Geno Ford
Muskingum College
www.muskingum.edu

Geno Ford, Ohio’s Mr. Basketball of 1993 and a 1,700 career-point scorer for Ohio University, is entering his first season as head basketball coach.

Ford, who was assistant basketball coach at Kent State University from 2002-2005, helped guide the Golden Flashes to a 64-31 overall record, which included three straight 20-win seasons, two Mid-American Conference (MAC) East Division titles, two appearances in the MAC Tournament Championship game and three consecutive postseason appearances in the National Invitation Tournament.

Prior to arriving at Kent State, Ford had a successful year as head coach at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth, Ohio, where he led the team to a 22-10 record and second-place finish in the American Mideast Conference (AMC) in 2002. The 22-win record was a 10-game improvement from the 2001 season for the Bears. For his efforts, he was named the AMC Coach of the Year.

Prior to his responsibilities at Shawnee State, Ford was an assistant coach at his alma mater, Ohio University, for two seasons (1999-2001) and a graduate assistant for one year (1998-99) as well. During that time, the Bobcats posted a record of 57-34.

During his OU playing days (1993-97), Ford finished with 1,752 career points and was named to the All-MAC First Team as a senior after garnering second-team accolades as a junior. The Bobcats also made one appearance in both the NCAA Tournament and National Invitation Tournament.

Ford holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication from Ohio University in 1997 and a master’s degree in athletic administration from the school in 1999.

The Cambridge, Ohio, native was named “Mr. Basketball” by the Ohio Associated Press in 1993. His father, Muskingum alumnus Gene Ford (’74), recently retired as head boys basketball coach at Cambridge High School. Ford is married to the former Traci Lyons. The couple have two sons, Darin (9) and David (1).

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David McLaughlin
Stonehill College
www.stonehill.edu

The ride that David McLaughlin has taken the Stonehill College men's basketball program on during his tenure as head coach has been filled with magic, memories and above all, success. In just two full seasons at the helm, he has transformed the Skyhawks back into a regional and national power on the strength of posting back-to-back 20-win campaigns for the first time in a quarter century, as Stonehill has posted a 47-15 (.758) since November 2004, and as he heads into his third full season at the controls of the Skyhawk program, McLaughlin looks to enhance both that success and tradition.

McLaughlin made an immediate impact upon being named as Stonehill's interim head coach in January 2004, as he guided the Skyhawks to their highest league win total in six years before being named as the College's 12th Head Men's Basketball Coach on a full-time basis in February 2004. After being picked to finish 14th of 15 teams in the league's pre-season 2004-2005 coaches' poll, all McLaughlin did was guide Stonehill to its first 20-win season in seven years and a third place finish in the final Northeast-10 standings, including a pair of victories over 2005 NCAA runner-up Bryant.

But the best was yet to come.

After being picked to finish in the middle of the pack by the league's coaches to start the 2005-2006 campaign, Stonehill quickly established itself as a league and regional power under McLaughlin's guidance, as the Skyhawks ran off a 12-game winning streak to put themselves in position to capture their first Northeast-10 regular season crown since 1997-98, and with a 17-5 conference slate, Stonehill did just that, sharing the title with Bentley and advancing to the Northeast-10 championship game for the first time since 1989. But the season was far from over, as the Skyhawks hosted the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships before sold-out crowds at Merkert Gymnasium, and McLaughlin guided his troops to their first-ever regional crown with an 89-80 victory over UMass Lowell in the title game to set yet another standard of excellence for the program--Stonehill's first-ever trip to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Springfield, Mass.

And just as they had done throughout the season, McLaughlin and his squad provided more magic upon arriving at the Mass Mutual Center for what seemed to be home court advantage, as thousands of Stonehill faithful made the 90-mile trip to see the Skyhawks post a 69-59 victory over Tarleton State (Tex.) in the national quarterfinals before bowing to eventual NCAA Division II champion Winona State (Minn.) in the Final Four. The legacy of a 27-7 team that advanced to the NCAA national semi-finals is one that was not lost on McLaughlin's peers, who voted him as both the 2005-2006 Northeast-10 Conference and National Association of Basketball Coaches Northeast Regional Coach of the Year, and those honors speak to the great credibility and respect he has both brought and earned in his position.

