Hurley rounds out his staff
Adds Kenya Hunter, a Nebraska assistant with ties D.C. region
Storrs — UConn basketball coach Dan Hurley completed his assistant coaching staff with the addition of Kenya Hunter.
UConn announced the hiring on Monday.
Hunter joins Tom Moore, who came with Hurley from Rhode Island, and recently-hired Kimani Young. All three assistants will have on-court and recruiting responsibilities.
Like Moore and Young, Hunter has a reputation for being a strong, well-connected recruiter and comes to Storrs with vast experience on the Division I level.
Hunter has spent 16 years as an assistant, including the last five at Nebraska. His previous stops include Georgetown, Xavier and Duquesne, his alma mater. He's also served as North Carolina State's director of basketball operations.
"Kenya has tremendous experience in some high-level programs," Hurley said in a release. "He's very well-respected not only as a strong recruiter, but an extremely knowledgeable coach on the floor. It's great when you can hire a man who you view as a future head coach and Kenya has that kind of ability. I'm very happy to add him to what I believe is an outstanding staff."
Hunter worked with both wing and post players during his time at Nebraska as well as making a significant impact in recruiting. He helped develop All-Big Ten performers Terran Petteway and Shavon Shields.
Nebraska went 22-11, 13-5 in the Big Ten and qualified for the NIT last season.
"I looked at the opportunity that UConn presents for me, working with a staff that I'm very
excited about, plus I felt that I needed a change," Hunter said. "Obviously, UConn has a great tradition of winning — four national championships and one just four years ago. It's recent, not outdated. You look in that practice facility and at that NBA wall, it's a place where a lot of NBA guys have come through and paved the way.
"I embrace the challenge of helping Coach Hurley get UConn basketball back to where the people there want it and where it has been."
Hunter saw UConn during its Big East glory days.
From 2007-2013, Hunter served as an assistant with John Thompson III at Georgetown, helping the Hoyas win two Big East titles and earn five NCAA tournament berths. He played a role in the Hoyas bringing in three top 25 recruiting classes and the development of Roy Hibbert and Greg Monroe, now both in the NBA, and 2013 Big East player of the year Otto Potter.
"UConn was always a difficult team to play," Hunter said. "The players they attracted were impressive — tremendous guards and bigs who could do a lot of things. They would try to impose their will. You weren't going to out X-and-O them."
Hunter checks off several important boxes, including being familiar with the Virginia/ Maryland/Washington D.C. recruiting hotbed. He's a native of Arlington, Va., and played college basketball at Duquesne in Pittsburgh.
During his career as an assistant, Hunter has been to 11 NCAA tournaments.
"I've been fortunate to work for a lot of really good coaches and I think I can take bits and pieces of what I've learned from all of them and help our staff at UConn," Hunter said. "I think I am a relationship-builder with the players and that helps get the best from them. It's gratifying to help them grow as people and develop as players from the time they come until the time they leave."
Hurley also announced two other additions to his staff.
Eric Youncofski and Tripp Doherty, both members of Hurley's staff last season at Rhode Island, will serve as director of basketball operations and director of scouting/video, respectively.