KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Western Michigan head men's basketball coach
Steve Hawkins announced today that
David Kool, the WMU program's all-time leading scorer and 2009-10 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Player of the Year, has been promoted to full-time assistant coach for the Broncos. Kool spend the 2010-11 season as an undergraduate assistant with the Broncos, and replaces
Jeff Dunlap, who took a position as Director of Basketball Operations for the North Carolina State men's basketball program.
"I'm ecstatic to have David on board as an assistant coach," said Hawkins. "He's very experienced in our system and with our University, and I know he has a very bright future ahead of him."
"I'm very excited and eager to get started," said Kool. "It's a tremendous honor to become a part of the staff at my alma mater and continue the success of Western Michigan. I'd like to thank Coach Hawkin and the rest of the staff for putting their trust and faith in me. I won't let them down.
Hawkins said that what set Kool apart from the field was his passion not just for basketball, but the Western Michigan program.
"The great thing about David is that he's a Bronco," said Hawkins. "He loves this University and this city, and believes in them. He knows they can do great things."
"This is my home, it's all I've known for the past five years," said Kool. "I told Coach [Hawkins] I hope to be here for the rest of my life. I know what it takes to succeed here and succeed at the highest level, and I want to pass that along to everyone else."
Kool spent last season with the Broncos as an undergraduate assistant, assisting the coaching staff while working towards his bachelor's degree. Hawkins said he and the staff wished to prepare Kool for the rigors of coaching a college basketball program and gave him a myriad of responsibilities, including breaking down scout film, answering recruiting phone calls, and managing equipment issues.
"We wanted to groom David for the profession and get his feet wet," said Hawkins. "We had no idea at the time that he would be doing it with us [this season]."
Hawkins said that Kool will work primarily with the team's guards, and will recruit in the state of Michigan. As time goes on, though, and more recruiting contacts are made, Hawkins says Kool could expand his recruiting territory.
"The thing that really stood out about David during the process was that everyone knows him," said Hawkins. "AAU players, high school coaches...everyone remembers him and the success he's had. When he picks up that phone, he has instant credibility."
"It's going to be easy for me to sell this University, because everything I feel and love about it is true," said Kool. "It's a special feeling."
Kool was named Mid-American Conference Player of the Decade by Rivals.com after being named the 2010 MAC Player of the Year and Honorable Mention All-American by the Associated Press. Kool led the MAC in scoring each of his last two seasons for the Brown & Gold and finished his career as the all-time leading scorer in school history and sixth in conference history with 2,122 points. He averaged 17.9 points per game as a junior and 21.6 points per game as a senior.
Kool was the 2007 MAC Freshman of the Year, First Team All-MAC in 2008 and 2010 and Second Team All-MAC in 2009. He was a three-time Academic All-MAC selection and ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American.
Besides ranking as the top scorer in school history, Kool is the MAC career leader with 605 made free throws. He is second in school history in career field goals (643), second in career three-pointers made (231), fifth in career steals (163) and ninth in career assists (272). He holds school records for points in a season (714, 2009-10), free throws made in a season (209, 2009-10) and consecutive free throws made with 41 as a sophomore.
