Randy Evans Hired as New Assistant Coach

By BRYAN GRISHAM

CSCC Sports Information Director

There will be a new face on the Cougar bench this winter as Cleveland State head coach, Lee Cigliano was thrilled to announce the addition of Randy Evans as his new assistant coach for the 2010/2011 basketball season.

"I am very excited to have Randy on our staff," stated Cigliano. "He is well known in the community and brings an enthusiasm and a fresh face to our program. His coaching knowledge will be a plus as will his ability to relate to the players and the community will be a big help as well."

"Randy and I had talked about this possibility for the past couple of years somewhere down the road," said Cigliano. "He doesn't officially start until August 1, but he has already been working as a volunteer assistant in some of our summer camps and recruiting. He was instrumental in bringing in a lot of kids to some of our camps, so he has already made a huge impact on our program."

Evans brings with him a world of experience to the Cougar fold. After graduating from Sale Creek High School and then playing four years at Bryan College in Dayton, Evans has spent the last nine years as the head coach at Cleveland Middle School where his teams racked up an impressive 352-48 record.

"I am very proud of my time at the middle school," stated Evans. "An 88 percent winning percentage is not too bad and I feel like we accomplished a lot in our time there. It was more than wins and losses though, the chance to work with the kids and watch them grow and develop as players and as young men was what made me the happiest."

"It will be a definite change, but I am really looking forward to the challenge," the coach continued. "It'll be a big difference going from working with middle school kids and now young adults. The teaching will be different and the pace of the game will be much different. In middle school you knew pretty much what you had coming from year to year and everybody wanted to play. In college it's just the opposite as you have to recruit and sometimes convince a player to come here. That will be a big challenge, but I'm excited about it."

As coach Cigliano enters his 15th season as the head Cougar, he is excited about the new ideas and energy that Evans brings with him.

"Once Randy gets in and sees what it takes for us to compete in our conference, he already has a pretty good idea, but in January and February after he has been here a while he will really be an asset in recruiting and will see what it takes to be successful at this level," explained Cigliano. "His ability to help players develop their game on the court is a plus, but equally as important will be his ability to help the kids off the court which is a big part of college life."

"As this was coming about, everyone that I told about Randy coming in as my assistant, it was the same reaction each time, positive. Everyone said that he will really help our program in many different ways and that made me feel good and excited about the possibilities. I have been here a long time and he has already given me a much needed breath of fresh air and we haven't even started yet."

In junior college basketball, change is a way of life and the turnover for the Cougars is almost complete with 12 to 15 new faces on the court. Two of those faces will be familiar ones for Evans as he will get to work with a couple of his former players in Jamiel King and Marcus Davis from Cleveland High School.

"As a coach you enjoy watching the kids you coach grow and learn the game and develop into fine young men," Evans explained. "I watched Jamiel and Marcus come through my program at the middle school and then at the high school level where they were very successful and now I have a chance to coach them again at the college level. So, I think that is pretty neat and a great opportunity."

Opening a new career chapter, means closing another and Evans was quick to point that out.

"I want to thank Cleveland Middle School for nine great years and especially the Athletic Director, Scott Carroll who is a great friend and has been a big supporter the whole time I was there."

Randy and his wife, the former Diana Souther herself a former Lady Cougar, have four children, Marisa, Raylee, MaGuire and Daxton and are expecting number five in October.

"I also can't forget to thank my family and especially my wife Diana for all their support over the years and during this new chapter in our life," said Evans. "They have been by my side through thick and thin and I couldn't have done it without them."