NSU’s Coaching Tree

Northwestern State has a long, proud coaching tradition

Northwestern State University’s long tradition of producing educators is easily traced back to 1884. It was then that Louisiana State Normal School was formed and dedicated to the preparation of teachers.

Coaches are, in the most fundamental sense of the word, teachers. They issue highly technical instructions, they constantly test their students, and they seek to inspire them. These “teachers” have turned out hundreds of great students who have become successful coaches.

The tradition of producing basketball coaches from within the Demon program goes back to: H. Lee Prather, Charles”Red” Thomas, Huey Cranford, Tynes Hildebrand, Wayne Yates, Don Beasley, Dan Bell, J.D. Barnett and continues today under Mike McConathy. NSU’s acclaimed School of Health and Human Performance has produced many notable high school and college coaches. These coaches were taught by the likes of Buddy Bonnette and Jim Simmons. At last count the list of NSU graduates in the coaching ranks (past and present) in the sport of basketball is well over 500. Here is a partial list of some notable former Demon players and NSU graduates who have impacted the coaching profession.

ALUMNI

Charlie Alexander - Head Coach Hornbeck High School John Anglin - head coach, Bossier Parish Community College Lucas Archuleta - assistant coach, South Mountain (Arizona) Junior College Roman Banks - former head coach Southern University, current Southern director of athletics Thurman Baptiste - former head coach, Natchitoches Central High School Dan Bell - former NSU head coach; head coach, Huntsville (Alabama) High School the late Buddy Bonnette - former head coach, Springhill HS (state champion 1959, runner-up 1954); former assistant, LSU Mike Brey - head coach, Notre Dame; former asst. coach, Duke; former asst. coach, DeMatha HS Rodney Broughton - assistant coach, Meridian (Miss.) Community College the late Dick Brown - former head coach, Many High School Stephen Burch - assistant coach, Logansportl High School Tree Burks - head coach, York (Nebraska) College Billy Carter - head coach Quitman High School Micah Coleman - former head coach, Natchitoches Central HS (state champion 2014, 2016), asst. 2001 NSU NCAA tourney team Clay Corley - former head coach Florien HS, Many HS, Hornbeck HS (Top 28 with each team) Bryce Cox - strength coach, Kent State University Mickey Crnkovic - former head coach, Florien High School Davey Davis - former head coach, Baton Rouge Trevor Davis - head coach, former Hill-Murray (Minnesota) High School Darrin Dyess - head boys coach, Many High School; former girls coach Ebarb High Kerwin Forges -head coach at KIPP Renaissance Academy (New Orleans) Rocky French - former assistant/interim coach, Bossier Parish Community College Mike Greene - former head coach, DeRidder High School Josh Hancock - former head coach Lakeview High School Keithan Hancock - assistant coach Beaumont United High School Tramaine Hancock - assistant coach Beaumont United High School Dadrian Harris - assistant coach, Red River High girls the late Emmett Hendricks - former head coach, Louisiana Tech University Vincent Hicks - head coach David Thibodeaux Magnet High School Tynes Hildebrand - former head coach, Natchitoches High School, NSU J.C. Howell - former head coach Airline High School Johnny Janese - former head coach, Beauregard High School Casey Johnson - assistant coach Pitkin High School Lem Jones - former head coach, Piney Woods (Miss.) HS Jason Kern - head coach, West Branch (Iowa) HS Matt Kilian - head coach, Hornbeck HS girls Roland LaComb - head girls basketball coach, Elton HS (state champions 2019) the late Frank Lampkin - former head coach, Bossier High School Jeremy Leach - former head coach Ebarb High School Jimmy “Red” Leach - former head coach, Florien High School (4 state champions) Matt LeBato - head women’s basketball coach, Louisiana College Tanner Lee - head girls coach, Ebarb High School Taylor Lee - head boys basketball coach, Ebarb High School Jade Losavio - head coach, Simpson High (state champions 2019) the late Johnny McConathy - former head coach, Bossier High School (state champions 1960) Kenny McMillon - former head coach, Stanley High School Terry Mercer - former head coach Converse High School Tyrone Mitchell - assistant coach Xavier University of New Orleans Billy Wayne Montgomery - former head coach, Haughton HS (state champions, 1968 & 1969) Jeff Moore - recruiting director, LSU; former assistant coach, NSU; former head coach, John Wood Community College Joe O’Brien - former head coach Idaho State; Southeastern CC, 2000, ‘03 NJCAA national champion; former assistant coach Detroit Pistons Tim Parker - former head coach Hornbeck High School girls team Lason Perkins - head boys basketball coach, Cary (N.C.) Academy Alann Polk - Building Basketball Academy (Dallas, TX) Brian Rayner - assistant coach, Parkway High School Luke Rogers - head coach, Urban Prep (Chicago) Academy David Sanders - assistant coach, Legacy High School (Texas) Matt Sherman - assistant coach, Central Methodist University Dale Skinner - Principal Natchitoches Central High School Larry Skinner - former Many HS (state champion 1967) Charles Smith - head coach Peabody High School (eight state titles) John “Snack” Smith - head coach Northeast High School (Texas) Jacob Spielbauer - former assistant coach, NSU Scott Stapler - Alabama Basketball Academy, former assistant coach, Coastal Carolina the late Bill Stewart- former coach, Westlake High School (state champions 1964) Gary Stewart - head girls coach, Peabody High School the late Jimmy Stewart - former head coach, Minden High School Joe St. Andre - former head coach Bossier Parish Community College Gerrell Thomas - head coach, Northwest (Okla.) Academy Gett Thomas - head coach, Oakdale High the late Red Thomas - former NSU head coach and New York Knicks scout Chris Thompson - former head coach, Calvary Baptist, former assistant coach, Airline High School Larry Toms- former coach, Jonesboro-Hodge (state champions 1964); former coach, Bossier HS Bernard Waggoner - former head coach, Logansport High School Jermaine Wallace -- assistant coach, Minden High School the late Murrell Walker - former head coach, Dry Prong High School (state champions 1974) Paul Weir - former head coach, New Mexico Tajon Welcome - assistant coach, Booker T. Washington High (Houston,Texas) Brian Williams - former head coach Pleasant Hill High School (2011 State Champions); head coach Lakeview HS Gene Wright - “N” Club Hall of Fame, head coach Grant High School

FORMER DEMON COACHES

Bob Austin - head women’s baketball coach Louisiana State University-Alexandria J.D. Barnett - former head coach, Hawaii Pacific, Tulsa, VCU, La. Tech Duggar Baucom -- head coach, The Citadel Kevin Johnson - assistant coach Tulane Tynes Hildebrand - officials observer, Big 12 Conference, SLC, Sun Belt, WAC, retired Billy Kennedy - former head coach Texas A&M University William Lewit -head coach, John Curtis Christian Rick McCormick - former head coach, Arkansas Tech; 2001 NJCAA Division III Coach of the Year, national champions, Cedar Valley College Steve Payne - assistant coach at UMKC, former head coach Tennessee Tech University Mark Slessinger - head coach University of New Orleans Jason Tinsley - head coach, North DeSoto High School Buzz Williams - head coach Texas A&M Kurt Young - former assistant coach, Northern Kentucky Justin Tucek, assistant coach Emporia State