Jayson Gee

Jayson Gee

Jayson Gee

, the associate head coach at Cleveland State University for the past seven seasons, has been named the new men's basketball head coach at Longwood University. He becomes the eighth head coach in the 37-year history of the program, as announced today (Wednesday) by Director of Athletics. A coaching veteran with 24 years of experience at the collegiate level, Gee helped CSU to four post-season appearances, including one NCAA Tournament and three NIT bids."I am very happy to welcome Jayson to the Longwood family," said Austin. "Jayson brings a tremendous amount of energy to Longwood. He is highly respected amongst his peers for being a fierce competitor and a person of high integrity. Jayson's greatest strength is his ability to connect with young people to support their goals and development as a student-athlete.""I am extremely excited and blessed to have been afforded the opportunity to join the Longwood University family," said Gee. "This is truly a 'defining moment' for me and my entire family. I look forward to connecting with the Farmville community and the entire Lancer Nation."During his time at CSU, Gee helped the program to an overall record of 136-100, including four, 20-win seasons. The Vikings won the 2009 Horizon League Tournament Championship and received an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, where CSU upset Wake Forest in the first round. The Vikings won the Horizon League regular season in 2011 for one of their NIT berths, along with 2008 and 2012.Gee, 47, recruited and coached Norris Cole, the 2011 Horizon League MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, who was a first-round NBA draft selection and current member of the Miami Heat. He was significantly involved in program development at CSU with an emphasis on recruiting and post players, scheduling and skill development, media relationships as well as scouting, academic monitoring and community relations.Gee spent three years at St. Bonaventure University (2003-06), including two seasons as the associate head coach (2004-06). Prior to that, he was the head coach and assistant AD at his alma mater, the University of Charleston (W.Va.), leading the Division II program to a seven-year record of 160-55 that included six, 20-win campaigns, five West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) Tournament Final appearances and four NCAA Tournament bids.He led his 1999-2000 team to a record of 28-4, while named the WVIAC and East District Coach of the Year and a finalist for National Coach of the Year. That Golden Eagle team featured 2000 National Player of the Year, Ajamu Gaines. UC finished 26-6 during 1998-99, earning the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance. Gee was also a special assistant to the president at Charleston from 2002-03, assisting in fundraising efforts.Gee was an associate head coach at Ohio University during 1995-96 after two years as an assistant coach from 1993-95, serving an important role in the development of Gary Trent, a first-round NBA draft pick of the Milwaukee Bucks, who played a combined nine seasons in Portland, Toronto, Dallas and Minnesota. The Bobcats won the 1994 Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship, advancing to the NCAA Tournament before winning the preseason NIT Tournament the following year.Gee began his collegiate coaching career at Youngstown State University in Ohio, spending four years (1989-93) with the Penguins after becoming one of the youngest Division I assistant coaches in the country at age 23 in 1989.Gee was named the 10th-best assistant coach in Division I by Daniel O'Brien's Bleacher Report following 2011-12. Last May, he also was invited to participate in the prestigious Villa 7 program that brings together university athletic directors and the country's elite assistant basketball coaches in an effort to prepare the next generation of college basketball leaders. CollegeInsider.com rated him the No. 5 mid-major assistant coach in the country following the 2008-09 campaign.Gee was one of 18 selected for the 2008 ACE (Achieving Coaching Excellence) Program in Indianapolis. Sponsored by the NCAA Black Coaches and Administrators Council, the ACE Program is committed to preparing minority collegiate coaches for success as future head coaches.The Springfield, Ohio native played four years at Charleston, helping the program to a record of 92-30, including 30-5 during his sophomore season. A two-year team captain, Gee finished his collegiate career at UC third in both rebounds (844) and games played (122). He was inducted into the Charleston Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008, after previously being inducted into the Springfield South High School Hall of Fame in 2000.Gee earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Social Science Education from Charleston in 1988, and his Master's of Science degree in Sport Science and Administration from Ohio University in 2003.Gee and his wife, Lynette, have two sons, Brandon (20) and Bryan (17), and a daughter, Briana (7)."Jayson has long been one of the top associate head coaches in the Horizon League and the country. I'm excited for him to have this opportunity at Longwood and know that he will do great things for the program.""Longwood has made a great hire in. He is an educator who will use basketball to teach young men how to be successful in life.""Jayson has been long overdue for an opportunity to show his skills and abilities as a head coach at the Division I level. Now it's time for him to run his own program and put his stamp on it. I believe Jayson will do an outstanding job as the head basketball coach at Longwood University.""Jayson is an absolute home run hire for Longwood! Having known and followed him for a over a decade, I wholeheartedly believe in Coach Gee as a person and as a mentor. He will do a terrific job at Longwood!""I've known Jayson for a very long time and I am thrilled that a guy of his quality and talents will have a chance to run his own program. No doubt in my mind he will do a great job for Longwood University.""Jayson is a winner in all aspects of his life. The players, the Longwood campus and the Farmville community will soon gain great respect for the quality basketball program he will build, and how it will represent the University. His positive enthusiastic personality is infectious.""Jayson will do an outstanding job at Longwood. Jayson has been an outstanding coach for a longtime and has had a positive impact on a lot of young people. I've known Jayson for a long-long time and I'm really happy for him, he will make a quick climb up the latter in the conference. So I wish Jayson the very best and he is the right man for the job.""I am extremely happy for Jayson, his wife Lynette and the entire Gee family. Jayson was a major part of the transformation of Cleveland State basketball over the last seven years and will bring the same principled, student-athlete first focus and work ethic to Longwood. He exudes confidence and integrity and his infectious personality will make Longwood basketball successful on the floor, in the classroom and in the community. I applaudfor an absolutely fantastic hire!""Jayson is perhaps one of the most personable, sincere, trustworthy and honest coaches that I have had the opportunity to work with during my career. Coach Gee has the unique ability to lift up the people around him and he will certainly demonstrate on a regular basis just how much he cares for his student-athletes. During his tenure at Charleston, Jayson was a vigorous supporter of all of our athletic teams and a great friend to his many coaching peers."