South Dakota Hires Todd Lee as New Men’s Basketball Coach

The University of South Dakota is welcoming home one of its' own to take over the men's basketball program.

USD alum Todd Lee will be officially introduced as the Coyotes' new coach at a press conference in Vermillion, Friday (April 6) at 1:00 PM.

Lee, the current associate head coach at Grand Canyon University, graduated from South Dakota in 1986. He is originally from Huron.

At Grand Canyon, Lee teamed with head coach Dan Majerle to win 103 games over the past five seasons. The last four seasons have been part of GCU's transition Division I, where they currently play in the Western Athletic Conference. This past season, the Antelopes advanced to the WAC Tournament Championship game, where they were beaten by top-seed New Mexico State.

Lee has eight years of head coaching experience at the Division II level, leading Kentucky Wesleyan to 154 wins overall and an appearance in the Sweet 16 in 2012.

He's also been a D1 assistant at UC Irvine, and was on the staff at D2 Cal State Bakersfield when the Roadrunners won the National Championship in 1997. That same year, South Dakota State advanced to the Elite Eight in Louisville, Kentucky.

Prior to going to Bakersfield, Lee was an assistant to Eric Musselman for the CBA's Rapid City Thrillers.

In a USD press release, athletic director David Herbster said:

Todd checks all of the boxes and has been a winner everywhere he has been. His successes range from the CBA in Rapid City, South Dakota, to a national championship at CSU Bakersfield to what he and coach Majerle have achieved at Grand Canyon. It is also eight successful years as a head coach that set Todd apart from everyone else.

 

Lee takes over for Craig Smith, who departed Vermillion last week after four seasons, to take over at Utah State.

The Coyotes went 26-9 last season, finishing second to South Dakota State in the Summit League. USD was beaten by SDSU in Summit League Tournament Championship game, before ending their season with a first round loss to North Texas in the CBI.

SEE ALSO: