Collegiate Times

When Bill Courtney arrived on campus this past June after he signed a contract to be an assistant coach with the Virginia Tech men’s basketball team, it was a relief.

In three months, Courtney was an assistant coach at three different universities. 

Courtney served as an associate head coach from 1997 to 2005 at George Mason University under Jim Larranaga and was credited with being an integral part of building the 2006 Final Four team.

For the past three years Courtney was an assistant at the University of Virginia before coach Dave Leitao resigned on March 16 following a 10-18 record and an 11th place finish in the Atlantic Coast Conference last season.

Courtney decided to return to his ties in the Colonial Athletic Association, and Virginia Commonwealth University coach Shaka Smart hired Courtney as an assistant on April 15. 

However, just two months into the job, Courtney was on the move again — back to the ACC.

After losing assistant coach Stacey Palmore to Georgia in early May, head coach Seth Greenberg contacted Courtney to fill the vacant assistant coach spot and Courtney accepted the offer June 9.

“I think he’s a very good teacher,” Greenberg said. “I think he brings energy, and he connects with our players, and when you connect with your players, they get to play harder and those types of things.

“Bill’s going to be a tremendous asset to our program.”

At UVa, Courtney added to his reputation as a strong recruiter, landing 2008 ESPNU 19th-ranked prospect Sylven Landesberg as well as this year’s 80th-ranked freshman, Tristan Spurlock. As a freshman, Landesberg led UVa in scoring with 16.6 points per game.

“I just thought he had a good network, contacts,” Greenberg said. “He’s been in this league. Our geographic footprint that we recruit, he’s basically recruited his whole life. He’s really committed to helping kids get better, and I just thought he was a good fit for what we were looking for.”

One advantage for Courtney is his familiarity with the competition in the ACC. Last year, the Hokies split the two-game series when Courtney was at UVa. The Hokies won 78-75 at home, but fell 75-61 when they traveled to Charlottesville. 
 “Virginia Tech is a very special opportunity,” Courtney said. “I think it has the chance to be a very special program.”

“He brings a lot of energy to our practice,” said junior forward J.T. Thompson. “I mean, you always hear him talking and always hear him yelling. I think he’s happy to be aboard, and we’re happy to have him.”
Courtney also recognizes the need for the Hokies to compete in terms of recruiting. 

In 2009, Duke signed two ESPNU top-100 players, and North Carolina signed five. Already, Duke has signed two top-100 players for the 2010 class, and North Carolina has signed three, including the No. 1 player in the class, Harrison Barnes.

The Hokies had an impressive recruiting campaign in 2009. This year’s class features three players in the ESPNU top-50 for their respective positions. Additionally, the Hokies welcome forward Allan Chaney, a transfer from Florida who was the 62nd-ranked player in 2008.

“The job that coach Greenberg has done already has been absolutely phenomenal,” Courtney said. “I think hopefully I can come in and get us involved with players, pick the guys that are at the top level of high school basketball with some of the top prospects. You get in there, and you get in the fight — you try to get one of these guys. Eventually, when you get one, that leads to the next one, so that’s the whole thing — getting that ‘blue-chip’ guy.”

The Hokies look to improve on a 19-15 record last year and a ninth-place finish in the ACC. Down the stretch, the Hokies faltered, losing five of their final seven games, including an 18-point loss to Baylor at home in the National Invitational Tournament.

However, with key returning starters, a brand new 49,000-square-foot practice facility and new recruits, there is a palpable energy surrounding Tech basketball.

“I think you’re going to see a team that works its tail off,” Courtney said. “I think you’re going to see a team that’s a lot like coach Greenberg’s first-year teams that plays with a chip on their shoulders, gets after it on the defensive end, and really plays a physical, hard brand of basketball. I think you’re going to see a team that a lot of ACC teams don’t want to play.

“Virginia Tech basketball is defnitely on the rise,” he said. “Coach (Greenberg) has done an incredible job so far. With the new facility, new players — it’s a different kind of excitement around Virginia Tech basketball. I think you’ll end up seeing bigger and greater things in the future.”