Both U of M basketball teams have coaching additions this season.
Corey Green is in his first season as basketball operations director for the women’s basketball team. He formerly spent four seasons at Old Dominion in a similar position, and served on coaching staffs at Memphis (three seasons) and Detroit (two years). He got his start as a student manager and office assistant at ODU in 2013-14 — Green is a 2016 Old Dominion graduate in sports management.
First-year Men’s Head Coach Niko Medved added four Black individuals to his Gopher coaching staff:
“I’m just trying to help as much as I can. I’m really excited to be a part of this school, be a part of this team.”
Joe De Ciman is the chief of staff and oversees all off-court activities, including academic success and career development. He was at Colorado State from 2018 to 2025 after he played pro ball in Spain for two years following his senior season at CSU. He earned his health and exercise science degree there in 2016, and later his master’s in education and human resource studies in 2019.
“I think my experience as a player, being in their shoes not too long ago” helps him in his current job, said De Ciman. “I think of me being a liaison between our assistant [coaches] to Nico, Nico to our players … I think that’s my role of overseeing the macro first and foremost — I’m here to get back to the players.”
Rachel Herndon is director of operations, the same role she held at Colorado State, where she is a graduate. She taught elementary school for five years, was an assistant athletic director at a charter school, and coached junior high boys basketball before returning to CSU in 2024.
“I grew up playing basketball, and so when this opportunity came up, [it’s] very similar to teaching,” said Herndon. “This role helps bring sports back into my life, and I’m able to be around it. I’ve never lost that competitive drive, so this brings it all together.”
Anthony Holland joins the Gopher MBB staff as director of player personnel. He was a graduate assistant at Colorado State after completing his playing career at Washington following the 2023-24 season.
“I’m in charge of helping with recruiting, looking at guys [who] want to join the team,” said Holland. “I wear a lot of hats. I’m gonna be on the court with guys, helping them get better, doing film staff to help analyze.
“I’m just trying to help as much as I can,” said Holland. “I’m really excited to be a part of this school, be a part of this team. It’s really an honor to be a part of Minnesota.”
Gopher Assistant Coach Armon Gates also is new this season. He will be featured in a future MSR edition.
Other opportunities uncertain
The Minnesota Twins reportedly had former hitting coach and current New York Yankees Hitting Coach James Rowson as a finalist before the team hired Derek Shelton as their new manager. The team still hasn’t hired a Black manager in its history.
It is not known if the Twins will have any Blacks on its coaching staff. Third base and infield coach Tommy Watkins since 2021 was the only Black coach on former manager Rocco Baldelli’s staff.
While the WNBA and its players are still bargaining for a new CBA with talks extended for 30 days last week after the current pact expired Oct. 31, little is being said about how, with only one coaching opening still available (New York), there is a strong possibility that the majority Black female league will not have a Black female head coach next season.
Charles Hallman welcomes reader comments to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.