STUDENTathleteWorld Tours is proud to announce an amazing group of 14 coaches who will represent the United States and STUDENTathleteWorld this summer. This group was selected from hundreds of applicants and will lead hundreds of athletes on four trips visiting a total of eight countries. Please help us congratulate these coaches on their selection and wish the the best of luck! For more information on STUDENTathleteWorld Tours, please visit http://https://tours.studentathleteworld.com.
BASEBALL
Drew Roberts, Apeldoorn Baseball Coach (Laurinburg, NC) – Coach Drew Roberts has been the Head Baseball Coach at St. Andrews University for four years, finishing with a winning record in each season. Under his tutelage, eight players have received All-Conference Team awards and five former players have gone on to play in the professional ranks. After his first season at St. Andrews, Coach Roberts recorded the first winning season at the school since 2005. Prior to becoming the head coach, he was the Recruiting Coordinator for two seasons when they competed at the NCAA Division II level. Coach Roberts started his collegiate coaching career as a Graduate Assistant Coach with Ohio University (2008-2010), where he received his Master’s Degree in Coaching Education. As a student-athlete, Coach Roberts played and graduated from Xavier University (Cincinnati, OH). He was a decorated student-athlete, receiving many accolades such as Pre-season Atlantic 10 (A-10) Conference Rookie of the Year, multiple A-10 Conference Player of the Week awards, A-10 Commissioners Award, and the Athletic Advisory Board Award for Community Service. Coach Roberts has also gained coaching experience through summer collegiate leagues. In the summer of 2009, he was the Assistant Coach for the Lima Locos out of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. In that season, the Locos were ranked 12th in the nation out of all college summer teams by The Perfect Game. In 2010, Coach Roberts was the Head Coach for the Edmonton Prospects summer collegiate team out of Edmonton, Alberta Canada, competing in the Western Major Baseball League. Coach Roberts has been fortunate to work under one of the winningest coaches in Division I athletics, has coached at the NAIA, DI and DII levels, has coached seven Major League Draft picks, has coached 13 student-athletes overall who have gone on to have a professional baseball career. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations from Xavier University and a Master’s Degree in Coaching Education from Ohio University. Read more http://www.sauknights.com/coach/0/3.php
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Drew Richards, Mediterranean Men’s Basketball Coach (Lumberton, NC) – Coach Drew Richards just finished his second season on staff at UNC Pembroke, currently serving as Associate Head Coach. Prior to his time at UNCP, he was the Assistant Coach at Cameron University and Missouri State-West Plains, winning a regional title & molding a Top-10 defensive team. Additionally, he spent time as a successful AAU coach, where he helped place more than a dozen student-athletes into NAIA, NCAA Division I, and NCAA Division II programs. As a player, Coach Richards was a four-year letter winner at Missouri State, competing in 118 career games (69 starts) and helped the Bears compile a collective 80-49 (.620) record and three trips to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT). He started in 56 games during his final two seasons as a collegian and led the club in blocked shots in each of his last three years in Springfield, Mo. His career was highlighted by a host of honors as well, including the ‘Guy Thompson Award’, which is given annually to the team’s most outstanding senior on and off the court. Coach Richards currently ranks third all-time in MSU annals with 132 career blocked shots, while also ranking among the program’s all-time top 10 in games played. After college, he moved on to the professional ranks, where he was a fixture in the starting lineup for the Erdgas Ehingen Steeples in Ehingen, Germany. He finished ninth in the league in blocked shots and 12th in rebounds per game in 2008-09. After his playing days, he served as color commentator for the radio broadcasts at Missouri State from 2009-11. Coach Richards earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations from Missouri State in 2008, while also earning his Master’s Degree in Sports Science from the United States Sports Academy in 2013. He and his wife, Caeli, currently reside in Lumberton, NC. Read more at http://www.uncpbraves.com/sports/mbkb/coaches/Richards_Drew
Aaron Denton, Barbados College Basketball Coach (Whispering Pines, NC) – Coach Aaron Denton is one of the most accomplished college coaches to lead a STUDENTathleteWorld Tour. Throughout his career, he’s successfully turned two JUCO programs (Sandhills CC & Louisburg College) into national powerhouses in addition to serving as the Assistant Coach at Miami Dade College, Guilford College (NCAA D3), and UNC Greensboro (NCAA D1). Currently, he is both a full-time member of the Math faculty and Athletic Director at Sandhills CC. As the Athletic Director, he oversees an athletic program that has had immense success at the national level, including two national championships. Upon his arrival at Sandhills CC, Coach Denton built the basketball program from the ground up. In his third season, his team finished with a #8 ranking in the NJCAA national poll while capturing an NJCAA Region X regular season title. At the end of the season, six of his players signed scholarships to four-year institutions. Over his last two years as a basketball coach, nine players earned full scholarships. In all, he’s had 34 basketball players earn scholarships and nearly 40 move on to play at the four-year college level. As a college athlete, Coach Denton played football, basketball and lacrosse at Guilford College where he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management. He furthered his education with an M.B.A. from UNC Greensboro while working under coach Fran McCaffery (now head basketball coach at the University of Iowa).
