Tony McAndrews Named Assistant Women's Basketball Coach

Will Join Staff With More Than 30 Years Of Coaching Experience

June 23, 2009

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Tony McAndrews, who has amassed more than 30 years of experience as a Division I coach and recruiter, has been named an assistant women's basketball coach at Cleveland State.

Head coach Kate Peterson Abiad made the announcement on Tuesday (June 23).

"We are very excited to have a person of Tony's caliber join our coaching staff," Peterson Abiad said. "He brings a wealth of coaching and basketball experience from several levels, which will be a valuable asset to our program.

"Tony is an extremely hard-worker and has a unique perspective of the game that will translate well into our program. Our staff and student-athletes will benefit from Tony on the bench and I look forward to working with him as we continue to build this program."

McAndrews joins the Viking staff after serving as the head coach at Pope John Paul II H.S. in Boca Raton, Fla., for the last three years.

In addition to his duties at Pope John Paul II, McAndrews served as an advanced scout for the Orlando Magic last year. The Magic recently finished as the runner-up in the NBA Finals.

McAndrews began his coaching career as an assistant at Iowa under Lute Olson for four seasons, including an appearance in the 1980 Final Four.

From there, McAndrews served as the head coach at Colorado State from 1981-87 before rejoining Olson as an assistant coach at Arizona from 1987-93. While with the Wildcats, McAndrews was instrumental in helping the squad to five PAC-10 titles, as well as an appearance in the 1988 Final Four.

After a one-year stint as an assistant coach at Georgia Southern (1994-95), McAndrews was named the head coach at Nova Southeastern where he served from 1995-2004.

He was also an assistant coach at Florida Atlantic in 2005-06.

McAndrews, who has coached and mentored 12 NBA players, was also a scout for the Seattle Supersonics, while also serving as an assistant coach of the World Game Trials.

A 1966 graduate of St. Ambrose, McAndrews was inducted into the schools athletic Hall of Fame in 1984.

"I am excited to join the Cleveland State women's basketball program and look forward to working with coach Peterson Abiad, the rest of the coaching staff and the student-athletes," McAndrews said. "I love to teach the game and help with player development and with a veteran team coming back, I hope to help take this program to the next level."

The Vikings, who went 19-14 last season and advanced to the league tournament semifinals, return 10 players from that squad, including Horizon League Co-Player of the Year Kailey Klein and Co-Defensive Player of the Year Shawnita Garland.