KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan women's basketball team and head coach Shane Clipfell have announced the hiring of Russ Rose as the new assistant coach starting in the 2017-18 season.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @WMU_WBB

"We are really fired up about the hiring of Russ," commented Clipfell. "I have been keeping an eye on him for some time now. We are very happy to welcome coach Rose, his wife Shannon and their son Cam to Western Michigan and we know our Bronco fans will make them feel at home very quickly."

Rose, born in Kalamazoo and raised in Gladstone, Mich., will join the Bronco coaching staff and team that is coming off another successful season. WMU went 19-13 overall including an impressive 10-game winning streak during the nonconference season. The overall record falls just two victories shy of tying the school record for wins (21) set in 1978 while the win streak is the fourth longest winning streak the program has ever seen and the longest in the last 20 years.

"I would like to thank Western Michigan University, Shane Clipfell and the entire coaching staff for this opportunity," commented Rose. "Coach Clipfell is someone I've always enjoyed being around and he is a great coach and mentor. Western Michigan is a school I've always wanted to be a part of and the city of Kalamazoo is an amazing place to live. I am looking forward to continuing the amazing team culture that has been set in place and can't wait to get started."

Rose brings eight years of coaching experience from the high school, AAU and collegiate levels. His primary responsibilities at WMU include individual skill development and defensive game planning.

"One of the main things we wanted in this hire was someone with proven player development skills," added Clipfell. "He has been outstanding at each of his coaching stops. Beyond that we wanted someone whose core values aligned with ours and that was very evident throughout the interview process."

Rose comes to Western Michigan after spending the 2016-17 season at the University of South Dakota under head coach Dawn Plitzuweit working on player development, game preparation and handling all game scheduling. The Coyotes went 23-9 overall and 11-5 in the Summit League reaching the second round of the WNIT. With the guidance of Rose, South Dakota was ranked first in the nation in free-throw percentage (80.4) and 10^th in three-point percentage (37.9) and field goal percentage (46.9).  

Prior to South Dakota, Rose spent two seasons on Plitzuweit's staff at Northern Kentucky where he worked on player skill development, recruitment, game plans, video operations and managed summer basketball camps.  

Rose was an assistant at his alma mater, Davenport University, prior to joining the Northern Kentucky staff. His other coaching stops include Michigan Basketball Club (AAU) and at Hopkins High School. Rose also spent a season at Central Michigan University serving as the video coordinator, breaking down film and developing scouting reports for the Chippewas.
 
Rose, a four-year letterwinner for Davenport's men's basketball team, earned his bachelor's degree in business administration in 2007. He received his MBA from Davenport in 2014.