Russell is entering his third season as an assistant under head coach Eric Duft. A new employment contract dates Russell’s promotion effective June 16.

“Dan has been a championship coach at all levels and has worked tirelessly since his arrival to bring great energy and knowledge to our program,” Duft told the Standard-Examiner. “We look forward to continuing to move Weber State basketball forward to a championship level.

“In addition, Dan and his wife Keisha are great examples to our players and are invested in the development of our players on and off the court.”

Russell, 38, is a Wyoming native who came to Weber State after three seasons as an assistant at Montana State under Danny Sprinkle. Prior to MSU, Russell coached at Casper College for 11 seasons — six as head coach, five as an assistant.

Russell and Jorge Ruiz each return to Duft’s bench. As previously reported, the program has added former Pacific and Idaho head coach Leonard Perry as an assistant. Perry replaces Eric Daniels, who left after five seasons for an assistant spot at Utah State.

Brady Antonopoulos has been promoted to assistant coach and operations director, Duft said. Antonopoulos, a UMass alum, enters his fourth season at Weber State; he previously spent one season as video coordinator and two as director of basketball operations.

Additionally, WSU has hired Tyler Harris from the University of Colorado as strength and conditioning coach for men’s and women’s basketball.

MBB INKS MORE GAMES

WSU men’s basketball has finalized road games with Oregon, Nevada and Utah Tech for the 2024-25 season, according to documents obtained via open records laws.

After a previously reported road game Nov. 8 at Oregon State, WSU will play at Nevada on Nov. 13.

The road trip to Utah Tech is set for Dec. 13, with a return game in Ogden in 2025. That game will follow WSU’s two contests in the Big Sky-Summit Challenge on Dec. 4 and Dec. 7; matchups for that challenge, which will give WSU one home and one road game, have not been announced.

WSU also has a December home matchup against Utah Valley in the second game of a four-year series.

College basketball reporter Rocco Miller reports WSU will visit Oregon on Dec. 29. That Sunday game should mark Weber’s return from the holiday break traditionally scheduled around Christmas Day, and precedes the start of the Big Sky schedule on the weekend of Jan. 2 and 4.

SOFTBALL ADDS TWO COACHES

WSU softball head coach Kristin Delahoussaye is shaping her first coaching staff.

Weber State has announced the hiring of Addie Jensen as pitching coach and Josee Haycock as an assistant.

Jensen was the winning pitcher in Weber State’s 2019 NCAA Regionals win over Cal State Fullerton. The Morgan High alum has been a volunteer assistant at WSU, and an assistant coach at Maryville College and Arkansas Tech.

“She’s always been a competitor and will bring a fire to our pitching staff that our players will love,” Delahoussaye said in a news release. “She will be a huge asset to our coaching staff and help us continue to build a dynasty.”

Haycock comes to WSU after two seasons as a volunteer assistant at Salt Lake Community College, where she played, and five years as a coach for Utah Fastpitch Club’s 18U and 16U teams.

JONES, RICHINS NAMED SCHOLAR ATHLETES

Dillon Jones and Dani Richins were named Big Sky Scholar Athletes as Weber State’s representatives for the 2023-24 school year.

Scholar athletes are honored as each school’s best representative of on-the-court and classroom success. Honorees are graduating players with a minimum of a 3.2 cumulative GPA.

Jones, the men’s basketball player, left Weber State as the program’s all-time steals leader, was top-five in points, rebounds and assists, and was selected in the first round of the NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Richins, a volleyball player, is now Weber State’s career leader in service aces. She’s a two-time All-American, four-time Big Sky first team selection, was Big Sky MVP in 2021 and tournament MVP in 2023.