Incumbent Head Coach Mike Raimbault, who was hired on an interim basis to fill a term ending on March 31, 2008, is among the three short-listed candidates.
Raimbault, who took over as Head Coach following the departure of Barnaby Craddock in the summer of 2007, served as an Assistant Coach under Craddock during the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons. Raimbault, who led the Bobcats to a 20-2 conference record during the last season, has served in various basketball coaching capacities within the Brandon Community since 1998, including as head coach of the Neelin Spartans 17 and Under Club Team, Head Coach of the Sioux Valley Senior Boys team, and Head Coach of the Crocus Plains High School Junior Varsity Boys program.
Candidate Keith Vassell is former Bobcat who led the team to five National Championship appearances and is the second-leading scorer of all time with the Bobcats. Vassell was a member of the Men’s National team for 11 years, and has coaching experience as a professional coach in Europe, including as the Men’s Head coach for Iceland’s national team.
Candidate Thom Gillespie is the men’s basketball Head Coach for the University of New Brunswick (UNB). Gillespie has been Head Coach at UNB for nine years, and was an assistant at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport level for seven years. Gillespie has won the Atlantic conference Coach of the Year award twice.
Members of the Brandon and Brandon University communities will have an opportunity to meet each of the candidates and hear their coaching philosophies when they give presentations as part of the consideration process on the following dates (all presentations will take place in Rowe Theatre (Room 209 of the Education building on the BU campus):
- Thom Gillespie will present on Monday, March 24 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Keith Vassell will present on Tuesday, March 25 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Mike Raimbault will present on Wednesday, March 26 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
For further information, please contact:
Kirk DeFazio
Athletic Director
Brandon University
Phone: (204) 727-7405
Email: defaziok@brandonu.ca
Kelly Stifora
Communications Officer
Brandon University
Phone: (204) 727-9762
Email: communications@brandonu.ca