| Doug Novak was most recently an assistant coach at Tulane. |
Bethel athletic director Bob Bjorklund announced today the hiring of Doug Novak as the new head coach for the Royals men's basketball team. Novak, who has spent the last seven years as a head assistant coach at the Division I level, will begin his duties on June 15.
Novak replaces Jeff Westlund, the 1983 Bethel alumnus who was let go in April without explanation.
"Doug Novak is a gifted leader who will pour himself into the holistic development of the young men on the basketball team,” said Bjorklund. “I am thrilled to have him as a part of our athletics staff. He has remarkable insights into coaching that will be beneficial for the entire department, as he has coached at the Division I, Division II, and junior college levels.”
Novak comes to Bethel after spending the last three seasons at
Tulane, where he helped the Green Wave record a 50-48 mark in three
seasons, which included two trips to the Conference USA tournament
and an invitation to the 2013 CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
Prior to Tulane, Novak spent four years as the top assistant at
The Citadel, where he and the Bulldog staff helped turn a program
that was 10-21 in 2005 to 20-13 in just three years.
In all, Novak has acquired 23 years of coaching, which also
includes 10 years as a head coach at Iowa Western Community College
and Anderson (S.C.). While at Anderson, Novak helped lead the
Trojans to their first winning season as a member of the NCAA
Division II and their first Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference
championship in program history.
Novak also played tennis in college and was a member of the No.
1-ranked Volunteers at Tennessee.
“I am excited about the future of Bethel men's basketball
under his direction,” said Bjorklund. “His passion for
integrating faith and learning is evident in his approach to
building character amidst a thriving team culture.”