Appalachian State coach Buzz Peterson has hired Jamie Kachmarik and Jason Capel as assistant coaches to join holdover assistant coach Matt McMahon. Kachmarik follows Peterson from his previous job at Coastal Carolina while Capel gets his first gig in the coaching ranks, according to a university press release.
As the Chanticleers’ primary recruiter, Kachmarik brought one Big South Player of the Year, two Big South Freshmen of the Year and four Big South all-freshman selections to CCU. The Chanticleers won 83 games during his tenure and posted a 20-win season in 2005-06, Peterson’s first at the helm. The 20-win season was the team’s first since 1992-93.
Capel starred for four years at North Carolina under head coaches Bill Guthridge and Matt Doherty from 1998-2002 and twice earned all-ACC honors (2001 and ‘02). The 6-8 forward led UNC to a Final Four appearance in 2000 and paced the Tar Heels in scoring (15.6 points per game), rebounding (8.6 per game) and steals (29) in 2001-02.
Following his graduation with a degree in communications, Capel played basketball professionally in Serbia, Japan and Italy, as well as for the NBA Development League. Most recently, Capel has spent time in front of the camera as a college basketball analyst for Raycom Sports.
The new assistant coaches join Matt McMahon, who enters his 10th season on the Mountaineer bench. The former ASU guard played for Coach Peterson during his first tenure as head coach. The two led the Mountaineers to three-straight Southern Conference North Division titles and a berth in the 2000 NCAA Tournament.
