Alan Griffin, Evan Ruechel and more Syracuse sports news

SYRACUSE, N.Y. » Here is some Syracuse sports news.

Alan Griffin Syracuse guard Alan Griffin has been granted a waiver of the transfer residence requirement by the NCAA and is immediately eligible to play for the Orange, the school announced Tuesday.

A junior guard from Ossining, New York, Griffin spent his first two college seasons at Illinois and has two years of eligibility remaining.

Griffin saw action in 30 contests for the Illini as a freshman, averaging 2.8 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. In his sophomore season he averaged 8.9 points and 4.5 rebounds over 28 games and made 47 3-pointers. His 3-point percentage (41.6) was the best mark on the team.

Evan Ruechel Named Assistant

Softball Coach

Evan Ruechel has joined the Syracuse softball program as an assistant coach and will begin with the Orange on Aug. 24, 2020. Ruechel comes to ‘Cuse after spending a shortened season due to COVID-19 as a volunteer assistant coach at Buffalo.

“We are thrilled to add Evan to our staff,” head coach Shannon Doepking said. “Evan’s ability to develop hitters is something that was really important to us as we went through this search. It was very clear that he is a student of the game and a coach that will do whatever he needs to do to make sure our players get better. I trust that he will be a tireless worker, both on the field and on the recruiting trail to make sure our program continues to move in the right direction.”

“I am excited for the opportunity to join a talented and experienced staff at Syracuse University,” Ruechel said. “It is a great school, in a competitive conference and I am very thankful for the opportunity Coach Doepking has given me.”

He spent the 2019 season at UNCW where he helped guide the Seahawks to a 2628 overall record and a 8-13 slate in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). Before making the jump to the softball sidelines, Ruechel was a volunteer assistant baseball coach at Averett (NCAA DIII) in Danville, Va., where he served as the recruiting coordinator and hitting/infield coach for the Cougars. During his time there he coached Averett’s Kyle Vidano to ALLUSA South First Team honors with a .386 batting average and 30 stolen bases.

Ruechel began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Indiana Wesleyan (NAIA) for the 2017 season. He also spent time as an assistant coach for the Champion City Kings of the Prospect League and was the hitting and catching instructor for the Elgin Warriors Baseball Club from 2014-17.

A native of Oconto, Wisc., Ruechel played junior college baseball at Milwaukee Area Technical College and Rock Valley College before completing his career at St. Ambrose. He also played for the Green Bay Bullfrogs of the Northwoods League, a collegiate summer baseball league. Ruechel graduated from St. Ambrose in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management.

John Marcum Joins Women’s Basketball Staff

John Marcum joined the women’s basketball coaching staff in July 2020 as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He brings over 10 years of collegiate coaching experience to the Orange and comes to Syracuse after stops at Butler, Grand Canyon, East Carolina, Indiana State, California Baptist and Oklahoma Baptist.

“John is one of the premier recruiters in the country and his knowledge of the game will be an asset to our program immediately,” head coach Quentin Hillsman said.

“My family and I are extremely grateful and excited about the opportunity to contend for ACC and national championships at ‘Cuse,” Marcum said. “Coach Q and his staff are like family to me, and it’s an honor to work with one of the most respected coaches in the industry. Go Orange! “

In three seasons at Butler as the top assistant, Marcum helped guide the Bulldogs to a 57-38 record and a WNIT appearance in 2019. Butler improved by nine wins in his first season from a 6-25 record the year before his arrival in Indianapolis. During his second season, the Bulldogs posted their first 20-win season since 2010-11 and reached their first WNIT Sweet Sixteen in program history.

At Grand Canyon, Marcum helped the Lopes to a 1512 record. Prior to his stop at GCU he spent three seasons as the Associate Head Coach at East Carolina.

During his time in Greenville, the Pirates went 57-39 winning 22 games in each of his first two seasons. The Pirates signed a top-50 recruiting class in 2015, one year after bringing in the secondbest class in the American Conference for the 2014-15 season.

Marcum experience transcends recruiting having dabbled in scouting, game preparation and scheduling during his tenure.

At Indiana State, he helped the Sycamores to their best record since 200607 with an 18-13 record in 2012-13. Prior to ISU, Marcum led Cal Baptist to a 27-8 record in his first season as head coach. The Lancers ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation and reached their first national tournament since 1982 while winning the program’s first conference championship, (NCAA Division II – Pac West). In his second year as head coach Cal Baptist went 20-4 and had a team grade point average of 3.1. He has a 47-2 record as a head coach at Cal Baptist winning 80 percent of his games.

Marcum began his coaching career of Oklahoma Baptist in 2002 where he served as an assistant to the men’s basketball staff before transitioning to the women’s basketball program from 200710.

He played basketball and earned his bachelor’s in secondary education with a concentration in history from Oklahoma Baptist in 1997. In 2003, he earned a master’s in secondary education with a concentration in physical education from East Central University.