GWU Men's Basketball Promotes Assistant Coach Doug Esleeck
May 06, 2008 | Men's Basketball
BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb University announced Tuesday
that Doug Esleeck had been promoted to a full-time
assistant men's basketball coaching position following two seasons
as the program's third assistant.
The Winston-Salem, N.C., native replaces Andre Gray, who recently
accepted a coaching position at Western Carolina.
Esleeck recently completed requirements for his MBA at Gardner-Webb
University, and has been an integral part of the Runnin' Bulldog
basketball program over the past two seasons. He will continue to
assist with scouting, recruiting and film exchange, while
concentrating on work with the team's perimeter players.
In 2007-2008, Esleeck helped Gardner-Webb forge a 16-16 overall
record and a spot in the Atlantic Sun Conference semifinals. GWU
ranked among the league leaders in scoring, three-point accuracy
and success, and field goal percentage defense. – and pulled
off a memorable upset at No. 20 Kentucky early in the season.
"We needed to fill a very important position and, after considering
the talent we already had here on staff, the decision to promote
Doug was an easy one," said GWU head coach Rick
Scruggs. "He's a perfect fit for us. Doug is driven, organized
and is a talented coach on and off the floor. Over the past two
years he has proven his worth, and will help us tremendously in an
increased role."
Prior to his time at Gardner-Webb, Esleeck spent the 2005-2006
season as Director of Basketball Operations at UNC Greensboro.
A 2005 graduate of the University of North Carolina, Esleeck was a
double major who earned undergraduate degrees in Business and
American History during his time in Chapel Hill.
He was also a member of Carolina's junior varsity basketball squad
for two seasons and worked several camps. He was an instructor at
the University of Kansas Men's Basketball Camp in 2001, 2002 and
2003 and at the UNC Men's Basketball Camp in 2002, 2003 and 2004.
Esleeck also served as assistant director of the "Ready2Hoop"
Performance Camp at UNC in 2004.
During the 2004-2005 academic year, Esleeck completed an internship
in the Tar Heels' Strength & Conditioning department.
Esleeck has extensive coaching experience beyond the college ranks,
serving as the Durham Dragons 15-under AAU head coach from
2003-2005 and as an assistant coach for the Dragons' 13-under team
in 2002. In addition he spent one season as an assistant coach for
the Tar Heels' junior varsity squad (2003-2004) and one season as
an assistant coach at the North Carolina School of Science &
Math (2004-2005).
Esleeck attended Westchester (N.C.) Academy in High Point, where he
played basketball and ran cross country. He was the Academy's
Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2000 and 2001 and was named the
school's Outstanding Senior in 2001.
