UNC Asheville Head Men’s Basketball Coach Mike Morrell announced the hiring of Justin Levine as assistant coach on Tuesday. Levine joins the Bulldog staff after spending the previous two years as an assistant with the Columbia University Men’s Basketball team.
“We are really excited to have Justin on our staff,” Morrell said. “He comes from a strong basketball background having worked at both Columbia and VCU. There’s nobody I respect more than Coach Mike Rhoades from my time at VCU, so I feel fortunate to add a former member of his team to ours. Justin’s energy and experience will fit right into our program here at UNC Asheville.”
Although the IVY League did not compete in 2020-21 due to COVID-19, Levine gained valuable experience as a part of Jim Engles’ staff.
Prior to his time at Columbia, Levine was a part of the Virginia Commonwealth University staff, beginning as a graduate assistant in 2015 and working his way up to video coordinator in 2017-18. Levine played a crucial role in video, scouting and recruiting for the rams, helping VCU go 94-43 with three NCAA Tournament appearances during that time.
During the summer of 2018, Levine gained valuable experience, serving as the head coach of Ram Nation, a team comprised mainly of VCU alumni, in The Basketball Tournament. The native of Highland Mills, New York, guided the squad to the quarterfinals of the event.
“I have known Coach Morrell for a long time and have a tremendous amount of respect for his passion, work ethic & relentless care for the people around him,” Levine said. “I am grateful & excited to be a part of this great University and basketball program. Go Bulldogs!”
As an undergraduate student, Levine worked for the Cornell men’s basketball program from 2013-15 while studying at nearby Ithaca College. Levine graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 2015, earning his master’s degree from the VCU Center for Sport Leadership in 2017.
Levine named Assistant Basketball Coach at UNC Asheville
