MONROE, La. --- ULM men's basketball head coach Orlando Early announced the addition of assistant coach Gus Hauser and basketball intern Kedric Smith to his 2007-08 coaching staff earlier this week. Hauser's appointment is pending the approval of the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors.
“I think this could possibly be the best coaching staff that I have had since I've been at ULM,” Early said. “We have a lot of high energy guys with high basketball IQs. I like the idea that on our staff we have people who have won at every level.”
Hauser joins the Warhawks after spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach at New Mexico State University. In only his second year with NMSU in 2006-07, Hauser helped the Aggies to a Western Athletic Conference Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament berth.
Prior to his two-year stint with NMSU, Hauser served as a graduate assistant coach on Rick Pitino's Louisville staff where he helped the team to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and a CUSA Regular season and tournament championship in 2005. With Hauser on the sidelines, the Cardinals advanced to the Final Four for the first time since the 1986 season.
“By adding Gus Hauser to the mix, we have a guy who has won everywhere he has been,” Early said. “He made it to the Final Four at Louisville and to the NCAA Tournament at New Mexico State. You can't put a price tag on a guy with winning experience like that.”
Hauser graduated with a Bachelor's of Arts degree and finished his playing career at Furman University in 2000. While there he received several awards to recognize his accomplishments in the community and in the classroom.
Smith joins the Warhawk coaching staff as a basketball intern for the upcoming season after a successful career as a high school coach in the state of Louisiana. Over the past few seasons, Smith has enjoyed two stints as an assistant coach at Peabody High School in Alexandria, La. and as the head coach at Buckeye. Smith has also served as the coach at Frank Phillips Junior College in Borger, Texas.
Smith was a prep star at Peabody High School while playing for his father before moving on to play for UNC-Charlotte. Smith played for the 49ers at the same time that ULM's Early served as an assistant coach under Bobby Lutz.
“Getting Kedric Smith is a great catch for me,” Early said. “When he played for me at UNC-Charlotte he was like another coach on the floor. He is a great addition to our staff.”
The addition of Hauser and Smith rounds out Early's coaching staff for the 2007-08 season.
