McDowell named assistant coach as Reed announces updates to coaching staff
5/31/2019 10:44:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh head men's basketball coach Brett Reed announced the hiring of Quinn McDowell as assistant coach on Friday, along with changes to the roles of Greg Tarca and Billy Dunn heading into 2019-20. McDowell joins Harry Morra and Noel Hightower as Mountain Hawks' assistant coaches. They will be joined by new director of basketball operations Greg Tarca, along with student-athlete support and enrichment coordinator Billy Dunn.
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"We are pleased to have Quinn join us," said Reed. "He exhibited excellence in his roles as a student, and as an athlete, and should provide a great model for our current players. He's going to bring some fresh energy, new perspectives and a strong basketball background to the position that ultimately should bolster our program. Quinn will be a strong mentor and leader to help our student-athletes realize their goals."
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A strong student-athlete himself, McDowell was a four-year starter and two-time All-Conference selection at William & Mary, graduating in 2012. He became the first player in CAA history to be named the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award winner twice (the award goes to the student-athlete who "embodies the highest standards of leadership, integrity and sportsmanship in conjunction with his academic athletic achievement."). McDowell was a three-time CAA All-Academic Team honoree and was named one of 10 finalists for the prestigious Senior CLASS Award, the first finalist in CAA men's basketball history to be named a finalist. He was Team MVP as a senior, becoming one of only four players in W&M history with 1,600 career points and 500 career rebounds. McDowell set the William & Mary school record for games played and minutes played in a career.
Quinn McDowell
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McDowell went on to play professionally post-graduation in top basketball leagues, including the G-League, the VTB League in Russia, LEB Gold in Span and SBL in Australia.
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McDowell began his coaching career as assistant at Division III Virginia Wesleyan University. Along with day-to-day scouting, recruitment and player development, McDowell helped monitor the academic progress of the student-athletes, which led to an all-time high grade point average and 100 percent graduation rate. McDowell also amplified the program's social media presence, increased camp enrollment and came up with strategic initiatives for the head coach to help raise funds for the program.
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McDowell comes to Lehigh after one season at NAIA Taylor University in Indiana. While there, the former William & Mary standout handled scouting, game planning and played a critical role in player development and recruiting. McDowell also served as the strength and conditioning coach, working closely with the athletic trainers and head coach to design and implement strength and conditioning programs.
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"I want to thank Coach Reed and Joe Sterrett for this incredible opportunity to serve as an assistant men's basketball coach here at Lehigh University," said McDowell. "There are few programs in the country that have matched the consistency, excellence and success that Coach Reed has achieved during his tenure here. The academic reputation of Lehigh, combined with its excellence in athletics, its commitment to developing leaders and its mission as educators, has me excited to begin working with everyone in the Lehigh family. I can't wait to build on the successes of the past while working with our players and staff to help make Lehigh basketball a championship contender in the years to come. My wife Lindsey and our entire family are thrilled to take our next step as members of the Lehigh community."
Greg Tarca and Billy Dunn
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Reed also announced on Friday that Dunn will focus on his role as student-athlete support and enrichment coordinator, with Tarca moving from video coordinator to director of operations.
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"Billy has helped us in very unique ways that built a strong fabric for the processes of our program, due to his extensive leadership experiences and working with organizations," said Reed. "This next year, he's going to focus most consistently on the relational aspects of being the student-athlete support and enrichment coordinator, which is a phenomenal strength for him and a wonderful resource for our program."
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Meanwhile, Tarca was the program's Sixth Man Award winner after impressing in his role as video coordinator during his first season on staff.
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"Greg did an admirable job with his roles and responsibilities this past year and he'll be looked at to take on a different daily focus - helping us execute a lot of the day-to-day operations of our program," said Reed.
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Lehigh wrapped up the 2018-19 season with a 20-11 record, its second 20-win season in the last three years. The Mountain Hawks finished 12-6 in league play and have now won double-figure Patriot League games in five straight years, and earned a top-four seed (and Patriot League Quarterfinal home game) in nine of the last 10 seasons.
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