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Stokes stocking staff
with experience
From staff and
ECU Athletics reports
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Chris Ferguson
Photo: ECU SID |
Ricky Stokes has been on
the job as East Carolina's basketball coach for less than a week and
he's already put together the core of what may be the most accomplished
staff in the program's history.
Longtime Tennessee
assistant Chris Ferguson, whose resume includes stints at Virginia Tech,
Appalachian State and UNC-Asheville, is the second addition to that
staff, Stokes announced Tuesday in a news release.
Ferguson joins former
Chattanooga and Virginia Commonwealth head coach Mack McCarthy as a
member of the
Stokes regime. McCarthy's appointment as associate head coach was
announced last Wednesday, the same day that Stokes was named the 21st
head coach in East Carolina's basketball history.
Ferguson, whose duties
will include the coordination of recruiting, has served on the Tennessee
staff since the 1997-98 season. He was an aide to former Volunteers
coach Jerry Green until 2001, when he was retained by Green's successor,
Buzz Peterson.
Peterson, recently forced
out by the Vols, promoted Ferguson to associate head coach before the
2003-04 season.
Stokes pointed to
Ferguson's ties to the region and his recruiting connections as assets
that will make him a valuable assistant.
"Chris will bring a wealth
of experience to all aspects of our program," Stokes said in a
statement. "He's recruited this region heavily in the past while at
Tennessee, Virginia Tech and Appalachian State and has utilized his
North Carolina background to build many positive relationships across
the state.
In his eight seasons at
Tennessee, Ferguson helped the Vols earn four consecutive NCAA
Tournament invitations (1998-2001) and a pair of National Invitational
Tournament appearances in 2002-03.
Tennessee, which won two
Southeastern Conference Eastern Division titles and one overall SEC
championship during his tenure in Knoxville, advanced to the second
round of the NCAA Tournament in 1999 and reached the Sweet Sixteen in
2000.
While with the Vols,
Ferguson was credited with the development of the team's backcourt
players, including All-SEC guards Brandon Wharton and Tony Harris.
Prior to arriving at
Tennessee, Ferguson spent six years on Bill Foster's staff at Virginia
Tech from 1991 to 1997. During his stay in Blacksburg, the Hokies won
the championship of the NIT in 1995 and earned an NCAA bid in 1996.
"I'm excited and happy to
be at East Carolina," stated Ferguson. "In addition to being a close
friend, Ricky Stokes is one of the most respected guys in the business.
I believe in him, and along with Coach Mack (McCarthy), we'll get the
job done."
Ferguson also noted his
high regard for the administrator who hired Stokes, ECU athletic
director Terry Holland, himself a highly-successful former hoops coach.
"It is also an honor and
privilege to have the chance to work with Coach Terry Holland," Ferguson
stated. "He is well-respected around the basketball community and I'm
excited for the opportunity he and Coach Stokes have given me."
Ferguson began his college
coaching career as an assistant to Green at UNC-Asheville in 1986 and
served on the staff of Tom Apke at Appalachian State from from 1987-91.
He got his first taste of coaching at Morganton (NC) Freedom High
School, where he worked form 1982-86.
After a standout prep
career in basketball, football and baseball at Henderson (NC) High
School, Ferguson was a four-year basketball letterman in college,
playing two years each at Central Wesleyan (SC) and Cumberland (KY),
where he earned his Bachelor's degree in 1981.
Ferguson and his wife,
Mary, are the parents of a son (Brian) and a daughter (Crystal).
Page updated:
02/23/07 11:44 AM
An
ECU Athletics press release was used in
compiling this report. ©2005 Bonesville.net. All rights rights reserved.
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