ThomasCostello
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Ohio State women's basketball assistant coach Wesley Brooks hired to lead Utah State
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Angie Greenwood - Undrafted
The three-year assistant for head coach Kevin McGuff departs Columbus to lead his own program.
Monday night, as the women's basketball world focused on two blockbuster Elite Eight games, Utah State was announcing its next head coach. After three seasons with the Ohio State women's basketball program, assistant coach Wesley Brooks has left the Buckeyes to take over the head spot with the Utah State Aggies program.
At the Mountain West Tournament, former Utah State head coach Kayla Ard made headlines when she stepped up to the press conference table and let the media know that she was let go from the Aggies program. Now, three weeks later, the Buckeyes’ former assistant fills Ard’s place.
Not only does Brooks have experience coaching in that part of the country, but there is also a fairly substantial connection between Utah State and Ohio State. Brooks was hired by the Aggies’ new Athletic Director Diana Sabau who previously served as the deputy commissioner of the Big Ten Conference and the senior deputy athletic director at Ohio State.
Although there was no overlap between Sabau and Brooks at Ohio State, the connections in Columbus are impossible to overlook.
In 2021, Brooks joined Ohio State following an impressive career as an assistant. It began with the West Virginia Mountaineers, where Brooks served as a graduate assistant. Following his stint with the Mountaineers, Brooks spent time with Robert Morris, Texas Southern and North Texas.
Then, Brooks joined the Utah Utes’ coaching staff for two seasons. As an assistant, the Utes won 34 games in two seasons, along with two WNIT appearances. Before joining Ohio State though, Brooks spent time with the Buckeyes’ rivals up in Michigan.
Brooks assisted head coach Kim Barnes Arico for four seasons with the Maize and Blue; in those four seasons, the Wolverines made three NCAA Tournaments and were likely to make a fourth if the 2020 postseason hadn’t been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Assisting at Michigan, the Wolverines made the Sweet 16, which was the furthest the program had ever advanced in March Madness. Then, with the Scarlet and Gray, Brooks helped the Buckeyes reach achievements it had not touched since the early 1990s.
Joining head coach Kevin McGuff’s staff for the 2019-20 season, Brooks became a coach who was on the road more than any other member of the staff. On the court, Ohio State won a Big Ten regular season title, on its way to the first of two straight runs late into the NCAA Tournament. Last season, Ohio State didn’t win any conference hardware but made it to the Elite Eight.
For the Buckeyes this season, Brooks continued being on the bench each game, and also on the road as one of the team’s lead recruiters. Ohio State won the Big Ten regular-season title outright and at the same time added a strong group of recruits.
The incoming 2024 class features five freshmen, including the No. 1 point guard in the nation, McDonald’s All-American guard Jaloni Cambridge.
Now, Brooks is starting his own program in the Mountain West. The Utah State Aggies haven’t made the NCAA Tournament in program history, and have just two winning seasons in the past 20 years. Brooks now has the opportunity to build his own program and legacy as the eighth head coach in Aggies women’s basketball history.
Continue reading...
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Angie Greenwood - Undrafted
The three-year assistant for head coach Kevin McGuff departs Columbus to lead his own program.
Monday night, as the women's basketball world focused on two blockbuster Elite Eight games, Utah State was announcing its next head coach. After three seasons with the Ohio State women's basketball program, assistant coach Wesley Brooks has left the Buckeyes to take over the head spot with the Utah State Aggies program.
!
Welcome our newest head coach, @coachwesbball!
https://t.co/gAgiyD0Vfi#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/Ndull7bJB7
— USU Women's Hoops (@USUWBasketball) April 1, 2024
At the Mountain West Tournament, former Utah State head coach Kayla Ard made headlines when she stepped up to the press conference table and let the media know that she was let go from the Aggies program. Now, three weeks later, the Buckeyes’ former assistant fills Ard’s place.
Not only does Brooks have experience coaching in that part of the country, but there is also a fairly substantial connection between Utah State and Ohio State. Brooks was hired by the Aggies’ new Athletic Director Diana Sabau who previously served as the deputy commissioner of the Big Ten Conference and the senior deputy athletic director at Ohio State.
Although there was no overlap between Sabau and Brooks at Ohio State, the connections in Columbus are impossible to overlook.
In 2021, Brooks joined Ohio State following an impressive career as an assistant. It began with the West Virginia Mountaineers, where Brooks served as a graduate assistant. Following his stint with the Mountaineers, Brooks spent time with Robert Morris, Texas Southern and North Texas.
Then, Brooks joined the Utah Utes’ coaching staff for two seasons. As an assistant, the Utes won 34 games in two seasons, along with two WNIT appearances. Before joining Ohio State though, Brooks spent time with the Buckeyes’ rivals up in Michigan.
Brooks assisted head coach Kim Barnes Arico for four seasons with the Maize and Blue; in those four seasons, the Wolverines made three NCAA Tournaments and were likely to make a fourth if the 2020 postseason hadn’t been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Assisting at Michigan, the Wolverines made the Sweet 16, which was the furthest the program had ever advanced in March Madness. Then, with the Scarlet and Gray, Brooks helped the Buckeyes reach achievements it had not touched since the early 1990s.
Joining head coach Kevin McGuff’s staff for the 2019-20 season, Brooks became a coach who was on the road more than any other member of the staff. On the court, Ohio State won a Big Ten regular season title, on its way to the first of two straight runs late into the NCAA Tournament. Last season, Ohio State didn’t win any conference hardware but made it to the Elite Eight.
For the Buckeyes this season, Brooks continued being on the bench each game, and also on the road as one of the team’s lead recruiters. Ohio State won the Big Ten regular-season title outright and at the same time added a strong group of recruits.
The incoming 2024 class features five freshmen, including the No. 1 point guard in the nation, McDonald’s All-American guard Jaloni Cambridge.
Now, Brooks is starting his own program in the Mountain West. The Utah State Aggies haven’t made the NCAA Tournament in program history, and have just two winning seasons in the past 20 years. Brooks now has the opportunity to build his own program and legacy as the eighth head coach in Aggies women’s basketball history.
Continue reading...