Top 10 Stories of 2014-15 - #6 Potts '00 Returns to Moravian as Head Men's Basketball Coach
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian College continues its look back at the 2014-15 athletic campaign with Top 10 Stories from the past year including the No. 6 story – Justin Potts, a Class of 2000 Moravian graduate returning to campus to be the next head men’s basketball coach.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- Moravian College continues its look back at the 2014-15 athletic campaign with Top 10 Stories from the past year including the No. 6 story – Justin Potts, a Class of 2000 Moravian graduate returning to campus to be the next head men's basketball coach.
Potts, who takes over the program from Jim Walker as he retired after 35 seasons, is the first new coach for the Greyhounds since Walker started in 1979.
Below is the original story from when Potts was hired in April.
Moravian College has selected Justin Potts, a 2000 graduate, to return to campus to take over the men's basketball program from retiring coach Jim Walker as the Greyhounds next Head Men's Basketball Coach effective in mid-April.
"As expected, we had many, many very qualified candidates for the position of our head men's basketball coach and the search committee was confronted with a very daunting task to find the best candidate," commented now retired Director of Athletics Scot Dapp. "In the end, I could not be more pleased with their choice of Justin Potts.
"Many college players dream of the opportunity to coach at their alma mater and Justin has worked long and hard to make that dream a reality," continued Dapp. "Along with his knowledge of the game, his passion and love for Moravian College and Greyhound basketball make him the perfect person to lead this team for many years to come."
Potts played for the Greyhounds from 1997 through 2000 before moving a few seats up the bench to serve as an assistant for coach Walker, who is retiring after 35 seasons and 442 wins in Bethlehem. Potts was on Walker's staff for two seasons before heading to East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania to start the 2002-03 season as an assistant coach for Jeff Wilson and recruiting coordinator.
"Moravian is a special place to me and the opportunity to lead a program that I once played for is a dream come true," Potts said. "I have a great respect for coach Walker and for what he accomplished during his tenure. I look forward to building on the Greyhound tradition. I want to thank him for helping me get my start in the profession."
In 2010, Potts was promoted to Associate Head Men's Basketball Coach for the Warriors. He has helped coach ESU to four NCAA Division II Tournament appearances since 2010 and a pair of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championships. The Warriors made the PSAC playoffs nine times with Potts on the sidelines. In his role as recruiting coordinator, Potts recruited a pair of players that went on to be named the PSAC East Rookie of the Year and another two players that were honored as the PSAC East Player of the Year in 2013 and 2015. ESU's 2014-15 squad also had two earn All-America honors.
"I want to thank Jeff Wilson for all he has done for me over the last 13 years at ESU, it was a honor to work for him," stated Potts. "I also want to thank Scot Dapp and the search committee for giving me this opportunity."
During the 2009-10 season, Potts coached a total of 55 games while serving as the Interim Head Women's Basketball Coach at ESU in addition to his role as assistant men's coach. He was the recipient of the Winning Warrior Award for outstanding contributions to the ESU Athletic Department in 2010 after coaching both teams. Potts was also the assistant director of ESU basketball camps and clinics, and he served as ESU's Spring Facilities Manager from 2004 until 2006.
On the court at Moravian, Potts saw action in 65 games as a guard during his three years on the squad. Off the court, Potts received his Bachelors of Arts in English from Moravian in 2000, and he completed a Master's of Science in Exercise Science at East Stroudsburg in 2007.
With Potts joining the staff at Moravian, the Greyhounds will have six head coaches that are also alumni of the school with Potts joining Head Softball Coach John Byrne '82, Head Golf Coach Kevin Edwards '96, Head Field Hockey Coach Amy Endler '93, Head Football Coach Jeff Pukszyn '97 and Director of Tennis Art Smith '68.
"I am eager to lead this program. We are going to play 94 feet of aggressive and exciting basketball," finished Potts.
Number five on our Top 10 Stories will be announced on Friday, August 7.
