April 20, 2004

Grand Valley State University has named Ric Wesley as its head men's basketball coach, Laker Athletic Director Tim Selgo announced Tuesday morning. Wesley is the fifth head coach in the program's 38-year history.

"We are excited to bring in a coach with the wealth of experience that Ric Wesley possesses," said Selgo. "Ric brings a solid background at the Division I level and has all of the ingredients necessary to bring our men's basketball program back to the consistent level of success that typifies Grand Valley State."

Wesley most recently completed his fifth year as an assistant coach at Southwest Missouri State, including the last year as the associate head coach. Ric joined the staff when current head coach Barry Hinson took over in 1999.

"This is an exciting time for my family," said Wesley. "I knew that Grand Valley State was an ideal situation for me from a professional and personal standpoint. Grand Valley State has all of the components and elements necessary to build a successful program. I feel that Grand Valley State is the benchmark for Division II institutions in terms of academic and athletic excellence," added Wesley.

Wesley served as one of the primary recruiters at Southwest Missouri State, in addition to being active in every facet of the Bears' program. He helped guide the Bears to four winning seasons in his five years in the program, including a 23-win campaign with a trip to the second round of the NIT in his first season at SMS, 1999-00. Southwest Missouri State was 89-68 during Wesley's five years.

Prior to his arrival at SMS, Wesley spent the previous four years as an assistant coach on the staff of head coach Grey Giovanine at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Wesley helped direct the Cardinals' offensive attack as LU punched up the best scoring average in the Sun Belt Conference during the 1996-97 season, and Lamar turned in its best win total and longest stretch of winning seasons in over a decade.

Prior to his stay at Lamar, Wesley worked at Iowa State University during the 14-season tenure of Cyclones' head coach Johnny Orr. Wesley was a graduate assistant one year, a part-time assistant for a season, and a full-time assistant coach for the last twelve seasons he was in Ames, Iowa. He worked in every phase of the Iowa State program, including teaching, camp organization, scouting, preparation of highlight videos, recruiting and on-court game and practice coaching.

During that span, Iowa State made six NCAA tournament appearances and went to the National Invitation Tournament on three other occasions. Wesley's tenure saw 10 Cyclones gain All-Big Eight Conference honors while a dozen players were academic all-conference selections during the same period of time. During Wesley's ISU years, the Cyclones turned in six of the top seven all-time career scorers in school history and had seven National Basketball Association draft picks. Iowa State reached the NCAA tournament in 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1992 and 1993, reaching the Sweet 16 in 1986. ISU played in the preseason NIT in 1987 and 1992 and the postseason event in 1994.

The Cyclones accounted for 129 individual and team school records during the 14 seasons Orr and Wesley were together at ISU. The list of Iowa State NBA draft selections Wesley recruited and coached includes Robert Estes (Kings), Barry Stevens (Nuggets), Jeff Hornacek (Suns), Tom Schaefer (Nuggets), Sam Hill (Mavericks), Jeff Grayer (Bucks), Victor Alexander (Warriors), Sam Mack (Spurs), Fred Hoiberg (Pacers) and Loren Meyer (Mavericks).

A native of Chesaning, Mich., Wesley is a 1980 graduate of Central Michigan University and got his first coaching experience at CMU as a student assistant coach for the Chippewas during his four years on the Mount Pleasant campus. CMU reached tourney play in both the NCAA and NIT during that span. He also assisted briefly at Newaygo (Mich.) High school during the 1979-80 cage season and was active in basketball camp work.

Wesley and his wife, Pat, have two children, Charlie and Caroline.