Coaching pedigree New men's basketball head has the job in his blood

BLAKE WILLIAMS Reporter @BlakeMWilliams_

Most of the fall sports went through a coaching shakeup, and for men’s basketball a new era begins under Casey Weitzel.

Weitzel started coaching basketball for Grand Canyon University while he was still a student there. Then he went to West Virginia University and helped the team get to the Final Four.

Weitzel said going to the Final Four was awesome and the experience he got during it was invaluable. He also won a Big East Championship during his time at West Virginia University which he said was better than advancing to the Final Four.

“It was actually more thrilling to win the Big East tournament than it actually was to advance to the Final Four,” Weitzel said. “In the Final Four, you still have games left. When you win the Big East Championship, it’s done. You’re the champion of it.”

Weitzel also coached at Shepherd University in West Virginia and then went to Azusa Pacific University.

Weitzel knew he wanted to coach and wanted to follow the same path as his father.

“My dad is a coach and it's always been a passion of mine,”

Weitzel said. “You know, you idolize your father and you want to follow in his footsteps. It was something I always knew I wanted to do from a very young age.”

The chance to bring new life to the team is what brought Weitzel to Pierce.

“I really like building programs and building things. I feel like Pierce is at that point where they really want to build this athletic program and I'm really happy to be on the ground floor with it,”

Weitzel said.

Weitzel said he is still learning and adjusting to Pierce, but he has enjoyed getting to know the people around campus.

One of the people he has met is associate head coach Charles White. Weitzel said he is really excited to have White on staff.

“Charles has been such an asset for guiding me through the junior college ranks and I've leaned on him for a ton of stuff with