Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall didn’t have to look far for his newest assistant coach, announcing the hiring of Kyle Lindsted – architect of the nationally prominent high school and prep basketball programs at nearby Sunrise Christian Academy.
Lindsted replaces Steve Forbes, who accepted the head coaching job at East Tennessee State over the off-season.
The 39-year old Lindsted spent the past 15 years as athletic director and head basketball coach at Sunrise Christian – a small private school located just north of Wichita. Since 2010, his program has produced an incredible 35 NCAA Division I players.
Among the most notable Sunrise alums is Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield, the 2015 Big 12 Player of the Year. Two other recent graduates – Lourawis ‘Tum-Tum’ Nairn and Marvin Clark – helped lead Michigan State to the 2015 Final Four.
Lindsted has already made an impact on the Shocker program. Four players on the 2015-16 WSU roster (Rauno Nurger, Zach Brown, Eric Hamilton and Brett Barney) played for Sunrise’s post-graduate team.
“Having gotten to know Kyle, I feel we share a similar ideology and recipe for success,” Marshall said. “We both believe in the importance of seeking out talented young men who also possess high character. I’ve watched him grow as a coach and builder of a program and have been highly impressed.”
Lindsted said: “Growing up in Wichita as a Shocker fan, it’s a dream come true to be in this position. Coach Marshall has established a basketball culture here that I identify with, built on toughness, hard work and doing the right thing. I feel blessed by the Lord to have this opportunity.”
His father founded Sunrise in 1987, but it was Lindsted who put its basketball program on the map. After taking over the basketball program in 2000, he slowly built his alma mater from a relative unknown – even locally – into one of the nation’s most-respected high school programs, securing full Nike sponsorship and earning multiple bids to ESPN’s National High School Invitational.
In each of the past three years, Sunrise has been ranked in the top 25 nationally. In his final game, Lindsted’s team captured the 2015 Bluegrass National Championship in Kentucky.
Lindsted’s success is rooted in his insistence on helping players mature in all aspects of life – including those outside of basketball – and his ability to form genuine, lasting relationships with the people around him.
In 2010, Sunrise produced a pair of Division I signees – the first of the Lindsted era – setting the wheels in motion.
A growing track record of on-court success, mixed with Linsted’s reputation as a strong mentor, turned Sunrise into a destination spot for talented prospects looking to reach the next level.
In 2014 Sunrise’s high school and recently formed post-graduate team would combine to send 12 student-athletes to D-1 schools. Three additional players with Sunrise ties landed at the D-1 level via the JUCO ranks.
In 2015, 10 more Sunrise alums signed on to D-1 programs.
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