Defiance coach moves to Wabash

More news about: Defiance | Wabash
Kyle Brumett spent six years at Defiance, going 103-57, after spending two years as head coach at Lakeland.
Defiance athletics photo

Wabash president Gregory Hess has appointed Kyle Brumett as the school's new head basketball coach.

He replaces Antoine Carpenter, who resigned in April after three seasons as head coach. The Little Giants were 17-34 the past two seasons after Wabash was 18-8 in his first year succeeding Mac Petty

Brumett comes to Wabash from Defiance where he has served as the men's basketball coach and assistant athletics director. 

"We are very excited to bring coach Brumett to Wabash College," said Hess. "His experience as a successful coach and his exceptional record of shaping the character of young men made him a good fit for our basketball program." 

"I am extremely proud to be named the head basketball coach at Wabash College," Brumett said. "This is a program that I have long admired, and I am excited to get started." 

In six seasons, Brumett guided Defiance to a 103-57 record, a share of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference title in 2014, and won the HCAC championship and earned an Division III NCAA Tournament appearance in 2010. He owns an overall record of 136-79 in eight seasons as a head coach.

"Coach Brumett brings to the program, and to the college, a wealth of experience in coaching, teaching, and leading with success at the Division III level," Wabash dean of students Mike Raters said. "His passion for adding value to the student-athlete's overall education is obvious, and I'm looking forward to seeing the impact he will have on and off the court with his players and our college community overall." 

Prior to his service to Defiance, Brumett spent two seasons at Lakeland, where his teams posted record of 33-22 and won the 2008 Northern Athletics Conference championship. Brumett spent seven years as an assistant at DePauw, helping the Tigers to a 121-62 record and Southern Collegiate Athletics Conference titles in 2002, 2003, and 2006 along with NCAA Tournament berths in 2002 and 2006. He coached at Southern Indiana as an assistant for one year. USI finished 26-6 and was ranked No. 1 in the nation for most of the season. 

"Kyle Brumett has been a successful leader of men at three different Division III schools," said athletic director Joe Haklin. "He is committed to helping student-athletes fulfill their academic and athletic ambitions. I am really looking forward to working with Kyle as he ushers in the next great era of Little Giant basketball." 

Brumett graduated from Hanover in 1998 with a degree in physical education. He served as a student-assistant coach for the Panthers, working with former head coach Mike Beitzel. Brumett earned a master's degree in recreation and sports management in 2004 from Indiana State. 

"I want to thank President Hess, Dean Raters, Mr. Haklin and the search committee for giving me this opportunity," Brumett said. "My players, staff, and I will work every day to make our basketball program one of the best in the country, just like the Wabash administration, faculty, and staff work daily to make this one of the very best academic institutions in the country." 

Brumett is a native of Jeffersonville, Indiana and graduated from Jeffersonville High School in 1994. He and his wife, Steffanie, have three sons — Max, Marcus, and Monte.

"My wife, Steffanie, and I look forward to becoming a part of the Wabash College and Crawfordsville communities," Brumett added. "As parents of three young sons, we are excited that, as they grow, they will have the high-achieving young men of Wabash as role models."