Since 2020, Silver Waves Media has in their words “helped shine a light on the coaches, at all levels, across the country.” They just released their top 100 Most Impactful Mid-Major Assistant Coaches list.

    On that list are three Saint Mary’s assistant coaches and former players, associate head coach Mickey McConnell in his 17th season, associate head coach Joe Rahon in his fifth season and Dan Sheets in his third season as an assistant coach after two seasons as the Director of Basketball Operations.

    “We have 10 people on the committee that are familiar with the coaches throughout college basketball and we are listing people that have good chances down the road to become head coaches,” said Ryan Silver, the founder of Silver Waves Media. “(Head Coach) Randy Bennett has a coaching tree that is in the top three nationally.”

    Bennett has always placed great stock in his assistant coaches. “You hire a good staff and they’ll take good players and make them better. They have to have great attitudes for us to do it the way we’re doing it and that’s why they’re good.”

    Also on the staff are former player E.J. Rowland in his second year as an assistant coach after a 20-year career having played on four different continents. Though Trey Touchet did not play for Saint Mary’s, prior to being named an assistant coach, he spent two years at Saint Mary’s as a recruiting coordinator and two years as a graduate assistant for Bennett.

    “The big advantage that most of our assistants have had coming into this program is that they have played in it. Those that have not played for me, it takes them a year or two to know how we do things. It’s a matter of figuring out how you are able to recruit a player that fits here and once they get here, how you mold them into a player and leader in this program.”

    These guys who have played for me are really good guys and it’s just a matter of giving them reps. After that, it’s a matter of giving them responsibility and letting them get it. They coach a lot and Mickey, Joe and Dan have been on very successful teams and that’s what coaching is – being able to find a way to help your team win and they get that and none of it is about them.”

    Most recently, former Gael Todd Golden won the National Championship at the University of Florida. “I’ve never even thought about that (his coaching tree) and I don’t know how they stat it but we’ve had some great assistant coaches that have gone on to become great head coaches and I’ve been very fortunate,” Bennett concluded.