Lewis Preston begins his third season as the head men’s basketball coach at Kennesaw State University. As a longtime assistant coach at some of the country’s top Division I college basketball programs, Preston has brought with him to KSU the work ethic, experience and knowledge that will lead the Owls to greater heights.
Possessing a reputation as a tireless worker, excellent recruiter and gifted at relating to student-athletes, Preston already has begun the transformation of the Kennesaw State program. The 2012-13 team will have seven newcomers from the team he inherited when he was named head coach on April, 16, 2011.
"I want to make sure we all realize that we will all work very, very hard as a team to get to where we want to go," Preston said at his introductory press conference. "All of our players will have to understand that we are on a journey, and that there will be some difficult days and some bumps in the road, but when we’re cutting down nets, we will know why we worked as hard as we did."
Preston’s first year guiding the Owls certainly produced its share of bumps in the road as Kennesaw State struggled through a 3-28 season. However, the 2012-13 campaign is expected to see marked improvement as Preston and his staff brought in a talented recruiting class, and implemented a preseason training program that will pay dividends during the upcoming season.
Highlighting Preston’s rookie season as a head coach was his first career win, a 65-59 victory over Chattanooga, and the selection of junior guard Markeith Cummings as a second team All-Atlantic Sun Conference pick and guard Delbert Love’s unanimous selection to the A-Sun’s All-Freshman Team.
Cummings led the Owls and finished second in the A-Sun in scoring after averaging 15.4 points a game while totaling 5.3 rebounds a contest. Love tied for 12th in the conference in scoring after contributing 12.4 points in addition to 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists a game.
Kennesaw State also returns the A-Sun Conference’s leading rebounder from a year ago in senior forward Aaron Anderson, who averaged 8.9 points and 9.0 rebounds a contest, while totaling a conference-high 11 double-doubles (points-rebounds).
Preston and his staff are excited about an incoming group of freshmen that include Yonel Brown (Lawrenceville, Ga./Berkmar HS), Myles Hamilton (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Edwards HS), Cole Hobbs (Atlanta, Ga. Greater Atlanta Christian), Jordan Montgomery (Orlando, Fla./Orlando Christian Prep) and Nigel Pruitt (Potomac, Md./Bullis HS).
The class demonstrates Preston and his staff’s national recruiting experience as the group represents the greater Atlanta area, southeast, northeast and Midwest.
The program also has added two highly regarded Auburn transfers in sophomore Willy Kouassi (Ivory Coast/Central Park Christian Academy) and redshirt freshman Bernard Morena (Ivory Coast/Central Park Christian Academy). Both players will sit out this season in accordance with NCAA transfer bylaws and will be eligible for the 2013-14 season.
Preston’s philosophy is compatible to that of Kennesaw State University and the Department of Athletics, which is to provide servant leadership to the University community, students and student-athletes. He is a constant presence in the local communities of Cobb County and makes it a priority that his teams provide community service.
"Throughout his career as an assistant coach, he truly embraced the idea of the student-athlete, from both an athletic and an academic perspective." Kennesaw State Director of Athletics Vaughn Williams said. "From a compliance standpoint, he has an excellent reputation everywhere he’s been. During a difficult first year, Lewis provided tremendous leadership and definitely has the program heading in the right direction. We are expecting great things in the future for the KSU men’s basketball program."
Preston joined Kennesaw State following 13 years as an assistant coach, including the previous three as a member of Ed DeChellis’ staff at Penn State. During his time in Happy Valley, Preston helped guide the Nittany Lions to a resurgence as they posted a 57-46 (.533) overall record and made two postseason appearances. In his first season, the Nittany Lions went 27-11 and captured the 2009 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championship. In 2010-11, Penn State posted a 19-15 record and made its first NCAA Tournament showing since 2001.
Prior to his time at Penn State, Preston spent two years as an assistant coach on Billy Donovan’s staff at Florida and before that six seasons under Mike Brey at Notre Dame.
In Preston’s two seasons at Florida where he was an integral part of Florida’s recruiting, scouting, game preparation and on-court teaching, the Gators produced a 59-17 (.776) overall record, captured the 2007 Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship and went on to win its second of back-to-back national titles. Florida posted a 24-12 mark during the 2007-08 season and reached the semifinals of the NIT.
While on the staff at Notre Dame from 2000-06, Preston worked with the post players and helped guide the Fighting Irish to a 118-70 (.628) record and six postseason appearances (3 NCAA, 3 NIT). Notre Dame’s best year came during the 2002-03 campaign when the Irish went 24-10 overall and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Preston broke into the coaching ranks in 1998 when he began a two-year stint on Head Coach Pete Strickland’s staff at Coastal Carolina.
Preston worked with 2007 first-round NBA draft picks Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Corey Brewer and second-round selection Taurean Green while at Florida. All four earned All-American honors while under his tutelage. While at Notre Dame, Preston worked with Troy Murphy (2001) and Ryan Humphrey (2002) who were first-round NBA picks in back-to-back years, as well as current NBA players Matt Carroll and Chris Quinn.
