Jags Hire Russ Willemsen As Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach
USA Head Coach Matt Graves hires former Tennessee Tech assistant coach Russ Willemsen to fill vacant position on staff. | Photo collegechalktalk.com
South Alabama Men’s head basketball coach Matthew Graves has hired former Tennessee Tech assistant Russ Willemsen to fill the open position on his staff when former Butler player and USA assistant coach Ronald Nored left the program to join the Boston Celtics’ Development League.
While Willemsen was at Tennessee Tech, the Golden Eagles won 19 or more games in a season four times. As well as being an assistant coach on the court, he also serve as the camp director and oversaw the team’s academic progress at TTU. His work netted the program the 2007 and 2008 OVC Academic Achievement Award.
He got his start in coaching as an undergrad at Lee University in Tennessee as a student-assistant for two seasons before a full-time position in 2004-05. They had six players named to the NAIA All-America team as well as advancing to the round of 16 and the quarterfinals of the NAIA National Tournament during his five seasons there.
He began his career at TTU as the director of basketball operations where he coordinated team travel, produced recruiting materials and film exchange. He is also a regular contributor to CollegeChalkTalk.com and wrote the introductory article for the website’s series on the legendary John Wooden.
Welcome to South Alabama coach Willemsen! Go Jags!