ANDERSON, Ind. —
Highland graduate Greg Gary had been waiting for the chance to come back to Indiana, and on Friday Purdue gave him the perfect opportunity.
Boilermakers men’s basketball coach Matt Painter announced Gary as his new assistant saying, “I’m excited to add Greg Gary to our coaching staff. He has a great work ethic and a track record of success. We’re looking forward to him arriving in West Lafayette to begin the next chapter of his coaching career.”
“Obviously, this is very, very close to where I grew up,” said Gary in a phone interview on Friday. “I know how much this means to people in this state. I always stick my chest out with pride at being from Indiana.”
Gary sandwiched a pair of single years as an assistant at Duquesne around two seasons as the head coach at Centenary.
He left Centenary to return to Duquesne after Centenary moved to NCAA Division III.
Gary has 18 years of coaching experience at places like South Florida, Miami and his alma mater, Tulane.
Gary graduated from Highland in 1988 and attended Aquinas College for a year before being recruited to Tulane.
“Matt and I have known each other for a long, long time,” said Gary. “When I did the interview, it was amazing that he remembered every score for when we played each other. Matt was a year behind me. He told me, ‘You beat us every year. You graduated, and you guys still beat us.’”
Painter’s staff is now made up entirely of Indiana natives.
Painter is from Delta, Jack Owens is from Indianapolis Washington and Micah Shrewsberry is from Cathedral.
“As representatives of a state university, it’s important that we have a staff that understands the pride and passion that Indiana natives have for basketball,” said Painter.
“Matt really wants all of his assistants to be well-rounded,” said Gary. “He wants them to be able to recruit and still be good on the court.”
Gary and his wife have four girls, and the family will soon be making the move back to the state.
“They’re excited,” said Gary of his girls’ reaction to his new post. “They will get to see their cousins and they will be close to their grandparents. I will be coming back to start work this next week.”
Greg’s brother Mark is excited to have him coming back to Indiana.
“We’re extremely happy,” said Mark. “I know it has been a goal of his to someday come back, and it has been a goal for our entire family. He has four girls, and they are all active in sports, but getting together hasn’t been easy. We’ve been Purdue fans for a long time, really since Troy (Lewis) went up there.”
Mark believes it is a great time to be part of the Purdue program.
“There aren’t too many schools (eight) to win at least 25 games over the past four seasons,” he said. “The facilities up there have just been upgraded. We’re excited to get the chance to go up and see Purdue play.”
College Sports
Related Photos
-
Then-IUPUI coach Ron Hunter, left, talks with Then-Centenary coach Greg Gary before a 2009 game in Indianapolis. Gary was added to Purdue's coaching staff Friday. Tom Strickland / The Associated Press
Discussion
Back home again
Highland graduate Greg Gary joins Purdue's staff
- College Sports
-
-
Stinson sends Ball State to NCAA golf nationals
The Ball State men’s golf team is on its way to the NCAA Nationals for the first time since 1986 after defeating San Diego State in a playoff Saturday for the fifth and final qualifying spot out of the Pullman Regional.
-
Ravens’ World Series run comes to an end
The Anderson University softball team survived five elimination games to win the NCAA regional last week in Angola.
It took the nation’s top-ranked team to finally end the Ravens’ remarkable run.
Salisbury scored a 2-0 victory Saturday in Eau Claire, Wis., knocking AU (31-18) out of the NCAA Div. III Softball Championships in the program’s debut trip to the national finals. -
Ball State moves to 7th at NCAA regional
The Ball State men’s golf team moved up three spots on the leaderboard Friday with the third-best second round at the NCAA Pullman Regional.
The Cardinals posted a team score of 4-under-par 284, led by former Liberty Christian star Alex Stinson’s 69 at the par-72 Palouse Ridge Golf Club. With one round to play, they have positioned themselves for a run at one of the top-five spots and a trip to the NCAA Nationals. -
Ravens ready to rumble with nation’s best
Everything about this wild and wonderful weekend will be brand new for the Anderson University softball team.
So why should the opposition be any different? -
Clouser’s 68 paces Ball State in NCAA regional opener
Former Liberty Christian star Alex Stinson righted his round with a birdie on the 16th hole and an eagle on the 17th and fought for a 74.
-
Stinson, Cardinals step onto national stage
For the first time in 22 years, the Ball State men’s golf team will be making an appearance in the NCAA Regional, and Liberty Christian product Alex Stinson is one of big reasons.
Stinson, a senior, will be playing in the No. 2 slot for the Cardinals when they play Thursday in the regional at Pullman, Wash. BSU is seeded 10th among the 14 teams. -
AU softball's flying high
In early April, the Anderson University softball team was scuffling along at 1-3 in league play and thinking positive thoughts about remaining in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference title race.
On Friday, the Ravens (31-16) will be one of just eight teams still alive in the NCAA Div. III national championship race. -
George Bremer: Ravens’ win could take awhile to sink in
As the Anderson University softball team’s bus neared campus late Monday afternoon on its return trip from Angola, NCAA Div. III regional MVP Yardley Collett was checking her Twitter account.
There were messages of congratulations from Ravens baseball players and some of the softball team’s fans. And there were also heartfelt greetings from players and coaches around the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. -
Ravens on verge of World Series berth
The Anderson University softball team defeated Aurora University 4-3 and then knocked off Allegheny 16-4 in the first championship game of the NCAA Div. III Regional on Sunday in Angola.
The two victories forced a second championship game Monday at 10 a.m. The winner will advance to the NCAA Div. III World Series this weekend in Eau Claire, Wis. -
AU softball wins pair to remain alive
For the second time in three days, the Anderson University softball team knocked off top-seeded and No. 2 ranked Trine University 10-6 in the NCAA Div. III Regional on Saturday.
The eighth seeded Ravens also defeated the hosts 5-1 in the first game of the tournament on Thursday. - More College Sports Headlines
-
