Things look to be heading in the right direction for the men’s basketball team after the program underwent a few major changes in the early off-season.
The team has been on campus since late May after having spent a majority of the month away. Many team members went home to enjoy some time off, but all arrived safely.
During the process of finding a new coach, several of the guys on the team decided to make a change. The Bisons lost three players, one of them being Stephen Hurt, last year’s A-Sun freshman of the year. The program also lost several of the new recruits who had intentions on coming to play for the men’s team this fall.
“We’ve lost some players along the way and a lot of the incoming freshman have gone other ways, but I honestly like only having one new guy,” sophomore guard J.J. Butler said. “I think it’s going to be good for majority of the team to have played together once before as we head into this new season.”
As they dive into June and prepare for what lies ahead, the guys are full of energy and excited to commence team activities.
The team had to report back to campus for physicals on Tuesday night, May 28, and workouts started the next day.
They are allowed two hours a week by the NCAA to have an official team practice.
The team plan to lift three times a week, condition the other two days, take advantage of the two hours given and stay on top of their business in the classroom.
“It’s nice to have everybody back on campus for the month of June to get some things done and get ahead in school,” redshirt freshman guard Josh Hampton said. “We are all excited and ready to get out on the floor.”
After 16 years as an assistant coach for Belmont University and two years as a head coach at Stetson University, Casey Alexander was introduced as the new head coach of the men’s basketball team last month and has returned to Nashville with his family to lead the Bisons in the upcoming season.
Alexander brings his former staff to Nashville
As every head coach begins their new coaching job at a university, there is always a supporting cast that comes along to help out.
Alexander has brought all three of the Stetson assistant coaches with him to Lipscomb.
Roger Idstrom, Dwight Evans and Steve Drabyn are set as the new men’s assistant coaches.
Drabyn, a former Belmont guard from 2000-2004, is going on his third season with Coach Alexander. After five years of collegiate coaching, he joined Alexander in his first year at Stetson. Idstrom was an assistant coach with Alexander for 11 seasons at Belmont who joined Alexander at Stetson. A 25-year coaching vet, Evans spent time with teams such as Missouri, South Alabama and UCF prior to joining the Stetson staff.
The new coaches started working at the university this past week and have been conducting workouts for the team.
Coming from Florida to Nashville has to be a busy transition, but the new coaches seem to be upbeat and ready for a great year. Drabyn says he has already received a warm welcome from the community.
“I’ve been here for what, five days now, and I’ve had probably 30 people come up to me and ask, ‘How can I help you? If there’s anything I can do for you, let me know.’ Nothing against Stetson, you just don’t get that there,” Drabyn said. “The Christian environment and the atmosphere at Lipscomb is a great feeling.”
Note: the author, Carter Sanderson, is a member of the men’s basketball team.
Top photo credit: Whitney Jarreld.
Coaches photo courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics.