University of South Carolina Aiken men’s basketball coach Mark Vanderslice has announced the addition of Jakob Gollon as an assistant coach.
“I’m ecstatic about Jakob joining the staff,” Vanderslice said. “He comes from a strong pedigree of coaching and brings a wealth of basketball knowledge and playing experience. His high level of energy and enthusiasm for the game is contagious and I think he will do an outstanding job teaching and motivating the players.”
Gollon comes to USC Aiken after spending a season as an assistant basketball coach at Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He helped guide the Pointers to a 27-5 record and the NCAA Division III National Championship. UW-Stevens Point went 14-1 in the WIAC, claiming the regular-season championship. Gollon worked with five all-conference performers and two defensive all-conference players.
Gollon was a recruiting coordinator and also served as an academic advisor. The 2014-15 team carried a 3.48 GPA, which marked the highest GPA in the program’s history. Every student-athlete on the team had over a 3.0 GPA.
Gollon was a four-time team captain at Mercer. He led the program to a pair of Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season championships and the 2014 tournament title. During his time with the Bears, Gollon amassed a program-record 99 wins. Gollon was a part of the three winningest seasons in Mercer history and led the team to three postseason appearances.
In 2012, Gollon helped the team claim the CIT Championship. In 2014, he guided the squad to the NIT round of 16. During his final season with Mercer, Gollon carried the No. 14 Bears past No. 3 Duke, 78-71, marking one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history. In the win over the Blue Devils, Gollon led Mercer with a team-high 20 points, a team-best five rebounds and two of the squad’s three steals.
Gollon was a five-time Atlantic Sun academic all-conference selection and was tabbed the A-Sun Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2014. A two-time Capital One academic all-district honoree, Gollon was honored at the Final Four in 2013 as part of the NABC Allstate Good Works Team. He was a four-year representative on S.A.A.C.
Gollon graduated with a bachelor of arts in communications from Mercer in 2012. He earned his Master of Education in 2014 from Mercer.
http://pacersports.com/sports/mbkb/2015-16/releases/20150818v8avtk
Photo Courtesy USC Aiken Athletics
