America East Offseason News Update
by Adam Reich
Albany
Albany announced that Brian Barnes has been hired as director of basketball
operations. Barnes will handle administrative duties, videotape exchange,
travel and coordinate summer basketball camps. He was a tri-captain on last
year’s Great Danes squad, after making the team as a walk-on in 1999.
Barnes, who appeared in 40 games as a collegian, was later awarded a
basketball scholarship.
Men’s basketball coach Will Brown announced on June 24 that Kirsten Zoellner
was accepted to Albany as a transfer. Zoellner, who played the last two
years at Boston College, will be eligible for competition in the 2004-05
season. Zoellner, a 7’1″ center from Hannover, Germany
(IGS-Hannover-Linden), appeared in nine games for Boston College last
season, playing limited minutes.
On June 5 the school announced that Lucious Jordan, an all-state high-school
player from New York, has transferred into the program. Jordan, who played
the last two years at Loyola College in Maryland, will be eligible for
competition in the 2004-05 season. Jordan, a 6’2″ guard from Albany, N.Y.
(Colonie Central H.S.), led Loyola in scoring with a 13.2 average as a
sophomore. A starter in all 28 games, he also averaged 3.6 rebounds and 2.0
assists per game.
Binghamton
Binghamton University men’s basketball has finalized its 2003-04 roster with
the addition of freshman forward Giovanni Olomo (Yaounde, Cameroon/Rio
Grande HS, N. M.). Olomo, who originally signed a national letter of intent
back in December, 2001, received his long-awaited Visa and has finally
arrived on campus.
Binghamton University basketball coach Al Walker has landed a highly sought
freshman recruit for the 2003-04 season. Walker signed 6’4″ guard Kevin
Kloostra (Chatham, Ontario/John McGregor), who averaged 27 points per game
in his final year of high school. Kloostra sat out the 2002-03 season with a
tear to his left anterior cruciate ligament, but is now almost fully
recovered.
The Bearcats added assistant coach Brian Bidlingmyer for the 2003-04 season.
A six-year Division I assistant, Bidlingmyer joins a staff that also
includes associate head coach Lawrence Brenneman and assistant coach Marlon
Sears.
Binghamton University men’s basketball coach Al Walker announced the signing
of junior college guard Darel Lucas (Wichita, Kan./Redlands CC) to a
national letter of intent. Lucas played two seasons for Redlands Community
College in El Reno, Oklahoma.
Boston University
Mike Costello, a former Boston University men’s basketball captain, has
joined the Terriers’ coaching staff, BU head coach Dennis Wolff announced on
August 4. Costello will be involved in all BU basketball operations
including recruiting, scheduling and advising.
The Boston University men’s basketball program has added Chris McLaughlin to
its coaching staff on August 7. McLaughlin begins his second season with BU
after serving as the Terriers’ video coordinator last year. McLaughlin’s
basketball responsibilities will include daily office operations, oversight
of the team’s student managers, video exchange and assisting with the team’s
travel itineraries.
Boston University completed its 2003-04 recruiting class with the addition
of Etienne Brower, a 6’7″ forward from West Hempstead, N. Y. He joins Pat
Martin, a 6’2″ guard from Cathedral High School in Springfield, Mass. Bower
averaged 18.3 points and 14 rebounds per game as a senior, while Martin
tallied 17 points, five rebounds and seven assists per contest.
Hartford
The University of Hartford men’s basketball team added Jared Grasso to its
staff as an assistant coach, as announced by head coach Larry Harrison on
September 25. He comes to Hartford from Hofstra University, where he was a
graduate manager last season
Men’s basketball head coach Larry Harrison signed a two-year contract
extension to remain at the University of Hartford through April 2007.
Harrison has completed three years of his original five-year deal.
Maine
Calvin Oldham has been hired as an assistant men’s basketball coach at the
University of Maine. Oldham spent the 2002-03 season as a player scout for
the Toronto Raptors in the NBA. Oldham also coached in the German
Professional League for ten years. Ted Woodward, who has spent the past
seven seasons at Maine, was promoted to Associate Head Coach.
Maryland-Baltimore County
UMBC, a former member of the Northeast Conference, was added to the America
East on April 22.
New Hampshire
On August 7, University of New Hampshire men’s basketball coach Phil Rowe
announced that Brent Cook has been hired as an assistant coach for the
upcoming season. Cook, an assistant at Bryant College the last three
seasons, has coached at the collegiate level for six years.
Don Doucette will join the University of New Hampshire men’s basketball
program as the associate head coach. He replaced Jim Woods, who resigned
from the program in May. Doucette has been coaching within the collegiate
basketball ranks since 1980.
On April 28, University of New Hampshire men’s basketball coach Phil Rowe
announced that Australian Blagoj Janev signed a national letter of intent to
join the Wildcats for the 2003-04 season. A member of the Australian Under
20 National Team, Janev has played on Australian junior national teams for
the last four years.
Northeastern
Sophomore guard Jose Juan Barea was named to the All-Tournament team at this
year’s FIBA Men’s Junior World Championship in Greece. Barea helped lead his
native Puerto Rico to a sixth-place finish in the field of sixteen by
averaging 27 points per game. Barea also led the tournament in assists and
three-point field goal percentage.
Head Coach Ron Everhart has agreed to a two-year contract extension.
Everhart’s team finished 16-15 in the 2002-03 season, a nine-win improvement
from the previous year. It was NU’s first winning season since the 1994-95
campaign. Everhart, who will begin his third season as head coach, is now
under contract through the 2007-08 season.
Stony Brook
Mitchell Beauford (Dix Hills, N.Y./Christ the King ) signed a national
letter of intent to play basketball at Stony Brook, head coach Nick
Macarchuk announced on May 30. The 6’0″ guard averaged 16 points and seven
rebounds this past season in helping the Royals to the CHSAA title. He
finished with 1,164 points, placing him fifth on Christ the King’s career
points list.
Vermont
Fifth-year senior center Matt Sheftic (Essex Junction, Vt.) tore the
anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and is likely out for the
2003-04 season. Sheftic, who sat out the 2001-02 season due to personal
reasons, suffered the injury in a summer league. He will apply for a sixth
year of eligibility.
Matt Hanson, a 6’7″ forward from Plymouth, Minnesota, who attended Maranatha
Christian Academy, will attend the University of Vermont and play basketball
at the school. Hanson recently signed his national letter of intent to
attend Vermont and joins guard Kyle Cieplicki (Shelburne, Vt.) as men’s
basketball recruits for this year.
