Aces New Coaching Staff

[GoPurpleAces]

But the road opened to he and his new assistants (Ben Wierzba from SIUE and Marcus Belcher from Eastern Illinois) yesterday after they both passed, too.

The above quote is from theis mornings article on Simmons passing an NCAA test on recruiting. I thought Kareem Richardson might remain on staff since he played here. Any thoughts on the two listed. I am guessing that Wierzba is the older brother of a current coach. I think most remember Belcher(former Ugly Dog guard).

Discuss.......

[AcePurpleFan]

I would've liked to see him and Lennox back (but I understand he is doing well at BU now).

[AceFan]

From the Eastern Illinois website

Marcus Belcher becomes the newest member of Mike Miller’s Eastern Illinois University staff, joining the Panthers in early July.

Belcher is quite familiar with the area serving as an assistant coach on Marty Simmons staff at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville for the past two seasons.

While at Edwardsville, Belcher helped coach the team to two straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearances including a trip to the Elite Eight last season. During two seasons at Edwardsville, the Cougars compiled a 48-17 record finishing the in the D-II national rankings in 2006.

Belcher played his collegiate basketball in Carbondale, Ill., as the starting point guard for Bruce Weber’s Southern Illinois Salukis. Belcher led the team with 118 assists in 2002 as he helped guide SIU to a Sweet 16 appearance and No. 23 national ranking.

The Salukis lost to Connecticut in the Sweet 16 after earlier wins over Texas Tech and Georgia.

Belcher graduated from SIU in 2002. He also played two years at Mobley Area CC in Missouri and was a second-team All-State selection at Mexico (MO) High.


From the SIUE Website:

Assistant Coach Ben Wierzba

Ben Wierzba, a former player
and student assistant coach at SIUE,
comes to the program after two
seasons at Lewis University.
The Farmington, Ill., native
played at SIUE in 1998-99, scoring
12.6 points per game and collecting
honorable mention accolades from the Great Lakes Valley
Conference. Wierzba was a student assistant for SIUE in
1999-2000 and received a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies
at SIUE in 2000.
Wierzba played two seasons at Lake Land College
before transferring to NCAA Division I University of South
Alabama, where he played on the Jaguars’ 1997-98 NCAA
tournament team.
Wierzba also has worked as a coach at North Dakota,
Saint Joseph’s and Lewis. His experience includes director of
basketball operations at the United States Military Academy
for head coach Jim Crews.

[AcePurpleFan]

Thanks for the info. I think the staff looks good, but I'd like to see some more D-I coaching experience in there. With the exception of Simmons (as a D-I assistant), that's about it.

[GoPurpleAces]

With Richardson gone, does that mean the Cousinard and Moncie Garrett will not be here next season?

:fear:

[AcePurpleFan]

Is that a loss? :innocent:

[AceFan]

With Richardson gone, does that mean the Cousinard and Moncie Garrett will not be here next season?

:fear:

Still one Assistant and a Director of Basketball Operations to be named......or at least to be made public.

[tennis08tarheels]

What about Jason Zimmerman?

[AceFan]

The information below is on the Aces website this morning. Looks like Coach Simmons is keeping only Rhet Wierzba, brother of assistant coach Ben, as the Director of Basketball Operations from the Merfeld Staff. Still one assistant to be named.

Basketball (M)

Head Coach: Marty Simmons
Assistant: Marcus Belcher
Assistant: Ben Wierzba
Assistant: TBA
Director of Basketball Operations: Rhet Wierzba

[kyyle23]

Its nice to see Belcher returning to the MVC. When he came around, I didnt have much in the way of expectations for him, but he exceeded every expectation I had and became a floor general for Weber. I will never forget his alley-oop pass to Rolen Roberts vs Texas Tech in 2002, I had a warm & fuzzy feeling in my stomach all week after that.

[Aces101]

With an open position, there may still be a chance that Kareem will be back as an assistant. The article was pointing out the new coaches....I believe Marty will keep one assistant for continuity in the program. Kareem makes sense for many reasons.

[AceOrangeFan]

With Richardson gone, does that mean the Cousinard and Moncie Garrett will not be here next season?

:fear:

Marty has done a good job putting the staff together. I agree more DI experence would be nice. Cousinard and Garrett would not be a big loss if they go as well. Marty could use the spots to bring in his own players. I would like to see some good JUCO guys. THis was how the program was rebuilt after the crash. It worked well for IU in 87 with Smart and Garrett. :aces:

[AceOrangeFan]

Does anyone have additional information as to what Bill McGillis and Jim Crews talked about for 4 hours? Bill spoke of it at the Marty Simmons press conference. I wonder if there was a offer for Jim to be interm coach until Bill could get Brad Brownell?

[yeager]

FYI...the program was built with D I transfers after the crash..the NCAA waived players transfering the sit out rule, they played right away. We had several transfer in.

[yeager]

UE has never been big on JUCO transfers. With Crews we hardly ever got them, there was a few though.

[aceshigh]

Most juco players have issues, not the way to "build" a program unless you just get lucky
I do hope there is a way for Kareem to stay though, but it doesnt look promising

[Majik45]

For you aces fans who don't know, the Wierzba boys are brothers and are from just outside of Peoria from a small town called Farmington. Their dad is the long-time coach of the town's high school. Farmington was just in the state tournament for like the 5 time in 8 years, so their dad is a pretty good coach. I'm pretty sure I played against Ben in high school.

[AcePurpleFan]

Most juco players have issues, not the way to "build" a program unless you just get lucky
I do hope there is a way for Kareem to stay though, but it doesnt look promising


Call it what you will, but JUCO players might be a way to "jump-start" the program. Sure you cannot "build" a program long-term that way. But you can use JUCO players to temporarily get a team out of the bottom - which we are in.