The Bucs welcome three new assistant coaches to their basketball program: Will Bailey and Michael Boyd to the men’s team, and Kim Dowell to the women’s team.
Since last year’s championship season, the Bucs not only added Murry Bartow as new head coach, but also two new assistants.
Will Bailey came to ETSU from the University of Maine, where he was also an assistant coach.
Before the University of Maine, Bailey coached at Chicago State for a year and, before that, was a player under Bartow at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
“I know Will very well because I coached him and have worked beside him as a coach,” Bartow said.
” I think he will be a great fit for what we were looking for here at ETSU. It is important to stress just how much Will brings to our team.”
“It is a great opportunity to work for Coach Bartow, especially after having played and coached with him before at UAB,” Bailey said.
“I think I am coming into a good situation with a great team that has been successful, and I am thankful for the chance to coach at ETSU.”
Also hired in July was new assistant coach Michael Boyd. Boyd came to ETSU from Penn State University after seven seasons there.
Previously, Boyd was head coach at Cleveland State for six seasons and an assistant at the University of Michigan for 11 seasons.
He helped build the 1998 NCAA championship team.
Boyd was also an assistant at Kent State for five seasons before going to Michigan and also played at Northern Michigan.
“Mike will be a great addition to our staff, and we are fortunate he has chosen to join us,” said Bartow.
“He is an incredibly experienced as an assistant and head coach at the Division I level.”
“We are getting an incredibly strong coach who fits what we are looking for in our program.”
“I am very happy to be on board,” said Boyd.
“In talking with Murry for a good length of time about the position and hearing his vision for the program, it excited me to be a past of it.
“I think ETSU has a team that is going somewhere and I want to be here to experience that,” Boyd said.
Boyd feels that ETSU does things on a similar level to his Big Ten experiences.
“I think that we do some things on a smaller scale, but going in the same direction,” said Boyd.
Boyd has an extensive recruiting resume of NBA talent which includes: Glen Rice, Rumeal Robinson, Loy Vaught, Terry Mills, Sean Higgins, Gary Grant, Roy Tarpley, Tim McCormick and Mick McGee, among others.
“Once you have made that type of success, you have to work just as hard, or harder, because you are not a secret anymore, and everyone is gunning for you,” he said.
“Looking at the guys in individual workouts, you see that the guys have put in a lot of work this summer.
“They are good kids, and every one of them are motivated and looking forward to this season,” he said.
As for the women’s team, they added Kim Dowell as their new assistant on Sept. 3.
Dowell comes to ETSU from the University of Mississippi.
She was an assistant at Ole Miss for two years and coached the Lady Rebs’ post players.
“Kim brings a broad range of experience coming from a Southeastern Conference school,” said head coach Karen Kemp.
Dowell seems to think that the SoCon and SEC have some similarities.
“I would have to say that both conferences are very competitive leagues,” she said.
Before Dowell found her way to Ole Miss, she was an assistant at the University of Texas at Arlington for five years.
Not only was Dowell a coach at UT-A, but she was a four-year starter for the Mavericks and was named “Defensive Player of the Year” each year.
Her credentials include 622 career rebounds, which is second on the schools all-time list.
Dowell is also optimistic about the season and her talent. “I am excited about the talent, and I cannot wait to get out there and work with them,” said Dowell.
” I would like to be competitive in the league [as a team], and I just want to come in and make an impact with the staff.”
Basketball season begins for the men’s team November 21 at Houston. The women’s upcoming schedule has not been released.
For schedule information, go to www.etsubucs.com.

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