The Rising Coaches Podcast

Dave Fedor is the newly appointed first year head coach at Georgian Court University. Coach Fedor started his coaching career as a Graduate Assistant at Rutgers University which helped lead him into Georgian Court as an assistant and landed a position with division 1 Robert Morris University, where he stood for 6 years also as an Assistant Coach. Coach Fedor most recently landed his first head coaching position back to where it all started, Georgian Court University. Coach Fedor was also a pivotal piece working with The Hoop Group as an assistant director and director of team tournaments. We are excited to learn from a new head coach and a coach on the rise himself.

Karen Lange is a tremendous coach in the industry and the current Assistant Women’s Coach for Duke University. Coach Lange started her coaching career following her standout playing career at The University of Iowa. Lange has a great coaching resume making stops at Virginia Tech, Kansas, Charlotte, Georgia and Duke in support staff roles while holding a head coaching title at MidAmerica Nazarene University. Lange has a strong reputation for her ability to develop guards, while helping to grow strong defensive teams as well. Lange tends to be a frequent visitor in the postseason and NCAA tournaments no matter where she is at. We are excited to learn more from a great coach!

Adam Cohen is a Rising Coaches member and the current Associate Head Coach at Xavier University. Coach Cohen is a remarkable coach to say the least while having huge prior success working in the SEC, PAC-12, Ivy League, Big East and Conference USA. He has made stops including University of New Orleans, University of Southern California, Rice, Harvard, Vanderbilt, Stanford, and Xavier University. Cohen has the honor of being recognized as one of the best assistant basketball coaches in the NCAA with a strong knack for his recruiting and ability of working with Point Guards. Coach Cohen has also been recognized by NABC on the 30 under 30 team and helped guide many athletes into the NBA. We are excited to learn from such a young and established coach.

Larry Shyatt is a prestigious coach in the industry, as a former NCAA head coach and NBA assistant. Coach Shyatt has an extensive background, following his playing career at The College of Wooster, Shyatt took his first coaching gig at Akron University which would lead to Utah, Cleveland State, New Mexico, Providence, Clemson and Florida all in assistant roles while holding head coaching titles at Wyoming, Clemson and most recently Wyoming. Coach Shyatt recently held a stint with the Dallas Mavericks as an assistant coach in the NBA while receiving Co-Coach of the year awards in his career and holding a 117-68 overall head coaching record.

Brad Brownell is the current Head Coach at Clemson University. Coach Brownell started his coaching career, following his playing career at DePauw University. He landed an assistant role with Evansville which would lead into Indianapolis and UNC Wilmington which would turn into landing his first head job at UNC Wilmington, then Wright State and where he currently stands as the all time most winningest head basketball coach at Clemson University. Brownell has attained 2 CAA regular season and 2 tournament championships, along with a Horizon League tournament and regular season championship and received 3 coach of the year awards. We are excited to be joined with a legendary coach.

Caroline McCombs is the current Women’s Head Coach at George Washington University. McCombs has been in the coaching industry for nearly 25 years, starting her coaching career at Valparaiso University, which would lead her into assistant roles at University of Pitt, Northwestern and Auburn. Shortly after her stint at Auburn, McCombs would become the head coach at Stony Brook University for nearly 7 years and would lead her into her current role, as Head Coach at George Washington University. While at GW, McCombs has helped lead the charge to the national rankings setting records for made 3s in a single season and landing top recruits in the nation. We are excited to learn more from such a great coach.

Thad Matta a legendary coach and the current Head Coach at Butler University. Coach Matta has a current overall head coaching record at 471 wins to 187 loses with a 71% win percentage for his career. Coach Matta started his career at Indiana State as a GA and moved up the chain to various places including Butler, Miami and Western Carolina all in assistant roles. Matta’s head coaching stint started at his alma mater, Butler and then led him to Xavier, Ohio State and back to Butler University. Matta has earned 3 Big Ten, 1 Atlantic 10 and 1 Horizon League Coach of the Year awards including numerous NCAA and Final Four appearances including 8 regular season championships and 7 conference tournament championships.

Trent Michaels is the current Director of Basketball Operations at West Virginia University. Coach Michaels has started and grown in various positions at WVU, starting as the Student Manager and going to a Head Student Manager, Graduate Assistant, Coordinator of Basketball Operations and now the Director of Basketball Operations. Coach Michaels is a young coach on the rise and has shown tremendous growth and patience throughout his career all while at WVU. We are excited to learn from a young coach on the rise.

Jonathan Metzger-Jones is the current Assistant coach at the University of California, Davis. Following Coach Jones’s professional playing career in Europe, including Switzerland, Denmark and Finland, Jones would take a position as the Director of Basketball Operations at Cal State for his first coaching gig. Following Cal State, he held positions at UC Santa Barbara, University of Montana and UC Davis all in the assistant roles. Coach Jones has recruited and mentored multiple players who have gone on into the NBA while also helping his program at UC Davis set numerous records throughout his time there. Coach Jones has a ton of success as a coach and knows what it takes to be able to move up in the industry.

Brenton Petty is a young coach on the rise as he is the Director of Player Development and Assistant Coach at the University of Maryland. Following Petty’s unique playing career ending at Fordham University, he took a position with Maryland to become the Graduate Assistant coach for 2 years. Following his GA role, Petty would then get a basketball operations intern role with the Detroit Pistons which would help bring him back to where it all started, as the Video Coordinator at Maryland. Petty is a young coach on the rise with a unique story.