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!
Eddie Stanky Field Infield Renovations
Stanky Field | Photo: wheresrooster.com
Eddie Stanky Field is getting an upgrade. Athletics Director Joel Erdmann said that it was time to replace the infield surface.
He said that, as far as he knew, the infield surface that they are replacing is the original surface from when Eddie Stanky Field was build in the 1980’s.
While the grounds crew have done a great job taking care of it Erdmann said, over time it had normally started to have swells and had started to lose its shape. It also didn’t handle rain and water well.
With the Sun Belt Championship coming to Mobile next spring, it was time to make some improvements. They have stripped the playing surface which includes the infield clay, all the grass and have replaced the soil with more fertile and healthy soil with an appropriate mixture of sand. They have also reshaped the infield in order to be accurate with common dimensions.
Also, when the renovations are complete, there will be basepaths from home to first and third to home that did not previously exist. Erdmann said that they had a nice playing surface, but that the Jags should have a Major League-type surface. Besides the safety factors involved, a nice playing surface is important in baseball and recruits also notice things.
In 2004-05 the University had a huge renovation which included a new pressbox, new stands, a stadium club, concession stands, restrooms and other improvements. In 2011 a new outfield wall, renovated dugouts, bullpens, moving home plate and other improvements were made as well.
Erdmann, while in Omaha, Nebraska for the college world series, took lots of notes about the stadium and literally copied that at Eddie Stanky Field.
The infield renovation will cost “in the neighborhood of $40,000,” and is being paid by “external money” raised by the Jaguar Atheltic Club and other outside sources.
The Jags are coming off of a season where they went 43-20 overall, 23-8 at home and made it to the NCAA Regional in Starkville, Mississippi.
Haley Fagan Transferring To Auburn University
Fagan became the first Freshman in Jaguar history to be named Player of the Week by SBC officials. She announced she is transferring to Auburn University. | usajaguars.com
South Alabama standout Haley Fagan has announced via social media that she is transferring to Auburn University. Fagan batted an average of .352 in 165 at-bats with 11 homeruns and 51 RBI (leading the team). She walked 16 times and had an on-base percentage of .405. She also had a fielding percentage of .943.
She will be missed by the Jaguar softball team, but will join her other two sisters who all play in the SEC.
She will have to sit out a year for transferring, but since her redshirt has not been used, she will redshirt this coming season and will have three years of eligibility for the Tigers.
Good luck Haley! Once a Jaguar, always a Jaguar.
Graves Intends To Fill Position By First Day Of Class
Head basketball coach Matt Graves. | Photo by butler.edu.
South Alabama head basketball coach Matthew Graves told AL.com that he hopes to have the open position on his staff filled by the time classes start on August 19.
Ronald Nored, an Alabama native, left his position as an assistant under Graves when he was offered a position with the Boston Celtics development league team. His former coach at Butler Brad Stevens was hired as the new head coach of the Boston Celtic a few weeks ago.
Graves is going through various applicants and talking to some of his peers in the coaching ranks. Graves indicated that during his three and a half months on the job he has learned lots about the University and how they need to recruit going forward. This knowledge has helped him re-evaluate what exactly he needs in an assistant that will also be tasked with recruiting.
Graves said that he has an extra scholarship that is currently not used. He would not rule out using it for a mid-year transfer. If it is not used this year, it would be rolled into next years class.
Jags Volleyball Standout Olivia Mohler Turns Down Offers To Seek Pro Contract In Europe
Senior Olivia Mohler against Jackson State earlier in the season.
Former Jaguar volleyball standout, Olivia Mohler has reportedly been offered several opportunities as she approaches graduation. She has reportedly has offers from Ocean springs and St. Martin High Schools to take over their varsity Volleyball programs as head coach.
With one year of college eligibility remaining and not playing competitive basketball since high school, she has also reportedly received offers from the South Alabama Jaguar women’s basketball team to spend her final year of eligibility as a member of the team.
However, Mohler is continuing her dream to play volleyball and will travel to Maribor, Slovenia to participate in the Firesale and Exposure Camp at Maridor’s DRAS Center. She and other aspring professionals will compete in matches with numerous coaches and teams from across Eurpoe to showcase their talent.
Of the 28 players who attended last year, 22 of them were offered professional contracts.
She will leave on August 7 for camp and, if she gets a contract, it would mean she would be spending 7 to 9 months a year in Europe.
Mohler, a 6’2″ senior, seriously considered the offer to play collegiate basketball at South Alabama, but said that her heart is in volleyball.
Jaguar Nation will be supporting her all the way. Go get’em Olivia!!
Jags Apply For Immediate Eligibilty Waiver For Transfer Danny Woodson Jr.
Danny Woodson Jr. catching a pass in practice in preparation for the Crimson Tide’s National Championship game. Photo credit: C. W. Griffin | Miami Herald
Head coach Joey Jones and the South Alabama football staff is seeking early eligibility for University of Alabama transfer Danny Woodson Jr. Currently, Daniel McCarthy, assistant director of athletics for compliance and student services at South Alabama, told AL.com that they have not received any information about their request on his eligibility status for this season.
Woodson is a former standout at LeFlore High School and transferred to South Alabama recently. USA, on his behalf, made a request to the NCAA for immediate eligibility for him. The NCAA allows schools to apply for a waiver of the rule that forces a player who transfers from one FBS school to another to sit out a season before being eligibile to play for that school. USA did not disclose the circumstances under which the application was made for Woodson, but apparently the Jaguar program believes that Woodson’s reason for transfer has just cause to waive the rule.
There is no timetable for a decision to the rendered by the NCAA, but the program hopes to get word prior to the Jaguars opening day of preseason camp on August 1. The NCAA could also require additional information about the waiver request, which would delay the decision further.
Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach Ronald Nored Leaving For Boston Celtics Organization
Butler alumni and Alabama native Ronald Nored joins the Boston Celtics Organization with his former coach Brad Stevens. | collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com
After only being on the job less than five months, head basketball coach Matthew Graves is already searching to fill an empty position on his staff.
Assistant coach Ronald Nored announced that he has accepted a position with the Boston Celtics with former Butler University head coach Brad Stevens. Nored accepted the job with the Celtics’ Maine Red Claws D-League franchise.
Nored came to USA after spending one season as the head coach at Brownsburg Indiana High School. He was a four-year letterwinner at Butler from 2008-2012.
Graves was Brad Stevens’ top assistant at Butler before accepting the head coaching position at South Alabama.
New Helmet Photos
New helmets for the 2013 season.
The University of South Alabama has some new helmets for the 2013 season. Previously photos surfaced of a new red jersey for the 2013 season. We don’t know if these will be the new gameday jersey’s or if these are alternate home jersey’s to be used for certain games.
What do you think of the new lids?
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- New helmets for the 2013 season.
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- Another view of the new Red Jaguar Jersey’s for the 2013 season with a possible new helmet design.
More Jersey Photos And Possible New Helmet
Another view of the new Red Jaguar Jersey’s for the 2013 season with a possible new helmet design.
More photos were posted of the new South Alabama Red Jersey’s. Also a photo shows a possible new helmet. What do you think?
Jags Unveil New Red Jersey Ahead Of 2013 Season
South Alabama will have new red home jersey’s this season. What do you think about the new design?