Frost Heaves announce finalists for coaching job
April 11, 2006 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Vermont Frost Heaves News Release
Cornwell, VT. Fans of the Vermont Frost Heaves, the Green Mountain State's new ABA pro basketball team, will choose between two finalists to be the team's coach: former Texas El Paso and New Mexico State assistant coach Rus Bradburd; and Will Voigt, who was a three-sport athlete at Cabot (Vt.) High School before embarking on a successful coaching career.
More than 1,200 people members of the Frost Heaves' on-line community, the Bump in the Road Club, will be eligible to vote by email. the polls will close 48 hours after the ballots go out, and the team will announce the fans' choice by the end of this week.
Bradburd, a native of Chicago, spent eight seasons working under Don Haskins, the legendary UTEP coach featured in the recent movie Glory Road, and another six as an aide to New Mexico State coach Lou Henson. In 2002 he joined the Tralee Tigers of the Irish Super League as head coach. His account of leading the Tigers to the 2004 Irish title is recounted in his forthcoming memoir, Paddy on the Hardwood.
Voigt played basketball, soccer and baseball at Cabot High School, the smallest in the state, where he was valedictorian of the class in 1994. Five years later he joined the San Antonio Spurs as video coordinator, before going on to serve as an assistant to Texas coach Rick Barnes and Mike Dunlap, coach of Division II power Metro State of Denver. Since 2003 he has been head coach of the Ulriken Eagles of Norway's top professional division, leading them to the playoffs in all three of his seasons.
"Both Rus and Will have been around winners their entire careers," said Alexander Wolff, the Frost Heaves' president and general manager. "Both have proven themselves as head coaches at the professional level. But more than that, each has a knack for relating to players and the public alike, and they share just the sense of adventure that building a pro basketball team from scratch will require. Whatever decision our fans make, the Frost Heaves' front office will be thrilled."
The Vermont Frost Heaves begin play in the ABA in November. The team will split its 18 home games between the Barre Municipal Auditorium and Burlington's Memorial Auditorium. Wolff, who lives in Cornwall, VT will chronicle the birth and life of the team in the pages of Sports Illustrated and on si.com.
For more information, sign up for tickets, purchase team gear, or join the Bump in the Road Club, go to www.vermontfrostheaves.com or visit www.abalive.com.
Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.
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