Pitt men’s basketball coach Jeff Capel has hired Jason Richards as director of student-athlete development, a newly created role, and Brian Regan as director of basketball operations, the university announced Friday.
Pitt also officially announced the hiring of Jason Capel, Jeff’s younger brother, and Tim O’Toole as assistant coaches.
“One of the biggest lessons I have learned in coaching is to surround yourself with great people,” Jeff Capel said in a statement. “I am excited about the makeup of this staff. Tim is a high-energy coach with terrific recruiting connections and a great basketball mind. Jason shares those qualities as well and is obviously someone who immediately understands me and my vision of how to build a program. Each of these coaches will serve as great representatives for the University of Pittsburgh and will be excellent mentors to the student-athletes we recruit, develop and lead.”
Pitt has one full-time assistant coaching opening, as well as decisions to be made on strength and conditioning coach and any other roles Capel may want to create. Garry Christopher, who was the strength and conditioning coach the past two seasons under former coach Kevin Stallings, is still listed on the team’s roster, along with graduate manager Chris Jones.
The upcoming season will be the eighth for Richards on the Pitt staff, dating back to the middle of former coach Jamie Dixon’s 13-year tenure. In his new role, the former Davidson standout will help with film breakdown, practice planning and game analytics, as well as working closely with the team’s players, both athletically and academically. Richards was the director of basketball operations last season and prior to that served as the Panthers’ video coordinator and director of analytics.
For Regan, the hiring marks a return to a position he once held. From 2008-16, he was the team’s director of basketball operations after originally joining Dixon’s staff as a video coordinator in 2007. Before arriving in Oakland, he was an assistant coach at Colgate (2002-07), Assumption College (1999-2002), Slippery Rock (1994-99), LaRoche (1993-94) and Robert Morris (1990-93). He was worked the past two years as Pitt’s director of event management and camps and clinics.
“Jason and Brian bring great value to the staff as individuals with a terrific understanding of the University of Pittsburgh and the city,” Capel added. “Jason was a terrific player at Davidson with an outstanding feel for the game. He has a bright future in this industry and will be an invaluable member of the staff. Brian brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the operations position. He will be an important figure as we transition here to the University of Pittsburgh and begin to reestablish ourselves as one of the premier programs in the country.”
Craig Meyer: cmeyer@post-gazette.com and Twitter @CraigMeyerPG
First Published: April 13, 2018, 3:49 p.m.
Updated: April 15, 2018, 2:51 a.m.
