The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/672211
50 ■ THE WOLFPACKER WOLFPACK BASKETBALL University of Tennessee at Martin head coach Heath Schroyer had been hired to complete the staff. The new mix of coaches will be tasked with improving upon last year's 16‑17 record, which included going 5‑13 in the ACC. Schroyer takes over for former associ‑ ate head coach Bobby Lutz, who spent the past five years on Gottfried's staff, and also joins newcomer Butch Pierre, most re‑ cently of Oklahoma State. Schroyer, Pierre and Orlando Early all have the role of as‑ sistant head coach. Both Lutz and fellow assistant Rob Mox‑ ley, who has been dealing with some health issues, were reassigned to new roles. Lutz has assumed the position of special as‑ sistant to the deputy athletics director for external operations, while Moxley will now serve as the director of player personnel for the men's basketball program. Pierre is a well‑regarded recruiter, dating back to his days at LSU. In 2013, a survey of 200 college coaches by ESPN's Jeff Goodman, Pierre was ranked as the fourth‑ best recruiter in college basketball. "I've known Butch for a long time," Gottfried said. "He's regarded as one of college basketball's premier recruiters, but he is also a great teacher of the game who has spent a number of years around win‑ ning programs. "He brings a wealth of experience in many areas that will help us tremen‑ dously, and I'm excited to have him join our program." The 53‑year‑old Pierre joined the Wolf‑ pack after spending the last eight seasons on the staff at Oklahoma State under head coach Travis Ford, who was fired after the Cowboys went 12‑20 overall and 3‑15 in the Big 12 this past season. From 2008‑16 with Pierre on staff, the Cowboys made five NCAA Tournament appearances. Pierre spent 11 seasons at LSU, joining the Tigers as an assistant coach in 1997 under head coach John Brady before being promoted to associate head coach follow‑ ing the 2001‑02 season. Pierre recruited the foundation of LSU's 2006 SEC champion and Final Four squad, with a starting lineup comprised completely of players from Lou‑ isiana. He served as interim head coach at LSU for the final 10 games of the 2007‑08 season when Brady was fired. Schroyer went 41‑28 overall and 20‑12 in the Ohio Valley Conference the last two years with UT Martin. "I'm excited to have Heath join our staff," Gottfried said. "He has done an out‑ standing job at UT Martin, and has had success as both a head coach and as an as‑ sistant. Heath's programs have traditionally shown great improvement, he is a strong on‑floor and in‑game coach, and he is a proven recruiter at the highest level." The 44‑year‑old Schroyer hails from Walkersville, Md., and has coached at eight different colleges, including head coaching stints at Portland State (2002‑05), Wyo‑ ming (2007‑11) and Tennessee Martin (2014‑16). After taking over an eight‑win squad at UT Martin, he led his team to 21 victories in his first year at the helm and was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association's Men's Basketball Coach of the Year. He was also named a finalist for the Hugh Dur‑ ham Mid‑Major Coach of the Year honors that season before taking his squad to the conference championship game in 2016. Schroyer's career head coaching record is 125‑143, including two berths in the Col‑ legeInsider.com Postseason Tournament with UT Martin and one in the 2008‑09 College Basketball Invitational while at Wyoming. Prior to UT Martin, he spent three years as an assistant and recruiting coordinator at UNLV, where the Runnin' Rebels won 71 games and landed a pair of top‑10 classes and four McDonald's All‑Americans. Schroyer spent 18 years on the West Coast, including being an assistant coach at Fresno State, Wyoming, BYU and Fresno City College. ■ AN INDEPENDENT AGENT HAS FREEDOM OF CHOICE. IS YOUR INSURANCE AGENT FREE TO GET YOU A BETTER DEAL? Free to do what's right for you. SM Bill Vogedes 252-482-4429 www.vogedesinsurance.com AN INDEPENDENT AGENT HAS FREEDOM OF CHOICE. IS YOUR INSURANCE AGENT FREE TO GET YOU A BETTER DEAL? Free to do what's right for you. SM Bill Vogedes 252-482-4429 www.vogedesinsurance.com Head coach Mark Gottfried (pictured) added a pair of veteran coaches to his staff in Heath Schroyer and Butch Pierre. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN