Dakota Wesleyan University Welcomes New Coaching Staff for the 2024-2025 Season
Mitchell, S.D.- Coach Williamson is entering his first season as the head coach of the Dakota Wesleyan Tigers after spending the previous 5 years as the head coach at the University of St. Katherine while going 83-42 overall with a Cal Pac Championship in 2022. The Firebirds qualified for 3 National Tournaments in those 5 years and garnered over 100+ academic accolades while maintaining a 3.38+ team GPA over those 5 seasons.
Coach Williamson's comprehensive approach to building and leading basketball programs, combined with his dedication to academic excellence and community involvement, underscores his impactful role at USK and throughout his 17 year coaching career.
Assistant Coach: Sam Nicholson
Coach Sam Nicholson is returning for his second season with the DWU Tiger men's basketball staff. Hailing from Blair, Nebraska, Nicholson joined the Tigers in the summer of 2023, bringing with him a diverse background in basketball coaching and player development.
Previous Experience:
· Dakota State University: Before joining DWU, Nicholson was an assistant coach at Dakota State, where he worked under Gary Garner. His responsibilities included daily team operations, recruiting, scouting, and player development.
· Concordia St. Paul: Nicholson served as a graduate assistant at this NCAA Division II program. His role involved various aspects of team support and coaching.
· University of South Dakota: Nicholson's basketball journey began here, where he was a student assistant for four seasons. His tenure included contributing to the team's 2017 Summit League Championship run.
His varied experiences and educational background contribute to his strong foundation in coaching and player development, which he continues to build upon with the DWU Tigers.
Coach Williamson on Sam Nicholson: "Sam has done an amazing job holding down the fort since coach Wilber left to the WNBA. He managed to keep the core of talented returners engaged, motivated and working hard on improving their skills on the court, which was easily seen by myself in summer workouts. All summer Sam has been a lifesaver in getting me acclimated to the Ddub ways and policies along with engaging me into the community. I look forward to working with Sam on the court as I already can tell he is a tireless worker and grinder on the floor.."
Men's Basketball Graduate Assistant Coach
Jaedon Bradley is joining the Dakota Wesleyan Men's Basketball staff after finishing an impressive and decorated playing career at Lewis and Clark State College (NAIA, Idaho). In
Jaedon's senior season with the Warriors he was tied for a conference leading 81 three pointers made while shooting 40% from the 3 point line. Jaedon also led the team in points (14.6 ppg) and defensive rebounds (5.5 pg). Coach Bradley was the Cascade Conference Newcomer of the Year, First Team All-Cascade Conference and a two time Cascade Conference Player of the Week.
Prior to Lewis and Clark State Coach Bradley played at NCAA Division II institutions CSU-Pueblo (CO) and the University of Alaska Anchorage.
"I am passionate about helping others reach their full potential and achieve their goals. I chose to do my graduate assistantship at Dakota Wesleyan because of the strong coaching staff and supportive community that will help me hone my skills and make a positive impact on the athletes I work with." - Jaedon Bradley
Coach Williamson on Jeadon: "Jaedon is a young coach with great motivation to be a college basketball coach. He just finished up a really good playing career. I am excited to get to work with him daily on how to take all his past teachings he has learned from some really good coaches and combine them with our program philosophies. I cant wait to see how he incorporates all of these methods into his player development and practice."
Support Staff: Graduate Assistant of Strength & Conditioning/Basketball - Ilunga "Team" Moise:
Ilunga Moise, known for his impactful playing career and coaching achievements, joins Dakota Wesleyan as a Graduate Assistant. Moise's basketball journey includes notable accomplishments such as First Team All-Region honors in high school, a successful stint at NCAA Division II Western New Mexico University, and two NJCAA championships with Pima Community College. He completed his undergraduate studies in Business Management at the University of St. Katherine's. As a coach, Moise has guided teams to playoff appearances and tournament victories, demonstrating his leadership and strategic acumen.
Reflecting on his career, Moise shares, "During COVID, I took the time to reflect on my purpose. Coaching became my true calling, and I am excited to continue learning and growing at Dakota Wesleyan alongside such a dedicated team and supportive community."
Coach Williamson on Team: I have known Team for 6 years and he is a great person who comes to DWU with a wide variety of experiences. Team's primary responsibility will be strength and conditioning under Coach Sadler and he will assist as available with men's basketball. Team comes to DWU with coaching experience, skill development, player/coach relationships and strength and conditioning/personal training. I think his past experiences will be a valuable asset to DWU basketball and to our entire department.
Looking Ahead:
With the arrival of Coach Williamson, Nicholson, Bradley, and Moise, Dakota Wesleyan University is poised for an exciting new season. The combined experience, dedication, and passion of this coaching staff promise to foster both athletic success and academic excellence for the Tigers