North Texas head basketball coach Tony Benford announced the addition of 20-year collegiate coaching veteran Scott Monarch to his staff.
Monarch, who was named the head coach at Claflin University in May, spent four years alongside Benford on Buzz Williams’ coaching staff at Marquette, and has abundant ties to the Texas basketball scene. Monarch was previously the head coach at Panola College in Carthage, Texas for six years, and also spent time at Tyler Junior College.
“We are all extremely excited to have Scott Monarch join our staff here at North Texas,” Benford said. “He’s a veteran head coach that brings a great deal of wisdom and basketball insight to the court, but he’s also a trusted friend that our players will really enjoy playing for. He was vital addition to our staff at Marquette, and was the lead recruiter on both Jimmy Butler and Jai Crowder. Scott understands the Texas, Metroplex and regional junior college recruiting scenes as well as anyone, and I couldn’t be happier that he is joining the Mean Green family.”
Monarch served as Marquette’s director of basketball operations in 2008-09, but moved into an assistant coaching role for the next three seasons. He previously served under Williams at NT’s former Sun Belt rival New Orleans in 2006-07.
He arrived in Milwaukee after serving as an assistant coach at Tyler Junior College. He helped guide the Apaches to an overall record of 25-3 and the program’s first outright league title in 21 years. TJC advanced to the quarterfinals of the Region XIV Tournament and posted a 19-3 league slate en route to a final national ranking of 10th in the country.
“I’m tremendously excited to be coming to the University of North Texas,” Monarch said. “I am familiar with the University and the entire North Texas region, and for me to work back in the area means a lot for me personally and professionally. Tony Benford and I worked really closely together at Marquette, and the opportunity to work with him once again at North Texas was too much to pass up. It’s more than just recruiting and basketball to Tony, because he helps players really grow up as individuals. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Tony, and I have learned a great deal from him. As a father, Tony Benford is who I would want my son to play for.”
He had spent the previous six seasons as the head coach at Panola College in Carthage, Texas. Monarch left the program as the school’s all-time winningest coach, posting a 63 percent winning percentage. He was named the 2003 National Junior College Athletic Association Region XIV Coach of the Year after leading the Ponies to the regular season conference championship.
“Scott Monarch’s combination of enthusiasm and thoroughness is unmatched in our industry!” said Marquette head coach Buzz Williams. “He played an integral role in setting the foundation of our program. Because I saw it on a daily basis for four years, the relationship dynamic of coach Benford and Scott will lead to great success for North Texas.”
During his career, Monarch has helped guide 42 players to NCAA Division I programs from the junior college ranks and nearly 20 to all-conference accolades. He also coached the all-time scoring leader in junior college history, Omar Thomas.
Monarch, who received his master’s degree from Baylor in 1991 after earning his undergraduate degree from Mississippi Valley State in 1986, has also served as an associate head coach at Tennessee State (1999-2000) and Kentucky Wesleyan (1996-98).
At Kentucky Wesleyan, Monarch was part of a program that reached the 1998 NCAA Division II national championship game. He also recruited and helped develop four players who would later be first-team All-Americans. Two of those standouts became National Players of the Year.
Monarch served as an assistant coach at Grambling State in 1998-99.
He started his career at McLennan Community College in 1993 and coached there for three seasons. He then went on to spend three seasons at Navarro College.
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