Post by WVUfanPHILLY on Aug 13, 2007 11:54:51 GMT -5
By JOEY KITTLE, Staff Writer
(The Inter-Mountain, Elkins, WV/Joey Kittle)
ON HAND — West Virginia associate head basketball coach Billy Hahn speaks to the crowd at the YMCA fundraiser held Saturday at the Elks Country Club.
Billy Hahn started his coaching career at Morris Harvey College, which is now the University of Charleston. Fast forward 32 years and Hahn is back in the Mountain State, this time as the associate head coach for Bob Huggins at West Virginia University. He was named to the post in May after Huggins replaced John Beilein. “It’s funny how things work out (in the coaching world),” said Hahn, who spoke at the Randolph County YMCA fundraiser held Saturday night at the Elks Country Club. “I was coming down (to Elkins) with my wife (Kathi) and it brought back memories of coaching at places like Davis & Elkins, West Virginia Wesleyan and Alderson-Broaddus when I was just starting out at Morris Harvey College. “Now I’m back in West Virginia coaching with Bobby Huggins and couldn’t be any happier.”
Hahn said he’s been overwhelmed by the devotion of Mountaineer fans during his appearances around the state.
“It’s unbelievable how the fans in this state embrace the athletic programs at the University,” he said. “They’re very knowledgeable and you can just feel the love they have for Mountaineer sports.”
Hahn, known as one of the top recruiters in college basketball, comes to West Virginia after spending a majority of his career at Maryland, where he was an assistant to Gary Williams for 12 seasons.
His recruiting efforts helped the Terps win the the national championship in 2002.
Even though Hahn left to become head coach at LaSalle in 2001, Williams and the Maryland basketball program presented him with a championship ring for his efforts.
Hahn, who was a three-year letter winner under Lefty Driesell at Maryland, has coached 19 NBA players during his career, including Steve Francis, and Chris Wilcox, Lonny Baxter, Steve Blake, Juan Dixon, the four players who helped lead the Terps to the 2002 national championship.
He believes West Virginia has all the tools to also become national-title contenders.
“Everything we need is here,” he said. “We have the facilities, the coaching staff and I think the players. The biggest thing we need to do is get the NBA-type players to make a visit and see what we have to offer.
“You look at the last four or five teams that won the national title and they all had at least three or four NBA-type players. That’s the formula you need to win the national title.”
Hahn, 53, has been impressed by the players on West Virginia’s current roster, which returns nearly intact after last season’s NIT championship.
Devan Bawinkel is the lone holdover that has elected to transfer.
“Those guys have worked very hard,” he said. “Coach Huggins talked to each one of them when he took the job and wanted them to stay. They know it will be a different style of basketball but they have responded very well with what we want to do.”
(The Inter-Mountain, Elkins, WV/Joey Kittle)
ON HAND — West Virginia associate head basketball coach Billy Hahn speaks to the crowd at the YMCA fundraiser held Saturday at the Elks Country Club.
Billy Hahn started his coaching career at Morris Harvey College, which is now the University of Charleston. Fast forward 32 years and Hahn is back in the Mountain State, this time as the associate head coach for Bob Huggins at West Virginia University. He was named to the post in May after Huggins replaced John Beilein. “It’s funny how things work out (in the coaching world),” said Hahn, who spoke at the Randolph County YMCA fundraiser held Saturday night at the Elks Country Club. “I was coming down (to Elkins) with my wife (Kathi) and it brought back memories of coaching at places like Davis & Elkins, West Virginia Wesleyan and Alderson-Broaddus when I was just starting out at Morris Harvey College. “Now I’m back in West Virginia coaching with Bobby Huggins and couldn’t be any happier.”
Hahn said he’s been overwhelmed by the devotion of Mountaineer fans during his appearances around the state.
“It’s unbelievable how the fans in this state embrace the athletic programs at the University,” he said. “They’re very knowledgeable and you can just feel the love they have for Mountaineer sports.”
Hahn, known as one of the top recruiters in college basketball, comes to West Virginia after spending a majority of his career at Maryland, where he was an assistant to Gary Williams for 12 seasons.
His recruiting efforts helped the Terps win the the national championship in 2002.
Even though Hahn left to become head coach at LaSalle in 2001, Williams and the Maryland basketball program presented him with a championship ring for his efforts.
Hahn, who was a three-year letter winner under Lefty Driesell at Maryland, has coached 19 NBA players during his career, including Steve Francis, and Chris Wilcox, Lonny Baxter, Steve Blake, Juan Dixon, the four players who helped lead the Terps to the 2002 national championship.
He believes West Virginia has all the tools to also become national-title contenders.
“Everything we need is here,” he said. “We have the facilities, the coaching staff and I think the players. The biggest thing we need to do is get the NBA-type players to make a visit and see what we have to offer.
“You look at the last four or five teams that won the national title and they all had at least three or four NBA-type players. That’s the formula you need to win the national title.”
Hahn, 53, has been impressed by the players on West Virginia’s current roster, which returns nearly intact after last season’s NIT championship.
Devan Bawinkel is the lone holdover that has elected to transfer.
“Those guys have worked very hard,” he said. “Coach Huggins talked to each one of them when he took the job and wanted them to stay. They know it will be a different style of basketball but they have responded very well with what we want to do.”
