Top assistants bring experience, positivity to Tigers basketball
By: Joseph Russell
Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: Sports
When Josh Pastner was introduced as the Tigers head coach weeks ago, the one thing that stuck out about him was his positivity. With no insurance of what the future held, Pastner won over Memphians with his never-ending enthusiasm. His first two assistants, Willis Wilson and Glynn Cyprien, are no different.
"Both are energetic, hard workers, and they will give that extra effort to help this program be successful," Pastner said. "That's the kind of people I was looking for when I searched to find the right mix for this program."
They couldn't agree more.
"It's exciting to be here in Memphis," Wilson said Tuesday. "This is certainly a program with a great deal of tradition. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to help Coach Pastner move this thing and keep it going in the right direction."
Wilson, after spending years as a collegiate head coach, was the first hire that Pastner made.
"Willis brings years of collegiate coaching experience to the staff, and he knows the ins and outs of Conference-USA because he coached in the league," Pastner said.
Wilson served as head coach of the Rice Owl men's basketball team from 1993-2008, compiling a record of 219-246. His teams averaged 20 wins per season, which included births in the National Invitation Tournament in 2003-04 and 2004-05.
The Owls' 22 victories in 2003-04 tied for the third-most in school history for a single season, and was the program's most wins for a single season since the 1953-54 campaign (23-5). Following the season, Wilson was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches District 9 Coach of the Year, becoming the first Rice coach to do so since the award began in 1970.
As the first assistant on the newly-assembled staff, Wilson admitted it took some time getting adjusted.
"Coming in last week and being the first guy to get his feet on the ground in Memphis since Josh was hired was a little bit overwhelming," he said. "I can only imagine what it was like for him in the first 10 days or so."
"Both are energetic, hard workers, and they will give that extra effort to help this program be successful," Pastner said. "That's the kind of people I was looking for when I searched to find the right mix for this program."
They couldn't agree more.
"It's exciting to be here in Memphis," Wilson said Tuesday. "This is certainly a program with a great deal of tradition. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to help Coach Pastner move this thing and keep it going in the right direction."
Wilson, after spending years as a collegiate head coach, was the first hire that Pastner made.
"Willis brings years of collegiate coaching experience to the staff, and he knows the ins and outs of Conference-USA because he coached in the league," Pastner said.
Wilson served as head coach of the Rice Owl men's basketball team from 1993-2008, compiling a record of 219-246. His teams averaged 20 wins per season, which included births in the National Invitation Tournament in 2003-04 and 2004-05.
The Owls' 22 victories in 2003-04 tied for the third-most in school history for a single season, and was the program's most wins for a single season since the 1953-54 campaign (23-5). Following the season, Wilson was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches District 9 Coach of the Year, becoming the first Rice coach to do so since the award began in 1970.
As the first assistant on the newly-assembled staff, Wilson admitted it took some time getting adjusted.
"Coming in last week and being the first guy to get his feet on the ground in Memphis since Josh was hired was a little bit overwhelming," he said. "I can only imagine what it was like for him in the first 10 days or so."