A native of Brockton, Mass., McLaughlin came to Easton in 2000 as an assistant coach and held that position for three-and-a-half seasons, as he had helped coordinate all facets of the Skyhawk program, including recruiting, game and practice preparations and various internal and external duties. McLaughlin served as an assistant coach at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. for two seasons, where he coordinated all areas of recruiting for the Cardinals while assisting in scouting and implementing a highly successful strength and conditioning program. Prior to his tenure at Wesleyan, David served as an assistant coach at Suffolk University in Boston, where he assisted with recruiting, game and practice preparation as well as strength and conditioning. He also served as the head coach of the Northeast entry of the 1999 Bay State Games, guiding that squad to an undefeated mark and the gold medal in the event.

McLaughlin was a standout for legendary Head Coach Dick Whittemore during his playing days at Colby College in Waterville, Maine, as he shined for the White Mules in the highly competitive New England Small College Athletic Conference. McLaughlin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Colby in May 1997, and the former local star at Boston College High School earned a Master of Education degree in Secondary Education from Suffolk in 1999. In May 2000, David earned partial certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

A member of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the National Strength and Conditioning Association, David and his wife, Jenna, reside in Easton with their daughter, Sydney, who was born this past July.

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Danny Young
Head Coach - Men's Basketball
Grand Canyon University (1990)
www.montevallo.edu/

The world of NCAA Division II men’s basketball has been transformed in the past three years. In that time, the University of Montevallo men’s basketball team has become one of the top teams in the nation. UM claimed the 2006 NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament championship and earned their first-ever trip to the “Elite Eight” in Springfield, Mass. last March. The Falcons have now appeared in three consecutive NCAA Division II national tournaments and have claimed back-to-back Gulf South Conference titles. With a revamped roster for 2006-07, UM looks for a return trip to the post-season, and for a second consecutive trip to the Elite Eight.

Danny Young, a coach with a proven track record of post-season success, emerged on Montevallo’s campus in the summer of 2003 as the sixth coach in school history. In his three years at UM, Young has averaged 26 victories a season. Young molded his first Falcons squad into a solid competitive unit, winning 19 more games than the previous year’s team, and posting the biggest turn-around in UM basketball history, tying a school best 23 wins. The team also went on to win their first-ever Gulf South Conference championship, and to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Division II National Tournament. Each successive season netted three additional victories in the season win total for UM, as the Falcons posted 26 wins in 2005 and a school-record 29 victories last season. Young earned his 100th career victory as a head coach at the end of the 2005 season.

Prior to UM, Young was Athletic Director and head Men’s Basketball Coach at Salem International University in Salem, West Virginia. He was associated with the Top-20 ranked SIU program for seven years, and posted a 52-11 (.822) record in two seasons as head coach. His first collegiate victory came while still an assistant coach, as he led SIU to victory over West Liberty State University. in a game that the head coach was suspended. He guided the Tigers to a No. 18 NCAA Division II final national ranking in 2003, but SIU made it as high as No. 4 earlier in the season and appeared in the Top Ten both of his seasons as head coach. Young’s team also won the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and went to the NCAA East Regional appearance, finishing with a 25-6 record overall in 2002-03. He also had a 138-21 (.867) record in five seasons as an assistant coach with the Tigers from 1996-2001, which included three WVIAC championships, two NCAA East Regional Championships, one NCAA “Sweet 16” appearance and one NCAA Division II “Final Four” appearance.

Prior to SIU, Young served as an assistant at Wheeling Jesuit University from 1994-96, and spent a season as an assistant at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Young’s first coaching job came when he returned to his alma mater, Grand Canyon University, for three seasons as an assistant after playing two years professionally. While there, he helped the Antelopes to a 62-28 (.689) record including two appearances in the NCAA West Regional.

In his coaching tenure, Young has coached  seven All-American candidates, and four Player of the Year selections. James Hall became the first Falcon to be named a NABC NCAA All-American in 2005.

A native of Duncan, Arizona, and standout athlete in high school, Young earned Honorable Mention All-American honors and was also nominated to the McDonald’s All-American Basketball Team. In college, Young was coached by former NBA player, Paul Westphal. He later earned his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Grand Canyon University in 1990.

Young and his wife Sabrina reside in Pelham with their children Caleb 14,  Sophia 7, and one-year old Cole.

