July 17, 2008

ATHENS, Ohio - Ohio University head men's basketball coach John Groce has completed the coaching staff that will assist him in his first year on the Bobcat bench, announcing the hirings of former Ohio standout Dustin Ford, Chris Holtmann and Jamall Walker on Thursday morning.

In addition to on-court instruction, each of the three will be involved in player development, recruiting and opponent scouting.

"Our goal was to put together a staff of highly-qualified, well-rounded coaches that have a high energy level," Groce said. "I feel blessed that we've been able to accomplish this with the hirings of Dustin Ford, Chris Holtmann and Jamall Walker. These three men are fully committed to the growth of our players and the vision that we have for Ohio basketball."

Ford returns to Athens after a three-year tenure at Western Carolina University, where he assisted former Ohio head coach Larry Hunter. Shortly before his departure from WCU, he was promoted to associate head coach.

"I'm very excited about Dustin Ford joining our staff," Groce said. "Dustin is an alumnus that has walked in the shoes of our current players and knows Ohio University inside and out. He has a drive and work ethic that's contagious, and has developed a reputation as a strong recruiter. He'll be a tremendous asset to our program."

The Cambridge, Ohio, native was a four-year starter for the Bobcats from 1997-01, leading the team to a combined 57 wins in his last three seasons, including road victories over Syracuse and Arizona State. His 166 career three-point field goals currently rank fifth in school history, while his 310 assists tie for seventh on the Ohio charts, one spot ahead of brother and newly-hired Kent State head coach Geno Ford.

Following his collegiate playing days, Ford spent four years as head coach at Jackson High School in Jackson, Ohio, where he guided the Ironmen to a sectional title and their best league finish in more than a decade. In 2004-05, the Ford-led JHS squad set school records for regular-season wins (17) and consecutive victories (12), earning him District 13 Division I-II Coach of the Year and Associated Press Southeast District Coach of the Year honors.

"I'm thrilled for the simple fact that I get to come back to a place I love and represent a program that has meant a tremendous amount to me," Ford said. "Athens has always been a special place for my family and me. The opportunity to be a part of Coach Groce's coaching family is an honor."

An 11-year veteran of the college coaching ranks, Holtmann comes to Ohio after a five-year stint at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs, N.C., including the last four as associate head coach. During his time at GWU, Holtmann built a reputation as a defensive tactician and solid recruiter.

"It's exciting to have Chris Holtmann join the Bobcat family," Groce said. "Chris and I played together in college and know each other quite well. He has a tremendous feel for who I am and how I like to do things. He's a proven recruiter and basketball coach, and I've always admired the work he did at Gardner-Webb. I feel very fortunate to have him on our staff."

Under Holtmann's guidance, the Runnin' Bulldogs led the Atlantic Sun Conference in three-point field goal percentage defense (.307) and ranked second in overall field goal percentage defense (.422) last season. Gardner-Webb also finished second in the A-Sun in field goal percentage defense in 2004-05, Holtmann's second year on staff.

The Nicholasville, Ky., native was also integral in the recruitment of both the 2008 A-Sun Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year to GWU. Senior Thomas Sanders captured the POY award, along with Associated Press honorable mention and CollegeHoopsNet.com Mid-Major fourth team All-America honors, after becoming the first Gardner-Webb player in 20 years to average a double-double for an entire season (18.1 points, 10.8 rebounds). Holtmann recruit Nate Blank averaged 10.8 points per game in 2007-08 to bring home A-Sun Freshman of the Year accolades.

Tim Jennings, another Holtmann recruit, earned A-Sun Defensive Player of the Year recognition twice and led the Runnin' Bulldogs to a regular-season conference title in 2004-05. In the last four seasons, two of GWU's recruiting classes have been ranked in the top 100 nationally, a key reason for Gardner-Webb's recent victories over Southeastern Conference powerhouse Kentucky, Big Ten foe Minnesota and Conference USA member East Carolina (twice).

Prior to his tenure in Boiling Springs, Holtmann served as the top assistant and recruiting coordinator at Taylor University, the alma mater that he and Groce share. The Trojans won back-to-back conference titles and posted at least 25 wins in each of his last two seasons on the bench, finishing eighth and 13th in the NAIA polls, respectively.

Holtmann also broke into college coaching at Taylor, serving as the team's graduate assistant in 1997-98 before heading to Geneva College (Pa.) for a year as a full-time assistant.

After a standout career at Jessamine County (Ky.) High School, Holtmann played with Groce at Taylor under NAIA Hall of Fame coach Paul Patterson. He earned All-America honors in 1994 as captain of the nation's top-ranked team.

"I'm very excited to be joining Coach Groce's staff at such an outstanding university," Holtmann said. "Coach Groce's track record of success speaks for itself. My wife and I are very grateful to be part of the Ohio University family."

Walker heads to Athens after spending the 2007-08 campaign as an assistant at Murray State University in Murray, Ky. In that year, he helped oversee a Racers squad that posted its 21st-straight winning season and finished second in the Ohio Valley Conference regular-season standings.

"Jamall Walker is going to be a valuable member our basketball program," Groce said. "He brings a lot of experience to the table as both a coach and a former college player. He's worked for people that I greatly respect, and has developed many quality relationships in the process. He has a great feel for the game and how to teach it. I couldn't be more thrilled to have him join our family."

A 2000 graduate of Saint Louis University, Walker spent the 2006-07 season at his alma mater as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He was also involved in all scouting for a SLU team that turned in the program's first 20-win season since 1996-97. From 2004-06, he served as an assistant coach at Ball State, where he also directed all recruiting efforts, oversaw the team's academic progress and ran the Cardinals' camps.

Prior to his tenure at BSU, Walker was an assistant at Redlands Community College in El Reno, Okla., where his team claimed NJCAA national runner-up honors in 2004. In addition to serving as a counselor and lecturer at basketball camps held by Stanford University, Saint Louis University, Liberty University and basketball legend Michael Jordan, Walker has also worked as an assistant at F.L. Schlage High School in Overland Park, Kan., and Alton (Ill.) High School.

Walker was a McDonald's All-America nominee as a decorated prep at Wichita South High School, also picking up all-state honors twice before heading to Saint Louis. He earned Conference USA All-Freshman Team accolades in 1996 and finished his career at SLU as a three-year starter and co-captain.

"It's exciting to be a part of Ohio University, and I'm looking forward to helping develop the program," Walker said. "I believe in Coach Groce and the direction in which he has the program headed. The MAC is a tough league, but he's got the focus and ability to make strides toward the top."

Entering the 102nd season in program history, the Bobcats return three starters from a team that won 20 games and advanced to the second round of the College Basketball Invitational a year ago.