and also the women’s golf coach at the school.
I have heard that D2 Coker University will add Cole Morris to their staff as an assistant coach. Morris spent last season as an assistant at D3 Wentworth and was at DME Academy before that.
Some college guys headed to the prep ranks…
- Former Binghamton (2012-2021) and Rider (2006-12) head coach Tommy Dempsey has become the head coach at Seton Catholic Central HS (NY). The 2008 MAC Coach of the Year also took two NJCAA schools (Lackawanna and Keystone) to the Final Four, including a trip to the national championship game in 2003. In three years as a JUCO head coach, he went 88-12, including a perfect 46-0 record at home. He was twice a finalist for National Coach of the Year honors.
- Nick Lagroone, who had spent the past four seasons as an assistant at Presbyterian, has been named as the head coach at Mountain View Prep in Spartanburg (SC). Prior to his time with the Blue Hose, Lagroone was an assistant at Southeast Missouri, and also spent time as a graduate assistant at Mississippi State.
- Former Wofford director of basketball operations David Kaplan has been named as the head coach of Fork Union Military Academy’s Varsity HS team. Kaplan has also worked as an assistant at JUCO powerhouse Davidson-Davie CC (NC), and D3’s Catholic University and Centenary College of Louisiana. An official announcement is expected shortly.
HoopDirt.com’s up-to-date list of college basketball coaching changes at the D1, D2, D3, NAIA, and JUCO levels can be found HERE.
