The University of Pennsylvania’s John R. Rockwell Head Coach of Men’s Basketball, Jerome Allen, has announced a pair of changes on his staff ahead of the 2014-15 season. Mike Lintulahti, who spent last year as the program’s Assistant Director of Operations, has been promoted to assistant coach. He replaces Jason Polykoff, who left that position to become the head coach at Division III Earlham College in Richmond, Ind.
Allen also announced the hiring of Clayton Brothers, who replaces Lintulahti as the program’s Assistant Director of Operations.
“I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to work alongside Michael,” said Allen. “For the previous two seasons he has worked in a capacity that was vital for our program. He’s a hard worker, a complete coach, and a servant leader. I know he will work diligently to help push the program forward.
“Clayton comes to Penn after serving as a graduate assistant coach with John Gallagher at the University of Hartford,” said Allen. “Having played high school basketball in the Philadelphia Public League, he’s quite familiar with Penn, the Ivy League, and Big Five basketball. We are so excited to have him join the Penn community.”
Prior to his arrival at Penn, Lintulahti was the Athletic Director and Head Basketball Coach at HOPE Charter School in Philadelphia from 2010-12. In his position as AD, he oversaw the administration of five varsity programs, and as the head basketball coach he led his team into the Philadelphia Public League. Lintulahti was also the Grade Level Coach at HOPE Charter during that time, serving as a liaison between teachers, counselors, and approximately 110 students in the 10th grade. It was his job to monitor and counsel students regarding academic, personal and emotional growth.
From 2008-10, Lintulahti was an assistant men’s basketball coach at Penn State University-Brandywine in Media, Pa. In that position he oversaw on-court instruction, practice planning, game management and coordinated recruiting. He also developed the program’s off-season strength and conditioning program and assisted with academic support. He helped recruit a class that included the PSUAC Newcomer of the year, Player of the Year, and a first-team USCAA All-America selection.
A regular on the camp and clinic scene, Lintulahti served as a member of the staff of the Chaney/Hill camp from 2006-07. He has been a Skill Development Trainer for a number of professional, college and high school athletes in the Philadelphia area. Lintulahti has been an active NABC member since 2008.
A Philadelphia native, Clayton Brothers joins the Penn staff after spending the last two years as the graduate manager at his alma mater, the University of Hartford.
A 2012 Hartford graduate and four-year letterwinner in men’s basketball with the Hawks, Brothers played his final two seasons under head coach John Gallagher — who was an assistant coach at Penn for two years — then joined Gallagher’s staff for the last two years.
Brothers made appearances in 115 career games at Hartford, eighth-most in program history, and posted 69 starts, including 30 as a senior in 2011-12. That season, he averaged career highs in points per game (4.4), rebounds per game (3.3) and steals per game (1.2) while leading the Hawks to the semifinal round of the America East Tournament for the second-straight year.
Brothers finished his Hartford career averaging 3.2 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. One of the program’s most tenacious defenders in recent history, he recorded 82 career steals (37 during his final season) and handed out 150 assists.
Stay with HoopDirt for the latest college basketball coaching news and rumors.
