Monmouth University men’s basketball Head Coach King Rice has announced changes to the coaching staff for the upcoming 2017-18 season. Jamal Meeks, who spent the past two seasons as the Director of Basketball Operations, has been moved to assistant coach. Anthony Molisso will now serve as the Director of Basketball Operations, while Brian Stafman has been added as the Special Assistant to the Head Coach.
Meeks joined the staff prior to the 2015-16 season as the Director of Operations, working for two years on all aspects of the operation of the MU Basketball program. He assisted with video, practice and game day needs on Rice’s staff during back-to-back regular season titles and will now be moved to assistant coach. Meeks is a graduate of Indiana University, playing guard under Hall of Fame coach Bobby Knight. He started 44 games and played in 129 in his career, competing in the 1992 Final Four. Meeks previously coached at Bowling Green and Butler.
“Jamal Meeks is one of my closest friends,” said Rice. “When he joined our program he brought a lot to us as soon as he came. Playing for Bobby Knight you have to have an understanding for the game. He got coached hard so he’s ready to be on the floor and contribute on the floor. His energy on the court has been tremendous so it’s a great addition to add Jamal Meeks to one of our coaching staff spots.”
Molisso joined the Monmouth Basketball program as a graduate assistant in 2015, working primarily with video and daily basketball activities. He assisted with practice and coordinated a staff of student managers. Molisso spent his undergraduate years at East Carolina University, working as a team manager under Jeff Lebo for the Pirates. He also worked as the team’s equipment manager, and helped with the overall operation of the program. He will now serve in the role of Director of Basketball Operations.
Stafman joined the MU staff before last season, serving as a graduate assistant with the Hawks during the 27-win campaign. He worked with video as well as assisting with the program’s summer camps, academics and all aspects of the daily workings of MU Basketball. Prior to last season, he spent 2013-16 as an assistant coach at St. Thomas Aquinas College, helping the Division II program to a 63-30 record in his time. He spent his final year there as recruiting coordinator, and working with scouting and operations as well. As an undergraduate, Stafman was a student manager at Syracuse under Jim Boeheim.
“Anthony and Brian are my two young guys that came in a few years ago and volunteered,” said Rice. “Any time you lose a member of your staff, you get a lot of calls on guys that would be great and we got a lot of calls but I wanted to reward their loyalty. Brian has done a tremendous job on the day-to-day, just making sure the coaching staff is getting all the things prepared that they’re supposed to have. Anthony has been great and helped a lot with academics and now both of them are filling Sam Ferry’s shoes with the academic side.”
The Hawks open the 2017 campaign on November 10 at home against Bucknell.
