Annese Hired as Assistant Men's Basketball Coach at UMC

CROOKSTON, Minn.- University of Minnesota Crookston Director of Athletics Stephanie Helgeson and Men’s Basketball Coach Dan Weisse announced the addition of Mike Annese as assistant men’s basketball coach for the Golden Eagles. Annese spent last season as an assistant coach at Truman State University, a NCAA Division II school in Kirksville, Mo.

“We are thrilled to have Mike join our staff at UMC,” Weisse said. “Mike is a high energy and high character person and someone players will enjoy playing for. He knows what the players are going through having played at Colorado State and Western State. I believe Mike will be an excellent addition to the Crookston community and look forward to the opportunity to work with him.”

Annese helped the Bulldogs to a 20-win season and a second-place finish in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) West Division last season. The 20-win season marked the best performance by Truman in the previous 15 years. Annese worked under Head Coach Matt Woodley, who was an assistant coach at Middle Tennessee State when Weisse was a graduate assistant for the Blue Raiders.

“Mike worked for Matt Woodley at Truman State,” Weisse said. “Matt and I had worked together at Middle Tennessee State. I plan to run a program similar to the one Matt runs at Truman. In addition, Truman is in a similar situation as UMC, as it is a small school in an excellent basketball conference, so it should be an easy transition for Mike to Crookston.”

Annese’s main responsibilities at Truman included coordinating all aspects of video editing, which included breadkown of game film and film exchange. He also played a large role in the recruitment of student-athletes and worked hands-on with the team’s guards, coordinating their skill development during the season and in the off-season. Annese also helped with in-game coaching decisions and scouting opposing teams.

“I am extremely excited to be joining the UMC community,” Annese said. “ I am looking forward to working with Coach Weisse. He is a great leader and I believe he will have a significant impact on the Golden Eagle basketball program.”

Prior to his arrival at Truman, Annese served two seasons as a graduate assistant at Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville, Iowa. He helped lead the Lakers to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Tournament during the 2012-13 season. Iowa Lakes also captured the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Regular-Season and Conference Tournament Championship during the 2012-13 season. Annese was repsonsible for the recruitment of Deondre Parks to Iowa Lakes, who was a third-team All-American at Iowa Lakes and who has signed to play at South Dakota State University.

During his time with the Lakers, Annese was responsible for video coordination and film exchange, while also overseeing the team’s strength and conditioning program. He also assisted in the recruitment of student-athletes, scouted opposing teams and helped with player skill development.

While at Iowa Lakes, Annese worked with current UMC guard Kevin Larson, who was with the Lakers during the same two seasons Annese served as a graduate assistant. Larson will be a senior for the Golden Eagles during the 2014-15 season.

Prior to starting his coaching career, Annese played at Colorado State University, a NCAA Division I institution in the Fort Collins, Colo. Annese played for Tim Miles, who is currently the head coach at University of Nebraska and who prior to Colorado State was the head coach at North Dakota State University. Annese was a part of laying the ground work for future success as CSU. He was a part of the Rams’ College Basketball Post-season Invite (CBI) team during the 2009-10 season. He also helped Colorado State to a Rainbow Hoops Classic Runner-up finish and a Great Alaskan Shootout Championship. The Rams made the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) a season after Annese graduated and the NCAA Tournament the next two seasons.

Before walking on at Colorado State, Annese spent two seasons at Western State College of Colorado in Gunnison, Colo. Annese was the starting point guard for the Mountaineers as a freshman during the 2005-06 season.

A native of Littleton, Colo., Annese received his Master’s degree in higher education from Iowa State University in the spring of 2014 after earning his Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Colorado State in 2010. He is also a Certified Emergency Medical Technician through the Denver Health EMS Program.

Annese is the first hire for Weisse, who took over the program in the end of April. The Golden Eagles will add one more assistant coach to the staff later this summer. Weisse arrives to UMC from Minnesota State University Moorhead where he was an assistant coach for three seasons.

For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.