Smart fills out his staff

Three familiar faces around the state are the latest additions to the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s basketball staff with the announcement of assistants Mike Rhoades and Bill Courtney, along with Director of Basketball Operations Kyle Getter, head coach Shaka Smart announced Wednesday. “I’m extremely ecstatic about the staff we’ve assembled. It possesses the ideal blend of […]

April 16, 2009; 1:07 AM • by FTRea

Three familiar faces around the state are the latest additions to the Virginia Commonwealth University men’s basketball staff with the announcement of assistants Mike Rhoades and Bill Courtney, along with Director of Basketball Operations Kyle Getter, head coach Shaka Smart announced Wednesday.

“I’m extremely ecstatic about the staff we’ve assembled. It possesses the ideal blend of energy, experience and expertise,” Smart said. “We are excited about rolling up our sleeves and going to work for VCU Basketball.”

Combined, Rhoades and Courtney bring nearly 30 years of sideline experience to the program. Almost all of those years have been spent in the Commonwealth, from the Richmond area, to northern Virginia , to Washington , D.C.

”During the whole process, it was a priority that we assembled a staff that held strong ties within the state,” Smart said.

Fortunately for Rhoades, his wardrobe does not need to change much after serving as the head coach at nearby Randolph-Macon College for the past 10 seasons.

Under the direction of Rhoades, the Yellow Jackets posted 20-plus wins in six of the past seven seasons and finished with a mark of 197-76 (.726). He leaves Randolph-Macon ranking in the top-15 among active Division II head coaches in the winning percentage category.

”I’m extremely pleased to add a coach of Mike’s caliber to our staff,” Smart commented. “The opportunity to work with 10 years of head coaching experience really excites me.”

During his ten years at the helm, Randolph-Macon made four NCAA Tournament appearances and captured the 2003 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championship. For his outstanding efforts, Rhoades was honored by his peers as ODAC Coach of the Year on three occasions.

His finest campaign came in 2002-2003, when the Yellow Jackets were ranked No.1  nationally for several weeks, won the ODAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament “Sweet Sixteen.” At the end of that season, Rhoades was named ODAC Coach of the Year, NABC South District Coach of the Year, VaSID State Coach of the Year and Richmond Times-Dispatch State Coach of the Year.

As a player, Rhoades was just as good. He won just about every award and accolade possible during his time at Lebanon Valley College , leading his team to league titles, conference championships and the 1994 NCAA Division III National Championship. He was a four-time conference all-star, two-time Region Player of the Year, MVP of the 1994 National Championship, First-Team All-American and a National Player of the Year.

Courtney comes to VCU after spending the previous three years on the sidelines at Virginia under the tutelage of Head Coach Dave Leitao.

The Springfield , Va. , native brings a wealth of experience, energy and recruiting contacts throughout not only the state but the country.

”Bill’s track record as a coach and a recruiter is second to none. The success that he has tasted in the CAA, as well as his high major experience, make him a home run addition to our staff,” Smart said.

Prior to his time at UVA, he spent one season at Providence (2005-2006) as an assistant and eight years as the associate head coach at Colonial Athletic Association foe George Mason under Jim Larranaga (1997-2005). His time with Larranaga began in 1996-1997 when he joined the coaching staff at Bowling Green . Courtney got his start on the collegiate level the previous season (1995-1996) at American University .

His experience is not limited to the sidelines after spending four years with the men’s basketball team at Bucknell University . Courtney was an All-Patriot League selection during his junior and senior seasons and served as team captain during that span as well. He was inducted into the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame in October of 2007.

Getter joins the Rams after spending last season as an assistant at in-state rival Liberty University in Lynchburg .

”I’ve known Kyle for 12 years and have always been impressed with his work ethic, his loyalty and his ability to relate to all personalities. Kyle’s diligence and attention to detail will make him a tremendous asset to this program.”

Getter has spend time at Walsh College ( Ohio ), Marshall, Wright State , Dayton and Hanover College ( Ind. ).

Last season, Getter helped guide the Flames to a 23-12 record and an appearance in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. Prior to Liberty , he helped the Cavaliers of Walsh College to a 26-5 mark and a run to the second-round of the NAIA Division II National Tournament.

He also served as the Director of Basketball Operations at Marshall under Head Coach Ron Jirsa. While there, he was responsible for film exchange, video editing, team travel, recruiting, supervising player academics, overseeing the daily operations of the basketball office and coordinating The Marshall Thundering Herd Basketball Camp.

– The information above was provided by Scott Day at VCU

April 16, 2009 1:07 AM 0