MANKATO – Bethany Lutheran has hired a former Division One coach to guide its men’s basketball team.The college today named David Balza as their coach.
Balza spent the last nine seasons at Florida Gulf Coast when he guided the program’s transition from Division II to Division I.
He was fired from FGC back in early March after his team went 10-and-20 this season. Balza and Florida Gulf Coast were 39-and-82 in four seasons of Division I play.
While coaching Florida Gulf Coast at the DII level, Balza’s teams went 114-and-39. His career coaching record is 153-and-21. “It is my goal to build the basketball program into an exciting rallying point for the campus and community as a whole,” said Balza. “We will do so by playing an up-tempo, defensive-minded, blue-collar brand of basketball.”
According to an Associated Press report, Balza had one year left on his contract at Florida Gulf Coast that would have paid him $105,000.
Balza’s official start date as the head men’s basketball coach will be June 13, 2011.
On The Web:Bethany Lutheran MBB Home Page
Balza on Twitter: basket_balza
On The Web:Bethany Lutheran MBB Home Page
Balza on Twitter: basket_balza