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Bill Brown
California University
of Pennsylvania
www.cup.edu

The 2006-07 season will be the 11th at California University of Pa. for head men's basketball coach Bill Brown, who boasts a 206-84 (71.0%) record with the Vulcans.

Under Coach Brown, the Vulcans have won or tied for the PSAC West title six times, have posted six 20-win seasons, have made the PSAC playoffs in eight out of 10 seasons, and have made three 'State Game' appearances with one state title in 1999. Brown has been named the PSAC West Coach of the Year three times during his Cal tenure.

Prior to his tenure at Cal, Brown served as head coach at Kenyon College (Ohio) for eight seasons, compiling a 108-106 record, and two years at Sacramento State University (17-21). Brown's 20-year career record is 331-211 (61.1%).

Originally from Toledo, Ohio, the 55 year-old Brown has served in every facet of the game of basketball as a player, a coach and an administrator. Before becoming one of the top basketball coaches in the country, Brown enjoyed a phenomenal playing career at Ohio University, where he earned his Bachelor of General Studies degree in 1974 with concentrations in English, Sociology and Social Work.

As a player, Brown was a three-year starter and a two-time All Mid-American Conference selection. He served as Ohio's team captain for two seasons and helped OU win two MAC titles and appear in two NCAA tournaments in 1972 and 1974. Brown was named Ohio University's Athlete of the Year in 1974 and served as president of the OU Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Brown began his coaching career in 1974 at his alma mater, serving as the recruiting coordinator, organizing practice plans and administrating summer camps at OU. After four seasons, Brown was named the No. 1 assistant at Kent State University under head coach Ed Douma, where he organized recruiting and scouting, served as academic advisor for student-athletes and implemented strategies in addition to his on-court duties.

After one season at Kent State, Brown accepted the position the top assistant coach at the University of Arkansas (1980-85) under legendary head coach Eddie Sutton. His duties included serving as recruiting coordinator, assisting with on the floor coaching, academic counseling, scouting, and directing Razorback Basketball Camp. The Razorbacks won two SEC championships and twice finished among the Associated Press Top 10 in the final rankings of the season. He also hosted his own weekly television show.

Aided by Brown's contributions, Arkansas made five consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, won two Southwest Conference Championships, and remained in the top 20 rankings for five consecutive years. In 1984 and 1985, Brown was rated as one of the top five assistant coaches and recruiters in the nation by the Basketball Times.

Brown's first head coaching position was at Sacramento State University, guiding the Hornets to a 17-21 overall record in the program's transition to the Division I level. He was instrumental in initiating the scholarship program, developing a counseling and tutorial program for student-athletes and performing fundraising efforts for the University. He followed that with a year as an assistant under Don DeVoe at the University of Tennessee.

He then moved back to Ohio, where he took on the challenge of building a winner at Kenyon College. Brown guided the Lords to their first back-to-back 20-win seasons in 1993-94 and 1994-95. Both of those Kenyon teams earned berths in the Division III NCAA tournament.

The '94-'95 squad reached the 'Sweet 16' before losing to eventual national runner-up Manchester (Ind.) coached by a young Steve Alford. Brown's '93-'94 team won the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament championship, earned the top seed in the NCAA tournament, and finished with a school record 24 wins and only 4 losses.

Brown was named the NCAC Coach of the Year twice, the 1993-94 Great Lakes District Coach of the Year, and a finalist for the NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year Award.

In addition to his coaching duties at Kenyon, Brown served as the College's associate athletic director for 5 years and directed a summer seminar for six years. Brown supervised SCAP, School College Articulation Program, and a three-week program for inner city students from cities in Ohio.

While at Cal, Brown served as head coach of Planet Basketball, an all-star team that made summer tours of Belgium, the Czech Republic and Venezuela from 1998-to-2001. He also earned an award for excellence in community service in 2000. As a player and coach, Brown's teams have competed in the NCAA Tournament 12 times.

Coach Bill Brown and his wife Christy have two children, Aaron and Kerra, and a grandson, Jalen.

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Joe Lombardi
Indiana University
of Pennsylvania
www.iup.edu

Joe Lombardi is in his first season as IUP head coach after being hired in April.  He is the ninth head coach in the modern era of IUP basketball which begins with the 1927-28 campaign.