Jeremy Otkin, Barbados High School Basketball Coach (Pipestone, MN) – Coach Jeremy Otkin is experienced in coaching internationally, serving as our Assistant Boys Basketball Coach at the United World Games last summer (2015). He is currently coaching in the West Central School District in South Dakota. Previously, Coach Otkin spent time on coaching staffs at both the high school and college levels. At Sandhills Community College (NC), he served two years as both the Assistant Coach as well as the Strength & Conditioning Coach. Shortly after his time on staff, the men’s basketball program went on to win the NJCAA Division III National Championship. While in the high school coaching ranks, Coach Otkin was on staff at his alma mater where he helped lead his team to a South Dakota State Consolation Championship. He has balanced coaching with his military career (2003-2005 National Guard, 2005-2010 Active Duty in the Army, and 2010-present in the Army Reserves). Coach Otkin played College Baseball at Dakota State University (SD) and spends time in the summer working Duke Basketball Camp. He has two Bachelor’s Degrees (Education and Management) and is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Education Administration.
Bob Hutchings, UWG U19 East Boys Basketball Coach (Bridgeton, NJ) – Coach Bob Hutchings has been coaching basketball for nearly 40 years and is one of the most well respected coaches in the Northeast. He is an experienced coach at the United World Games, leading our U19 East Team last summer as well. Currently, he is on staff at Stockton University, where he has been a part of multiple conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances. Previously, Coach Hutchings served as an Assistant Coach for Mike Krzyzewski (Army), Assistant Coach for the Saudi Arabian National Team, Head Coach of Cumberland County College, and Head Coach of Bridgeton High School (NJ). For his incredible accomplishments throughout the years, he has been inducted into The New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the Millville Thunderbolts Hall of Fame, the Wheeling Jesuit Athletic Hall of Fame, and the All Sports Museum of Southern New Jersey Hall of Fame. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling Education. Read more http://stocktonathletics.com/coaches.aspx?rc=252&path=mbball
Scott Combs, UWG U19 West Boys Basketball Coach (Pulaski, TN) – Coach Scott Combs is currently the Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Associate Athletic Director, and Math professor at Martin Methodist College (TN). He has coached college basketball for sixteen years, including four at Martin Methodist and twelve at Austin Peay State University. At Martin Methodist, Coach Combs has guided his program to over a 70% winning percentage, leading his team to the conference championship and national tournament multiple times. During his time as Assistant Coach at Austin Peay, he helped lead the Govs to six seasons of 20+ wins, five OVC championships, and postseason play on seven occasions. Coach Combs began his college basketball career at Missouri, but finished his career at Austin Peay, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and serving as the Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) President. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Education (Mathematics) and a Master’s Degree in Sports Administration. Read more http://www.goredhawks.com/coach/0/1.php
Brad Estes, UWG U16 Boys Basketball Coach (Lake Wales, FL) – Coach Brad Estes has spent his entire life around basketball and is an experienced coach at the United World Games. Last summer, he led our U16 Boys Basketball Team to the championship and won the Gold Medal! He has a vast background in coaching at the Division I, Division III, Junior College, High School, and AAU levels. Coach Estes is a business owner and specializes in player development, organizing some of the top camps and exposure events around the country. He has worked on the University of South Carolina Men’s Basketball staff under both Coach Eddie Fogler and Dave Odom. Coach Estes holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. Read more http://www.maximumexposurebasketball.com/page/show/1567119-staff-information.
Darren Averitt, UWG U14 Boys Basketball Coach (Monrovia, CA) – Coach Darren Averitt is a Los Angeles native and has spent the majority of his life in the game of basketball. Recently, he was the Defensive Coach/Coordinator for the Tarbut V’ Torah Lions in Irvine California. Additionally, he has been on the coaching staff at Cathedral High School, serving as Head Coach of the Freshman team as well as Assistant Coach for the JV and Varsity teams. He is well experienced in opponent scouting, filming, game planning, and editing both practice and game films. In 2004, Coach Averitt founded the Monrovia Mountaineers, a competitive AAU Basketball Program. As the Director/Head Coach of the Mountaineers, he guided the boys and girls programs from 2nd-8th grades. At the same time, he also coached the Freshman team at Monrovia High School and the Santa Fe Middle School teams. As a college basketball player, he began his career at California Lutheran College (NAIA), playing on both the JV and Varsity teams. His biggest claim to fame was starting a game vs. #1 ranked Westmont College in the 1983-84 season. After his freshman year, he decided to transfer to UC Santa Barbara to attempt a Division I walk-on position but foot injuries cut his basketball career short. In 1989, Coach Averitt earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. Currently, he owns an insurance consulting business serving the community and lives with his wife, daughter (Emily, 20) and son (Brandon, 17), who will be playing for our MBB U19 West Team at the United World Games.
