Kevin Noon has been tabbed as the Director of Basketball Operations for the UMBC men�s basketball program, second-year head coach Aki Thomas announced on Monday afternoon. Brian Johnson, who served the team in that capacity last season, will now be an assistant coach on Thomas� staff.

�Kevin has been around some coaches whom I really look up to,� said Thomas. �They helped me to get to know him and expressed just how hard of a worker he is and how much he�ll be able to assist our program.�

Noon comes to Baltimore from the University of Miami where he served as a graduate assistant for Jim Larranaga�s Hurricane squad which captured both the ACC Regular Season and Conference Tournament Championships. During his time in South Florida, Noon was responsible for assisting in opponent scouting, video operations, individual player workouts, and statistical analysis.

During the 2012-13 season, the U posted its most successful campaign in school history, going 29-7 and advancing to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament after garnering a No. 2 seed in the East Region. During the regular season the Canes were ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation while posting a 27-point victory over then No. 1 Duke in Coral Gables. In addition to assisting in the scouting report on the Blue Devils, Noon also assisted on the plan when Miami defeated 19th-ranked N.C. State and North Carolina, downing the Tar Heels by 25 points.

Following the season, point guard Shane Larkin, who was named a Second Team All-American and the ACC Player of the Year, was selected in the First Round of the NBA Draft (18th overall) by the Atlanta Hawks before being sent to the Dallas Mavericks.

�He has already proven himself with other programs and he�ll be a great addition to the staff,� Thomas said. �He can relate to our players and he has a great mind and high basketball IQ.�

Noon played collegiately at Rider where he walked on to the team as a senior after acting as a team manager for three seasons. Following his senior year in which he posted the highest GPA in the MAAC, Noon was awarded the Richard H. Bubacz Award for leadership, sportsmanship, and scholarship. He graduated from Rider in 2012 with a bachelor�s degree in English writing,

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