UNCP announces basketball staff additions, volleyball schedule

The Robesonian, Lumberton, N.C.
·3 min read

Aug. 4—PEMBROKE — UNC Pembroke men's basketball head coach Drew Richards announced the completion of his coaching staff on Saturday morning with the addition of assistant coach Leighton Kentwell, as well as graduate assistant Dylan Anderson.

Kentwell makes the move to southeast North Carolina after serving the last two seasons as a graduate assistant at Missouri State. Anderson has been a staple of the men's basketball staff at Winston-Salem State over the last two years as the head manager for the Rams.

"We want to welcome Leighton and Dylan to Brave Nation," Richards said. "Both come highly recommended by their previous institutions, and will provide different strengths to our program. Their additions increase the character and quality of our coaching staff moving forward."

Kentwell served a successful four-year stint as the head student manager as an undergraduate at Miami (Ohio) where he was charged with facilitating day-to-day operations for practice, games and travel, while also taking on responsibilities pertaining to recruiting, film analysis and scouting.

After gaining invaluable experience in Oxford, Ohio, Kentwell officially stepped into the coaching world as a graduate assistant at Missouri State. While on staff in Springfield, Mo., Kentwell was integral in player development, while also playing a key role in video, social media and marketing content for the Bears. He also helped oversee the Bears, Badges & Kids community service events for the program.

Kentwell earned his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and Health from Miami in 2019, and completed his graduate work in Professional Studies at Missouri State in 2021. In addition to his coaching duties, he has also been active on the camp circuit as a staffer at Coach Wooten's Basketball Camp, as well as clinics sponsors by Jay Bilas, Patrick Ewing, Xavier and Rider.

Anderson played two seasons at Johnston Community College in Smithfield before transferring to Winston-Salem State where he earned a role as head manager for the Rams who made a run to both the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) regular season and tournament championships in 2019-20. He served a facilities and equipment internship for the WSSU athletics department in 2020-21 after the CIAA announced it was suspending athletics due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Fayetteville native and Fayetteville Christian High School alum earned dean's list honors and was an active member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity on the way to earning his degree in physical education from Winston-Salem State in 2021. He is pursuing his master's degree in sports administration at UNCP.

UNCP announces volleyball schedule

A dozen home matches, including nine against Conference Carolinas foes, as well as early-September tournaments at both USC Aiken and Valdosta State, highlight the 32-match UNC Pembroke volleyball schedule that was released on Monday afternoon by first-year head coach Carly Wehling.

The Braves will usher in the new era of the program on August 27 when they entertain St. Andrews in a preseason scrimmage at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. Admission to all 2021 home matches is free.

UNCP will officially lift the lid on its 48th season of intercollegiate volleyball, Sept. 3-4, when it travels to Aiken, S.C., for the 2-day, 4-team USC Aiken Invitational inside the Convocation Center. The Black & Gold will open the home portion if its 2021 regular season slate with a September 7 tri-meet with Newberry and Winston-Salem State, before heading back out on the road, September 10-11, to take part in the Valdosta State Invitational.

The Braves will play their first Conference Carolinas matchup in nearly 30 years on September 16 when they travel to Tigerville, S.C., and will play their first Conference Carolinas home match on September 24 against Chowan.

UNCP will play eight of its 12 home matches in October and November, including a three-match home stand inserted into each month. The regular season will conclude with three-straight home tilts, including a November 10 contest with region and Conference Carolinas rival Francis Marion on November 10.