Bismarck State College (BSC) has announced that Kevin Rice has been hired as the Mystics head men’s basketball coach. Rice previously served as the college’s assistant men’s coach during the 2015-16 season before accepting a position as an assistant at Midland College in Midland, Texas, where he has been coaching since 2017.
Rice is no stranger to North Dakota basketball. His roots in the state go back to 1999 when he came to play for the Dakota Wizards – Bismarck’s NBA Development League (D-League) team. Following his playing career, Rice coached in various capacities for the D-League team. He also coached the NBA Summer League with the Memphis Grizzlies. In 2010, he took over as the head men’s basketball coach and assistant athletic director at United Tribes Technical College (UTTC) – the Mystics cross-town rival in the Mon-Dak Conference. He spent four years at the tribal college in Bismarck.
“I’m excited to be back in North Dakota and to be named BSC head men’s basketball coach. Thanks to 12 years of playing and coaching in Bismarck, not only do I have family here, but I also have friends here that I’ve known for over 20 years,” says Rice. “I look forward to bringing back and building up the Bismarck-Mandan basketball culture and fan base at BSC.”
As a player, Rice won three championships with the Wizards, twice as a player in the IBA (2000-01) and once in the CBA (2002-03). He was an assistant coach under then Wizard’s head coach Dave Joerger during their 2006-07 championship run in the D-League.
“I’m ecstatic that Kevin has been named head coach at BSC. He loves Bismarck-Mandan, is a terrific coach and he will lead BSC to the next level with his work ethic and determination – all the qualities we loved about him as a Dakota Wizard,” says Joerger, now an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Rice is a native of San Antonio, Texas. He played basketball at Utah State University while earning a degree in interdisciplinary studies. Rice continued his basketball career playing professionally in Turkey, Israel, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, and in Bismarck for the Dakota Wizards.
Rice replaces Jim Jeske who served as the men’s head coach for two seasons and resigned in April 2022. He will begin his duties with the BSC Athletics department on July 18. The Mystics men’s basketball 2022-23 season opens Thursday, Nov. 3, at the Mon-Dak Conference Preseason Buster Gilliss Tip-Off Tournament in New Town, N.D.
Story Courtesy Bismarck State Athletics