SOFTBALL
Amber Dohlman, Apeldoorn Softball Coach (River Falls, WI) – Coach Amber Dohlman serves as both the Head Softball Coach and Co-Sports Information Director (SID) at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. In addition, she has also been the head softball coach and assistant sports information director at Millikin University. Throughout her career, she has been a member of the NCAA regional ranking committee, has participated in several national coaching clinics, conducted offensive/defensive clinics, and served as an NCAA Championships game representative. Coach Dohlman has been very fortunate to recruit & coach two All-Americans, 13 All-Region players, and 21 All-Conference players. She has also spent time on staff at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, winning a championship and competing in the NCAA Tournament. In addition to coaching, she has several years of experience in media relations, statistics, web streaming, social media and web page production. Coach Dohlman earned her Bachelor’s Degree in 2008 from UW-River Falls in Secondary Education-Health and Human Performance with an emphasis in Exercise and Sport Science. Read more http://www.uwrfsports.com/staff.aspx?staff=176
TENNIS (MEN’S AND WOMEN’S)
TBA
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Rachelle Matthys, Mediterranean and UWG U19 East Girl’s Basketball Coach (Buffalo, NY) – Coach Rachelle Matthys is experienced in coaching internationally, serving as our U19 Girls Basketball Coach at the United World Games that won the Silver Medal last summer (2015). Coach Matthys is currently the Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Medaille College (NY). Prior to coaching at Medaille, she was the Assistant to the Director of Player Performance for the WNBA’s New York Liberty. As a player, Coach Matthys was a four-year standout letter winner at the University at Buffalo (NY), finishing her career as Co-Captain. After college, Coach Matthys played four years of professional basketball in Germany, Australia, & England, capturing a championship title for the DBBL in Germany. During her time abroad, she coached basketball for several different players and teams, as well as serving as the Strength & Conditioning Coach. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science with a Concentration in Coaching and a Master’s Degree in Science Education. Read more at http://www.medaillesports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=387&path=wbball
Fritzie Villegas, U19 West Girls Basketball Coach (San Jose, CA) – Coach Fritzie Villegas has an extensive background in a wide array of leadership and coaching positions. Currently, she is the Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at De Anza College (CA) as well as a member of the Athletic Faculty in the Physical Education Department. Over the course of the last decade, she has coached basketball at the youth, high school, and college levels in both assistant and head coaching roles. She holds numerous professional certifications in Strength & Conditioning and Sports Medicine (among others) for her work as a Human Performance Coach and Personal Trainer. Additionally, throughout the years, Coach Villegas has directed several basketball leagues and tournaments, coached high school volleyball, and has served as Elementary Physical Education teacher. In the offseason, she spends a large amount of her time instructing at the Golden State Warriors Youth Basketball Camps. Coach Villegas has an Associate’s Degree in Communication Studies, a Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology with a Minor in African American Studies, and a Master’s Degree in Sports Coaching.
Brandon Huntley, U16 Girls Basketball Coach (Lakewood, WA) – Coach Brandon Huntley has been the Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at the University of Puget Sound for the past six seasons. Throughout this time, Puget Sound has finished .500 or better in every season, finished among the top-3 teams in the conference three times, set school records for wins, has had multiple All-Conference players, and produced one All-American player. Previously, he spent three years at Johnson & Wales University and was an Associate Women’s Basketball Coach during the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. At Johnson & Wales, Coach Huntley served as the Recruiting Coordinator and was instrumental in developing his players on the court, an area of expertise that he is currently very active in throughout the offseason with hundreds of young players along the West Coast. His playing experience includes a season at Radford University in Radford, VA. Coach Huntley graduated from Johnson & Wales University (RI) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports, Entertainment, & Events Management. Read more http://www.loggerathletics.com/sports/wbkb/coaches/huntley
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Robert Bethea, United World Games U19 Girls Volleyball Coach (Pasadena, CA) – Coach Robert Bethea has a 25-year history of coaching volleyball players at a variety of levels. An experienced coach at the United World Games, he has been a part of coaching staffs at the college level, public schools, and a handful of extremely credible volleyball clubs. He is very active with numerous camps and clinics, including both Indoor and Beach Volleyball. Coach Bethea has been a mainstay with Arroyo Volleyball Club since 1998, running the club in both California (in conjuction with the Los Angeles Premier Volleyball Club) as well as in Canada. Throughout his career, he has served as a Physical Education teacher, Athletic Director, Director for ‘Teach for America’, and Recreation Leader. Currently, he serves as a Sports Consultant and is a sports host for various TV stations. Coach Bethea holds an Associate’s Degree in Recreation from El Camino College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation Leisure Enterprise Management from California State University, Northridge.