April 13, 2012

PITTSBURGH - First-year Duquesne University head men's basketball coach Jim Ferry announced today Brian Nash and Rich Glesmann have joined his staff.

Nash, who was named associate head coach by Ferry, was the head coach at Saint Francis, N.Y. from 2005-06 through 2009-10. He spent last season as an assistant at Fairfield University.

Glesmann just completed his seventh season on Ferry's staff at LIU Brooklyn. Nash and Glesmann have worked on staffs that have produced a combined eight Division I postseason appearances.

Nash served as an assistant coach at Seton Hall (2001-05), Siena College (2000-01), St. Bonaventure (1994-00) and Sacred Heart (1993-94) before accepting the head coaching position at Saint Francis, N.Y. where his teams posted 47 wins including 33 in Northeast Conference play.

The Floral Park, N.Y. native spent four seasons at Seton Hall as an assistant under Louis Orr where he helped the Pirates to an NIT berth in 2003 and an NCAA tournament spot in 2004. He was part of Orr's staff at Siena College for the 2000-01 season.

Nash also gained Atlantic 10 experience while at St. Bonaventure under Jim Baron, where he helped the Bonnies to NIT berths in 2005 and 2008. Nash's stint in Olean, N.Y. was highlighted by memorable NCAA tournament appearance in 2000 that saw the Bonnies take fifth-seeded Kentucky to overtime before losing 85-80 in a first round game.

Nash's coaching career began at Sacred Heart where he spent one season with head coach Dave Bike.

Nash played his collegiate basketball at Keene State where he teamed with Dukes head coach Jim Ferry. Nash, a two-time captain, earned All-New England Collegiate Conference honors before graduating with an economics degree in 1992. He was an all-city and all-Brooklyn player under his father, Ray, at Bishop Ford High School in Brooklyn.

Nash and his wife, Kristen, have two children, Jack and Abigail. Glesmann, who began at LIU as director of basketball operations in 2005-06 before being elevated to assistant coach, played an important role in the program's resurgence.

His responsibilities at LIU included opponent scouting, recruiting, on-court coaching and instruction as well as serving as the program's academic coordinator. Under Glesmann's direction, the men's basketball team posted a cumulative 3.0 grade point average during the spring 2009 semester. He played a role in the Blackbirds posting back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances in 2011 and 2012 while helping develop numerous all-conference honorees.

Prior to joining Ferry's staff at LIU, Glesmann spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Adelphi University, helping the Panthers post consecutive winning seasons. The 2004-05 Panthers posted a 22-7 mark and led Division II in both scoring defense (55.5 points per game) and field goal percentage defense (.376). The squad claimed the regular-season New York Collegiate Conference title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament as a No. 3 seed. Glesmann's coaching career began at Wheelock College where he was the second-youngest head coach in the country during the 2002 season while guiding the Wildcats' women's squad.

Glesmann has also worked at clinics around the country, including a stint with the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder Mini-Camp.

A native of Wayland, Mass., Glesmann graduated from Emerson College in 2002. A three-year starter at guard, and a team captain, he helped the Lions post a 21-9 mark as a senior. A captain for the 2000-01 campaign, he played an instrumental role in helping the team advance to the final of the ECAC Tournament. Glesmann attended Salisbury State for one season before transferring to Emerson.

In an additional staff move, Ferry named Danny Lawson director of basketball operations. Lawson handled the same responsibility for Ferry at LIU for the past two seasons.

Lawson came to LIU after serving as an assistant coach at Le Moyne College during the 2009-10 season. He helped the Dolphins to an 18-10 record and quarterfinal appearance in the Northeast-10 Conference tournament. The 2009-10 Le Moyne team opened the year with a win over Syracuse in a preseason exhibition game at the Carrier Dome.

Prior to his time at Le Moyne, Lawson spent a year as assistant video coordinator and basketball operations intern for the Boston Celtics during their run to the 2008 NBA Championship. Lawson handled game film analysis and preparation of video edits for coaches, players and management. He also created scouting and personnel reports on all 29 teams and performed statistical analysis during games. He also assisted the staff during individual workouts, practice and pre-game routines.

Lawson is a 2007 graduate of Bentley University with a bachelor of arts degree in behavioral sciences and a minor in management. He was a four-year letterwinner with the Falcons, during which he helped the squad post a 101-27 record and make three NCAA Tournament appearances. He led the team to three Northeast 10 Conference regular-season titles and was part of the 2007 team that advanced to the Elite Eight and finished the season ranked No. 2 in the nation.

Lawson, who was named Bentley's Francis M. Bennett Most Improved Player in 2005, is pursuing a master's degree in social science.

THE BRIAN NASH FILE

PERSONAL
Birthdate: June 22, 1970
Hometown: Floral Park, N.Y.
Age: 41
College: Keene State College `92
Degree: economics
High School: Bishop Ford
Family: Wife: Kristen; Children: Jack and Abigaill

COACHING EXPERIENCE
1993-94 -- Assistant Coach - Sacred Heart
1994-00 -- Assistant Coach - St. Bonaventure
2000-01 -- Assistant Coach - Siena
2001-05 -- Assistant Coach - Seton Hall
2011-12 -- Assistant Coach - Fairfield

AS A HEAD COACH
2005-10 -- Saint Francis, N.Y. (5 yrs.) - 47-99 (.322)

POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE
1995 -- St. Bonaventure - NIT 2nd rnd
1998 -- St. Bonaventure - NIT 1st rnd
2000 -- St. Bonaventure - NCAA 1st rnd
2003 -- Seton Hall - NIT 1st rnd
2004 -- Seton Hall - NCAA 2nd rnd
2012 -- Fairfield - CIT semifinal