The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
UConn men’s hoops team adds Hunter as assistant
UConn has filled out its new coaching staff by wooing another assistant away from the Big Ten.
Kenya Hunter, who has spent the past five seasons at Nebraska, will join Dan Hurley’s staff as UConn’s third and final assistant coach. He joins a staff that includes Tom Moore, the former longtime UConn assistant who was on Hurley’s staff last year at Rhode Island, and Kimani Young, who was hired last week after spending the prior five seasons at Minnesota.
Hunter is a well-traveled assistant known for his recruiting prowess, as well as his work with big men. Prior to joining the Nebraska program, he spent six seasons as an assistant at Georgetown and helped recruit and develop future NBA big men Roy Hibbert, Greg Monroe and Otto Porter.
“Kenya has tremendous experience in some high-level programs,” Hurley said. “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.”
Unlike recent UConn staffs, none of the assistants will have the title of associate head coach — at least for now.
Before Georgetown, Hunter spent three years as an assistant to Sean Miller at Xavier. He has also spent two stints at NC State, and began his coaching career at his alma mater, Duquesne.
“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 It’s recent, not outdated.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.”
At Nebraska, Hunter played a major role in the development of All-Big Ten performers Terran Petteway and Shavon Shields. He was also key in the Huskers’ recruiting efforts, as the program landed nine players who were among the nation’s top 150 players.
“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.”
Hunter rounds out a staff that should be strong on the recruiting trail, particularly in the Northeast. Hunter has strong ties in the Washington, D.C./ northern Virginia area. Moore is strong in New England/New York, and Young has strong ties in the New York/New Jersey area.
Couple all that with Hurley, a strong recruiter in his own right whose name carries plenty of weight in the Metro New York City area, and the Huskies should recruit well up and down the Atlantic seaboard — a stated goal of Hurley’s at his press conference a few weeks ago.
Also on Monday, the school made official the hirings of Eric Youncofski and Tripp Doherty, who come over with Hurley from URI. Youncofski will serve as director of basketball operations, while Doherty will be director of scouting/video.
Youncofski will be responsible for the day-today operations of the men’s basketball program, including input into all travel arrangements. He will also be involved with the organization and administration of team practice and skill sessions as well as help with scouting reports of opponents. In addition, he will aid in the planning and administration of the team’s community outreach projects throughout the year.
Youncofski, 24, originally from Middletown, New Jersey, was a walk-on member of the URI basketball team for three seasons under Hurley. He spent two seasons as a graduate assistant and video corrdinator before being promoted to director of basketball ops last year.
Doherty, 25, will oversee the film production for the team, the film exchange with opponents and breakdown of film for the purpose of scouting opponents as well as evaluation of the Huskies. He will work closely with the coaching staff as well as with the Directors of Administration and Operations to plan day-to-day practice sessions and maintain a recruiting database.
Doherty is a Fairfield University graduate who has worked at Harvard and URI.
It’s possible Kevin Freeman, who served as Kevin Ollie’s director of basketball administration, could join the staff in a non-recruiting role, as well.