Abe Woldeslassie, a Macalester College grad who came back to coach the men’s basketball team for seven seasons, has resigned to take an assistant coaching position at Division I University of Denver. He was the school’s first Black MBB coach, and was the MIAC’s only Black head basketball coach.
The Minneapolis native was hired in 2018 and quickly transformed the Scots from an also-ran to a perennial contender, reaching the 2022 MIAC Finals for the first time since 2004, and Woldeslassie was named the Region 9 Coach of the Year. The following season he again led the squad to another winning campaign and playoff appearance, the program’s first back-to-back winning seasons in over 40 years.
During his tenure, Woldeslassie recruited and coached seven All-MIAC players, including Badou Ba (Washington, DC), the 2023 MIAC Defensive Player of the Year; and three-time all-conference and all-region guard Caleb Williams, who lit up the Minnesota Golden Gophers for 41 points in a 2023 exhibition game between the two schools at Williams Arena.
Speaking exclusively to the MSR last Thursday, Woldeslassie pointed out that it was a very quick process last week in accepting an offer to join the DU coaching staff.
“I ended up actually getting the offer literally yesterday morning [April 23],” said Woldeslassie. “So, I met with my AD Donnie Brooks yesterday and then met with the team yesterday evening and my coaching staff to let them know in person that I would be leaving.”
Both Macalester and Denver released announcements last Thursday. “Abe is going to have an immediate impact at the University of Denver,” said DU Coach Tim Bergstraser, who will begin his first season in charge of the men’s basketball program in November.
“Abe’s presence has meant so much to Macalester,” said Brooks last week on Woldeslassie to the MSR. “He’s a true community builder. Seeing our stands packed, with energy from both the Macalester community and the greater Twin Cities combined, was the greatest testament to his philosophy.
“He created a winning culture where everyone felt like they had a part in it,” continued Brooks. “Abe has an incredible gift; not only can he coach the game at the highest level, but he also makes people feel like insiders.”
Said Woldeslassie, “I’ve known Coach Bergstraser for a few years now. He had a lot of success at MSU Moorhead, but this is his first opportunity at the Division I level. When he got the job, he reached out to me.”
Before returning to the St. Paul school, Woldeslassie spent five years in assistant coaching roles on Division I coaching staffs at Dartmouth, Davidson and Siena. Denver will be his fourth DI assistant position.
“It is an exciting opportunity for me to get back to being an assistant coach,” said Woldeslassie on his new job. “It’s a really nice school academically. They’ve had a lot of success in other sports.”
“I was the head coach for seven years, and I also played there for two years [2006-08],” stressed Woldeslassie on his nearly decade-long stint at Mac. “I grew up in Minneapolis, so being able to coach at Macalester was a dream. I just felt really proud of where the program is.
“I would just say, we restored belief in the program, both internally at the college and I think externally with alums and people in the basketball community in our state. I think Macalester maybe didn’t have much respect for a while, and we restored that, and we became a team that people really had to prepare for. They couldn’t just walk in and beat us.”
Finally, “I’m already starting to work and reach out to recruits. There’s only three players currently on the roster,” the former Scots HC concluded. “We have a lot of work ahead in terms of adding the right kids that fit in academically to Denver.”
HBCU baseball series canceled
The three-game HBCU baseball series planned at the St. Paul Saints ballpark in May will not be held as scheduled. “We’ve enjoyed the planning process with both Alcorn State and Florida A&M, and we’re disappointed that the event will not be held this year. We look forward to working with them over the course of the next 12 months to bring HBCU baseball to the Twin Cities,” Saints President Derek Sharrer told the MSR last week.
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