This is Lombardi’s first head coaching position after more than 20 years as an assistant, including the past three at the University of Pittsburgh.  He has 24 years of experience, 21 of which have come on the NCAA Division I level.

Lombardi comes to IUP  already with strong western Pennsylvania and Indiana connections.  He also boasts a wealth of East Coast ties that he has built over a successful career.  

He grew up in Sharon, Pa., graduated from Kennedy Christian (now Kennedy Catholic) High School in 1977, and his wife, Janet, is a native of Indiana.  Lombardi served on Tom Beck’s staff at IUP from 1984-87.

Lombardi helped Pitt post a record of 76-22 (.776) during his three years on Jamie Dixon’s staff.  The Panthers advanced to the championship game of the Big East tournament in 2003-04 and 2004-05 and earned berths in the NCAA tournament each season, including a third consecutive trip to the Sweet Sixteen in 2003-04.  That season, Pitt set a school record by going 31-5 and won the Big East regular season title.

With the Panthers, Lombardi focused his attention on recruiting, scouting opponents, on-floor coaching and player development.

Before arriving at Pittsburgh, Lombardi gained a reputation for helping to build overachieving basketball programs.  Lombardi served a two-year stint as an assistant at LaSalle from 2001-03. There, he worked closely with Rasual Butler, an All-NBA Rookie Team honorable mention selection with the Miami Heat and currently a member of the New Orleans Hornet.  He helped build the foundation of a program that has been labeled as an up-and-coming team in the Atlantic 10.

Prior to LaSalle, Lombardi spent nine seasons at St. Bonaventure where he was an assistant coach from 1992-96 and an associate head coach from 1996-01.  Lombardi helped the Bonnies go 21-10, reach the Atlantic 10 title game and play in the NCAA tournament in 1999-00. 

St. Bonaventure also made three appearances in the NIT in 1995, 1998 and 2001.  Lombardi was instrumental in recruiting J.R. Bremer, an All-NBA Rookie Team honorable mention with the Cleveland Cavaliers, to play for the Bonnies.

After leaving IUP, Lombardi coached at St. Francis from 1987-92 and was the assistant head coach his final three seasons with the Red Flash.  During his tenure, St. Francis registered its best seasons in 20 years, including records of 17-10 in 1989-90 and 24-8 the next year when it won the Northeast Conference title and played in the NCAA tournament.

Lombardi tutored Mike Iuzzolino, an NBA draft pick by the Dallas Mavericks, during his time at St. Francis.

His first stops were as a graduate assistant at Ohio University (1981-82) and one year at his alma mater, Youngstown State, in 1982-83.  Lombardi came to IUP in 1984 and helped the team turn a 12-15 record the previous year into a 17-10 slate in 1984-85. 

Lombardi was a four-year letterwinner at Youngstown State from 1977-81, serving as team captain in his junior and senior seasons.  He graduated with honors with a degree in education from in 1981 and then embarked on a coaching career that has brought him back to IUP.

Lombardi has international coaching experience as a member of the 1992 Pan American National Team coaching staff which participated in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament of the Americas against the United States’ “Dream Team.”

Joe and Janet Lombardi have three children: son Dominic (17), daughter Alyssa (15) and son Dante (10).

Kevin Gamble
University
of Illinois
www.uis.edu

Kevin Gamble returns to the hardwood in his fifth year as head coach of the Prairie Stars and follows his most successful season so far.  In the 2005-2006 season, his Prairie Stars posted a 20-13 overall record, won their first American Midwest Conference Title and advanced to their first NAIA National Tournament.  The success of Gamble's 2005-2006 team earned him American Midwest Conference Coach of the Year honors.

Born in Springfield, Illinois, Gamble played basketball at Lanphier High School, leading the Lions to the Illinois Class AA State Basketball Championship title in 1983. He went on to attend Lincoln College for two years before transferring to the University of Iowa for his final two college seasons. In his senior year at Iowa, he led the Hawkeyes to a 30-5 record and the NCAA tournament regional finals. He was named co-MVP in 1987.

Coach Gamble was drafted by the Portland Trailblazers (#63 pick overall) in the third round of the 1987 NBA Draft. In 1988, the Boston Celtics selected Gamble as a free agent. He played with the Celtics until 1994 before signing on as a free agent with the Miami Heat. He was traded to the Sacramento Kings in 1996, where he played for one year.