Friends University Director of Athletics Dr. Rob Ramseyer has announced the Friends University Men’s Basketball Falcons have a new head coach. Austin McBeth has been selected to be at the helm of the program,
“We are excited to welcome Austin as our new men’s basketball head coach,” Ramseyer said. “His detailed plan and holistic approach are exactly what we were looking for as we entered the search process. He is going to bring great energy and enthusiasm to our program, athletic department, and university.”
McBeth arrives at Friends in the midst of a highly successful stint as the head assistant coach at NCAA D-II Truman State University of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).
Serving as the recruiting coordinator for Truman State, McBeth has been at the heart of a team that is set to begin NCAA Tournament play as a legitimate contender to win a national championship.
The Bulldogs, the GLVC regular season champions, are currently 18-2 overall and have earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA D-II National Tournament while being ranked second in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Poll.
At Truman, McBeth also served in roles as the director of strength and conditioning, academic advisor for “at risk” players, summer camp director, director of community service while being heavily involved in fundraising and skill development for guards and post players.
“I want to first thank Dr. Ramseyer and Dr. Carey for giving me the opportunity to lead the men’s basketball program,” McBeth said. “The vision that they have for the direction of Friends moving forward aligns with my desire to lead young men to a better understanding of the purpose God has for their lives, while striving to compete for championships. I’m honored to represent the program, and I want the Wichita community to be impacted by who we are and what we stand for. My wife, Jennifer, and I look forward to building relationships and getting involved when we arrive.”
McBeth’s coaching experience includes head assistant coaching stops at the University of Illinois-Springfield, also of the GLVC and NAIA program Montreat College in Black Mountain, NC.
He was also a part of his alma mater team, the Iowa State University men’s basketball program under head coach Fred Hoiberg, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
McBeth was a Volunteer GA Assistant Coach at ISU in 2013 and served as a camp instructor for the Cyclones in the summer of 2012.
Off the court, McBeth appears to be a perfect fit for the Friends University Christian mission, having served as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) President at Iowa State while also filling the role of an FCA Co-Sponsor at Iowa State, Montreat and Illinois-Springfield. In addition, he has authored two books on coaching philosophies and the important role that coaches play in the lives of athletes.
McBeth inherits a Falcon squad that is expecting to welcome multiple letter winners from this year’s unit, including All-KCAC performers Davonte Pack (SR/Sumter, SC) and Ian Konek (SO/Long Beach, Calif.).
