_{Story: Adam Nelson (@HD_DirtKing)}

I can confirm that the University of Maine will hire Jai Steadman, Kyle Drennan, and Mike Strickland as assistant men’s basketball coaches.

Steadman was most recently the associate head coach at UTRGV. The veteran assistant took over in February after the sudden passing of head coach Lew Hill. In addition to multiple stops at the college level, Steadman has also served as a NBA G-League assistant, and as a head coach overseas in Denmark.

Drennan spent last season as the Director of Basketball Operations at UIC. Before that, he served as the head coach at McCook CC (NE) and has also worked as the DBO at McNeese State.

Strickland was an assistant coach at Military Magnat Academy (SC) last season. Prior to that, he was the Director of Basketball Operations at James Madison (2017-19), the DBO, The Citadel an assistant coach at both Tuskegee University and Roanoke College.

The trio will replace Edniesha Curry, who became an assistant with the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers, and Kevin Reed and Igor Vrzina who did not return to the Black Bears staff.

An official announcement is expected shortly.