Photo: New women's basketball asst. coach, Mike Gillespie, Jr.
Albright Announces Two Additions to Staff
WICHITA - Fifth-year head coach Jane Albright has announced the completion of her staff today with the addition of former Florida A&M men's basketball coach Mike Gillespie, Jr., as assistant coach and former Lafayette College player Brianne Welte as Director of Operations to the women's basketball staff at Wichita State.
Gillespie, Jr., 36, has spent the last five years as the top men's basketball assistant at Florida A&M and brings 10 years of Division I coaching experience with him to Wichita State. He will assume his duties immediately.
"We obviously moved very quickly to make this hire and I am estatic about Mike joining our staff," Albright said. "He brings a wealth of basketball knowledge with him and is a quality individual. Mike is a very well respected and successful coach and his references from both the men's and women's game were exceptional. His skills and passion for the game make him a perfect fit for what we need."
While at FAMU, he was responsible for recruiting, all aspects of scheduling for the Rattlers, player development, academic progress, advanced scouting of opponents, team travel and other administrative duties. Since 2003, 87 percent of the senior men's basketball players at FAMU under Gillespie have earned their degrees.
"I'm very excited about the opportunity to join the Shocker family," Gillespie said. "My wife and I were both blown away by the people, the facilities, the University and the Wichita community and we are thrilled to be a part of it. I was very impressed by the leadership shown in this program by Jane Albright and the devotion of Jim Schaus to making the entire athletic program at Wichita State successful. I am very fortunate to have this opportunity and the chance to add to this program."
Gillespie helped lead the Rattlers to two MEAC Conference Tournament titles which led to two appearances in the NCAA Tournament, one of which came just last season after a 21-14 campaign. Under his guidance, FAMU led the MEAC in assists and rebounding, while Leslie Robinson ranked among the top 30 nationally with nearly three three-point field goals per game. In 2004, the Rattlers won their opening-round NCAA Tournament game, the first such victory in school history, and advanced to face top-ranked Kentucky in the first round.
His guidance helped Terrence Woods become a two-time NCAA Division I three-point field goal shooting champion in both 2003 and 2004, as awarded by the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee, and FAMU won over 60 percent of their conference games during his tenure there. While at Florida A&M, he served as the MEAC representative on the National Association of Men's Basketball Coaches Division I Assistant Coaches Committee.
Prior to his time in Florida, Gillespie spent five years as an assistant on the staff at Mercer, where he helped take over a program that went 4-24 in 1996-97 and turned it into a 20-win program with a 23-6 mark in his final season there.
Gillespie, a native of Joliet, Ill., also had one season coaching stops at both Thomas College and Tallahassee Community College, where he played before transferring to Morehead State.
At MSU, Gillespie was a Presidential Scholar-Athlete Award Winner as he helped guide his club to a 14-14 record after the Eagles went 6-21 the year before. He shot nearly 40 percent during his playing career from the three-point line and 81 percent at the charity stripe.
As a prep star Gillespie was tabbed first team all-area in 1990, by both the Tampa Tribune and the St. Petersburg Times, and was an unanimous choice for conference Player-of-the-Year honors in 1990 along with two all-conference performances in high school.
Gillespie earned his B.A., in secondary education/social science from Morehead State in 1995.
He is married to the former Dana Earley of Morehead, Ky. The couple has two children, six-year old Baleigh Marie and two-year old Allie Michelle.
Welte most recently served as head varsity women's basketball coach at North Cross School in Roanoke, Virginia. While at NCS she increased participation in women's basketball by 25 percent in one year after introducing the first girl's basketball camp and recruiting young student-athletes to attend. Welte was also responsible for all coaching duties including scouting opponents, coordinating practice and maintenance of equipment in addition to gameday coaching duties. She also served as a fifth-grade teacher at the school.
"Brianne is a talented young lady and has many skills that will help her in her new position with our staff," Albright said. "The experiences she has had as a Division I player, and as a teacher and coach of the game will be very valuable. She is extremely organized, very bright and has a love for people and basketball. We are glad to have her join our staff."
In the Spring of 2005, Welte served as head coach of the Phillipsburg, N.J., AAU Club team, her first experience as a head coach.
Welte played the post at Lafayette College from 2001-05. She finished her career third on the all-time blocks list and was a two-time selection to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. She served as team captain from 2003-05, and earned the Coaches' Spirit and Hustle Award in 2003.
The 23-year old native of Owasso, Mich., graduated with a B.A., in anthropology and sociology with a minor in mathematics from Lafayette in 2005. Her civic involvement includes serving as an assistant coach of Virginia's Area 8 Special Olympics basketball team, volunteering with the 2006 National Postal Service Food Drive, participating in the Light the Night Walk for Cancer and serving as a hospital volunteer in Bethlehem, Pa.
Welte will assume her duties immediately.
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