Marist head men’s basketball coach Jeff Bower announced the hiring of three assistant coaches on Monday: Paul Lee, Eugene Burroughs and Brian Adams.
“Putting together this staff has been a very energizing experience,” Bower said. “I feel we have put together a group of coaches that have strengths that fit together and levels of commitment that will be evident in all phases of our program. It’s a group that is filled with a leadership-through-teaching approach and understands our mission to total development of our players both athletically and academically. Our staff is committed to a first-class and cutting-edge approach in all areas of program development.”
Lee will enter his sixth season with the Red Foxes in 2013-14. He has been rated among the top assistant coaches in the country by Basketball Times. Lee has a quarter-century of collegiate coaching experience, including 18 years in the Big Ten and Ivy League. Prior to his arrival at Marist, Lee worked at Northwestern for eight years. He served as an assistant at Columbia – his alma mater – for 10 years, including the last six as the team’s top assistant and recruiting coordinator. Lee began his coaching career with a two-year stint at Monmouth.
“I look forward to working with Paul,” Bower said. “His experience at Marist, in the Big Ten and in the Ivy League will benefit our program in many ways. The relationships with our current players and his understanding of Marist will be huge assets as we build our program. I’ve known him for over 20 years, and always held him in high regard as a person, mentor, teacher and basketball coach.”
Burroughs is heading into his second stint at Marist after having served as an assistant coach from 2000-04. In the 2001-02 season, he helped Marist win a share of its first MAAC regular-season championship. Burroughs has 17 years of Division I experience, and most recently served as associate head coach at Penn State for two years. He also has coached at American, Hofstra and Navy. Burroughs played collegiately at Richmond from 1990-94, and as a freshman helped his team defeat Syracuse in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, marking the first time a #15 seed defeated a #2 seed.
“I’m pleased to be able to add Eugene to our staff,” Bower said. “He brings a great deal of experience at institutions that combine high academic standards in a highly competitive environment. His experience in the Big Ten and Patriot League, and his understanding of Marist College from his past experience give him a well-rounded perspective. His playing experience at Richmond and NCAA Tournament success as a player provide role-model opportunities for our current players.”
Adams, a native of Pine Plains, makes his return to Dutchess County after enjoying success at the professional and collegiate levels. He served as a video intern for the Boston Celtics in the 2005-06 season, and was then promoted to video coordinator, a position he held for the next four years. This tenure includes the Celtics’ 2007-08 NBA championship season. For the past two years, Adams served an as assistant coach at Harvard. The Crimson reached the NCAA Tournament each of the last two seasons, and won their first tournament game in program history this year against New Mexico.
“Brian will bring a great deal of experiences to our program,” Bower said. “The last two years at Harvard exposed him to NCAA Tournament success while working in an extremely demanding academic environment. The experiences gained while working with the Boston Celtics, and especially Tom Thibodeau, will provide our program with a deep technological set of skills and a culture built on work habits and player information. We look forward to his energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the College and Hudson Valley communities.”
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