So you want to be a college basketball coach? It’s not always rainbows and unicorns. As a small college head coach, I was forced to spend all day today at student services “retreat” – and have to go back tomorrow! We are involved with so many transfers right now that I really need to be in the office trying to get them done. But noooo…I have to get all touchy-feely with a bunch of people who I hardly know (which is so not me). Ugh…
Anyway, here’s some Late Night Dirt…
• I have now heard from two separate sources that Western State (CO) is set to name their new head coach. Both sources are telling me that the choice is Black Hills State head coach Bradd Schafer. In four seasons as the head coach at BHSU, Schafer has compiled a 55-59 record. The 2001 Western State graduate also spent four seasons as an assistant at BHSU and one season as an assistant at Colorado School of Mines. The announcement could come as early as tomorrow.
• I have heard that Winston-Salem State is down to three finalists in the search to replace Bobby Collins. I can confirm that assistant James Wilhelmi is in the final three. He was named as the interim back in April. It sounds like from the three finalists, two will be chosen for extensive on campus interviews. It sounds like this will be wrapped up by late next week.
• I can confirm that new UNC Wilmington head coach Kevin Keatts will retain Kevin Easley as the DBO. Easley joined the UNCW staff before last season after a two-year stint at UNC Asheville as an assistant. He has also worked at High Point, UNC Greensboro, and Tennessee-Martin.
• From a great source…I can confirm that long-time Southwestern Illinois College head coach Jay Harrington has resigned. He had been at the help at SWIC since 1979. He is an Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Famer as well as member of the NJCAA Hall of Fame. It sounds like some pension reform issues came into play which may have forced an early retirement.
• I have heard that Doane College (NE) assistant John Paul Geniesse has departed to become the head coach at Woodland Park HS (CO). Geniesse joined the Doane staff last spring, and has also been an assistant at the University of Great Falls (MT). It sounds like Doane graduate assistant Nate Wahle will be promoted to full-time assistant to replace Geniesse. Wahle also just completed his first season at Doane and was an administrative staffer at Bowling Green before that.
