Bill Herrion, entering his 14th year as University of New Hampshire men’s basketball head coach, has announced the hiring of Ryan Herrion ’12 as assistant coach as well as a restructuring of the UNH men’s basketball coaching staff.
Ken Dempsey now has the title of Associate Athletic Director for Administration and Basketball, and Jordon Bronner ’14 has been shifted to the role of assistant coach for the upcoming season.
“I’m extremely happy to be able to have to two former UNH players on our staff,” head coach Herrion said. “I think it’s very good to have people on staff who are familiar with the program and how we do things. I’m looking forward to both of these young men making an impact on our basketball program.”
Ryan Herrion, a four-year letterwinner at New Hampshire from 2009-12 and former UNH Director of Operations, returns to the Wildcats’ program following a three-year stint as assistant coach at Stonehill College (Easton, Mass.).
In Herrion’s three years on the staff, Stonehill compiled a 56-33 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in 2016, when the Skyhawks went 24-9.
In his first stint at UNH as Director of Operations, Herrion handled all the day-to-day operations of the men’s basketball program, provided assistance with practice and game preparation and oversaw summer camps and annual fundraising events. Herrion also served as the Director of Player Development and Video Coordinator. He provided daily video analysis, edited video for player skill development and assisted in producing opponent scouting reports.
Prior to returning to his alma mater, Herrion was a graduate assistant coach at Marshall University for the 2013 season. In addition to assisting with daily skill development of the student-athletes and working directly with the perimeter players, he also served as the team’s academic monitor.
Herrion earned his bachelor’s degree from New Hampshire in Sociology in 2012. He was a walk-on his first three seasons before earning a scholarship and serving as team tri-captain as a senior. He also was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Dempsey is a veteran college coach with more than 30 years of experience who joined the UNH program in June 2007 and has spent the past 11 seasons as an associate head coach for the Wildcats.
As the Associate Director for Administration and Basketball, Dempsey will have an administrative role with regards to budget, travel, organization of recruiting and running day-to-day operations within the UNH men’s basketball program.
Dempsey began his collegiate coaching career at Monmouth University with an 11-year stint from 1984-94. He also was an assistant coach at Northeastern University (1994-99) and University of North Carolina-Greensboro (1999-2001), and an associate head coach at University of Missouri-Kansas City (2001-07).
Dempsey earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism in 1983 from Moravian College (Bethlehem, Pa.), where he was a four-year letterwinner in basketball and baseball. He also completed a master’s degree in Education from Monmouth in ’91.
Dempsey is an active member of the NABC and presently serves as president of the assistant coaches committee. He has been a member of the assistant coaches executive committee and now is a member of the Division 1 Coaches Congress.
“Demps will be the right hand of the program,” Herrion explained. “Having him as an administrator will be invaluable to the team.”
Bronner, a four-year letterwinner at UNH from 2011-14, joined the UNH men’s basketball staff as a graduate student manager in the 2017 season. Last year, he served as the team’s Director of Operations, where his duties included providing assistance with practice, game preparation, video and overseeing summer camps.
“Jordon is a real up-and-coming young coach,” head coach Herrion stated. “We’re excited to get him out on the road recruiting and coaching on the floor.”
Bronner averaged 10.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game as a senior, when he started all 30 games and averaged 33.4 minutes. He ranked second on the squad in field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage in that 2014 season. As a junior, he ranked first on the ‘Cats in assist/turnover ratio.
