Aaron Siebenthall has been named Head Coach of the Ottawa University Men’s Basketball program following the announcement yesterday of the retirement of longtime Head Coach Andy Carrier. As the Associate Head Men’s Basketball Coach for OU, Siebenthall has been with the University for nine years prior to stepping into his new role, which he is assuming effective immediately.
"My role as Associate Head Coach has required me to always be thinking about the future of the program while still focusing on the current team," said Siebenthall. "I am incredibly honored to have worked with and been mentored by Coach Carrier these past nine years, and it is humbling to be invited to now lead the program as Andy’s successor."
"I am thrilled Aaron Siebenthall will have the opportunity to take charge of our OU men’s basketball program moving forward," said Carrier. "He has been a great assistant coach and there are no doubts in my mind he is ready to take the reins and continue to build on the success we’ve enjoyed. He is experienced, smart and hardworking. He truly cares and loves the University, the program and our current and former players."
In his role as Associate Head Coach, Siebenthall has developed a reputation as an exceptional recruiter, having served as the Recruiting Coordinator for the men’s team all nine years of his tenure. During that time, he has developed relationships with an extensive network of coaches at the high school, junior college and college levels across the country, which has extended the quality and quantity of the recruiting pool from which OU has drawn. He has also managed many of the operational aspects of the men’s program and is known as a topflight organizer in addition to his coaching acumen.
Craig Fletchall, head men’s basketball coach at Barton Community College, who is very familiar with Siebenthall’s coaching and recruiting talents, said, "Ottawa hit a home run with the promotion of Aaron Siebenthall. I have had KCAC coaches recruit my players for close to two decades, and Aaron has been the hardest working recruiter I have dealt with. He and his wife, Shayla, have been deeply committed to the school and community, and it is great to see his loyalty rewarded. I look forward to a continued relationship with Coach Siebenthall, and the Brave Fans should look forward to many exciting years ahead on the hardwood."
The Carrier-Siebenthall era produced two NAIA Division II National Tournaments, one KCAC Championship, and one KCAC Tournament Championship. The duo also led the Braves to a school single season record of 24 wins in 2007-08 and back-to-back ‘Sweet 16’ appearances in the NAIA National Tournament. In addition, Seibenthall has been instrumental in coaching 18 Daktronic Scholar Athletes, including the most in the country for an NAIA school in 2008; four NAIA All-Americans; seven First Team All-KCAC Players; one Second Team All-KCAC Player; one Third Team All-KCAC Player, three All-Freshmen Team Players; three Defensive Team Players; and one KCAC Player of the Year.
"Coach Siebenthall is highly regarded across our campus as a person who has strategic vision, is academically focused and who takes great pride in the program," said Director of Athletics Arabie Conner. "He models all the attributes that we look for in a head coach, and we are confident that he will continue to lead our program with a high degree of integrity and accountability while continuing to pursue a high level of competitiveness on the court."
Siebenthall began his career at the University of Kansas as a women’s basketball practice player. He simultaneously served as the Head Basketball Coach for the Kansas Kings AAU youth league. In 2000, he transitioned to Lawrence High School as the Assistant Boys’ Basketball Coach and Head JV Coach, where he further developed his coaching style and philosophy before coming to Ottawa in 2006. With a Master of Arts in Education, Siebenthall also teaches in the University’s School of Education as an Assistant Professor and is highly prized by his students and his dean as a teacher.
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