A 1993 graduate of Virginia Military Institute, Preston spent four years playing professionally in Europe with stints in Luxembourg, Ireland and Finland. In his first season in Luxembourg, he averaged 25.0 points, 11.0 rebounds and three blocks per game, and continued to average a double-double in points and rebounds throughout his professional career.
Preston had an outstanding collegiate career after playing just one season at Franklin County (Va.) High School. He began his VMI career as a walk-on and by the end of his eligibility had become the 21st player in program history to reach the 1,000 points milestone and record-holder in four categories. Preston’s 1,146 career points currently rank 26th on VMI’s all-time scoring list.
As a senior, Preston led the Keydets in scoring (16.7), rebounding (7.1), field-goal percentage (.540), free-throw percentage (.800) and blocked shots (48). During the 1992-93 campaign, Preston scored in double figures in all but four of VMI’s 27 contests and had 20 or more points on seven occasions.
Preston is the school’s record holder in career blocked shots (202), registering the top two blocked shot seasons in Keydet history, including a school-record 65 in 1992 and 64 in 1991. Preston is second all-time in VMI history for blocked shots in a game, swatting seven shot attempts against Marshall in 1992.
A two-time All-Southern Conference selection, Preston led the league in blocked shots twice and finished as its second all-time leading shot-blocker. He concluded his career at the Lexington, Va., school with averages of 10.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.
Born Oct. 31, 1970, Preston graduated from VMI with a bachelor’s degree in history and a minor in English literature. He married the former Angela Sangermano in May of 2001. The couple has two daughters, Alexandra, born in December of 2002, and Emma, born in January of 2005.
Coach Lewis Preston's Year-by-Year Coaching History
|
Year |
Position |
School |
Overall W-L (Pct.) |
Conference W-L (Pct.) |
Postseason |
|
1998-99 |
Assistant |
Coastal Carolina |
7-20 (.259) |
4-6 (.400) |
NA |
|
1999-2000 |
Assistant |
Coastal Carolina |
10-18 (.357) |
7-7 (.500) |
NA |
|
2000-01 |
Assistant |
Notre Dame |
20-10 (.667) |
11-5 (.687) |
NCAA - 2nd Round |
|
2001-02 |
Assistant |
Notre Dame |
22-11 (.667) |
10--6 (.625) |
NCAA - 2nd Round |
|
2002-03 |
Assistant |
Notre Dame |
24-10 (.706) |
10-6 (.625) |
NCAA - Sweet 16 |
|
2003-04 |
Assistant |
Notre Dame |
19-13 (.594) |
9-7 (.562) |
NIT - 3rd Round |
|
2004-05 |
Assistant |
Notre Dame |
17-12 (.586) |
9-7 (.562) |
NIT - 1st Round |
|
2005-06 |
Assistant |
Notre Dame |
16-14 (.533) |
6-10 (.375) |
NIT - 1st Round |
|
2006-07 |
Assistant |
Florida |
35-5 (.875) |
13-3 (.812) |
NCAA Champions |
|
2007-08 |
Assistant |
Florida |
24-12 (.667) |
8-8 (.500) |
NIT - Semifinals |
|
2008-09 |
Assistant |
Penn State |
27-11 (.710) |
10-8 (.555) |
NIT Champions |
|
2009-10 |
Assistant |
Penn State |
11-20 (.355) |
3-15 (.167) |
NA |
|
2010-11 |
Assistant |
Penn State |
19-15 (.559) |
9-9 (.500) |
NCAA - 1st Round |
|
2011-12 |
Head Coach |
Kennesaw State |
3-28 (.097) |
0-18 (.000) |
NA |
|
2012-13 |
Head Coach |
Kennesaw State |
3-27 (.100) |
2-16 (.111) |
NA |
|
Total |
Assistant |
|
254-199 (.561) |
109-115 (.487) |
|
|
Total |
Head Coach |
|
6-55 (.098) |
2-34 (.056) |
|
What the Basketball World is Saying About Lewis Preston
“Lewis is well prepared to be Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Kennesaw State University. He is a tireless worker, excellent recruiter and is gifted at relating to student-athletes. And most importantly he is a high character person with great morals and a strong belief in the values of family.”
-Ed DeChellis, Head Coach, Navy
Preston served on DeChellis' staff at Penn State from 2008-11
“Kennesaw State is very fortunate. They have hired a class leader who embodies everything that is good about the game. He is a family man who understands relationships and how to motivate young men.”
-Larry Shyatt, Head Coach, University of Wyoming
Coached with Preston at Florida from 2006-08
“Lewis is a great fit at Kennesaw State. He is a true student of the game and will not be outworked. Most importantly, Lewis relates so well student-athletes. He will do a great job as a head coach.”
-Donnie Jones, Head Coach, Central Florida
Coached with Preston at Florida from 2006-08
“What a great fit for Lewis and Kennesaw State University. He is truly one of the excellent teachers and communicators in our profession. The kind of guy you want your son to play for.”
-Mike Brey, Head Coach, Notre Dame
Preston served on Notre Dame staff from 2000-06
“He is a hard worker and has a lot to offer. He is a great teacher of the game and there is no doubt that his players will learn to play basketball the right way.”
-Al Horford, Forward, Atlanta Hawks
Preston coached Horford at Florida during the 2006-07 season
