Lance Irvin, an assistant coach at Iowa State last season, returns to his home state to join the Illinois State coaching staff, head coach Tom Richardson announced.
Lance is a well respected coach in the profession and he will be a quality addition to our staff, Richardson said. Obviously, Lance will come in immediately and enhance our ties with Chicago in terms of recruiting. Hes a good person and a good coach. Im looking forward to him joining the staff.
A native of Chicago, Ill., the 32-year-old Irvin spent three years as a part of Larry Farmers staff at Loyola-Chicago, prior to working for the Cyclones. Irvin was the primary recruiting coordinator for the Ramblers, putting together some of Loyolas finest recruiting classes in recent memory. His strong ties in the Chicagoland area helped the Ramblers land David Bailey, who was named to the All-Midwestern Collegiate Conferences first team as a sophomore in 2001, and Jerrell Parker, both Chicago high school all-Americans.
Ive always been a fan of Missouri Valley Conference basketball, particularly Illinois State, Irvin said. Ive always associated Illinois State with players that graduate and a rich tradition. Growing up in Chicago and working at both Loyola and DePaul, you cant help but admire the program at Illinois State.
Tom is a good coach and Ive witnessed how hard he works on the recruiting trail. Everyone I talk to tells me how good of a coach Tom is, but that hes an even better person. Im looking forward to learning from him and assisting him wherever I can.
Irvin took a year off from collegiate basketball during the 1997-98 season, assisting at Chicagos Carver High School. Before that season, Irvin was an assistant at DePaul under Joey Meyer from 1992-97, helping the Blue Demons to an NCAA appearance in 1992 and NIT appearances in 1994 and 1995. His duties at DePaul included administering the teams strength and conditioning program and working as the academic liaison.
Prior to accepting his first-time job at DePaul, Irvin worked as a graduate assistant at Idaho in 1991-92. It was at his alma mater where Irvins relationship with Larry Eustachy began. Irvin played one season with the Vandals for Eustachys first team at Idaho before becoming a graduate assistant. Irvin averaged 3.6 points per game and posted the third-best assist total on the team with 56 (2.3 apg.), helping the Vandals to a 19-11 mark.
He earned his bachelors degree in criminal justice from Idaho in 1992.
Irvin began his collegiate playing career at Colorado State before transferring to Triton Junior College in River Grove, Ill., where he was named the teams MVP. As a prep, Irvin was an all-city, all-area, all-state and honorable mention all-American at Chicago Julian High School in 1987.
Irvin has four brothers and one sister. Three of his brothers played Division I basketball. Byron was a two-year standout at Missouri, leading the Tigers in scoring (19.7 ppg.) during the 1988-89 season while earning first team All-Big Eight honors. Mac played collegiately at St. Louis and his youngest brother, Nick, played two seasons at Fresno State. His sister, Cynthia, is the head girls basketball coach at Julian High School in Chicago.
Irvin fills the assistant coaching spot vacated by Anthony Beane, who left for a similar position at St. Louis.
