Waldorf University announced on Thursday the promotion of Gunsby DeJohnett to head assistant coach of the men’s basketball program and the addition of graduate assistant Tim Goodearle.
DeJohnett, who served as a graduate assistant last season, begins his second year with the Warriors. The Milwaukee native completed the final three seasons of his athletic career at Waldorf and ranks seventh in school history in scoring with 619 points and third in assists (165).
DeJohnett was a team captain and a Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference (MCAC) Scholar-Athlete during his final two seasons with the Warriors. His hard work, commitment and dedication to the program has continued during his time on Waldorf’s coaching staff.
“Gunsby has been promoted to my top assistant because he has earned it,” Waldorf head coach Nigel Jenkins said. “He is very organized, loyal, trustworthy and works very hard for me as a coach. Those were the same attributes he displayed as a player for me for three years.”
Jenkins, who is entering the sixth year of his tenure at Waldorf, said DeJohnett has made an immediate impact for the Warriors.
“He has adjusted to the coaching side of basketball very quickly,” Jenkins said. “He has an eye for identifying talent and pushes our players to be the best they can be on and off the court.”
Goodearle joins Waldorf’s staff after serving the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Thomas College, an NCAA Division III program in Waterville, Maine. During his time at Thomas, the program climbed the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) standings. The Terriers earned a third-place finish and conference tournament semifinal appearance during the 2015-16 campaign. Goodearle primarily assisted with recruiting, scouting and on-court coaching.
“I am very excited and thankful for the opportunity provided by Coach Jenkins to join his staff at Waldorf University,” Goodearle said. “I look forward to learning from Coach Jenkins, working with the student-athletes and continuing to raise the level of the Warriors’ program.”
Goodearle played for the University of Wisconsin-Washington County and helped the Wildcats to a program-best record of 19-7 and a trip to the Wisconsin Collegiate Conference (WCC) Tournament during the 2007-08 season. The West Bend, Wis. native went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2010.
Prior to joining the collegiate coaching ranks, Goodearle coached at the high school level at North High School in North St. Paul, Minn. and Kewaskum High School in Kewaskum, Wis. He also has experience in strength and conditioning and worked as a personal trainer with the YMCA for two years.
Goodearle began his collegiate coaching career at New England College, an NCAA Division III school in Henniker, N.H. He served as an assistant under head coach Charlie Mason for one season and helped the Pilgrims more than double their win total from the previous season.
Goodearle and his wife, Molly, plan to reside in the Forest City area. The newly-hired Warriors assistant is excited about returning to the region he calls home.
“Having spent the past three years in New England, it’s great to be coming home to the Midwest and close to our roots in Wisconsin and Minnesota,” Goodearle said.
Adding Goodearle to the coaching staff, Waldorf looks to further build on its program’s success as the Warriors prepare to begin their second year in the North Star Athletic Association (NSAA).
“I’m excited to have Tim join our staff here at Waldorf,” Jenkins said. “He has experience in recruiting at the collegiate level and player development. Those were the two major things I was looking for the most in this search. I strongly believe that he will have a positive impact on our student-athletes, the Forest City community and Waldorf University.”
