Jim Calhoun’s New Coaching Staff Filled With UConn Connections

Former UConn men’s basketball head coach and Hall of Famer Jim Calhoun begins a new chapter of his career tonight as he leads the University of St. Joseph’s men’s basketball team in their first-ever game against William Paterson.

Before Calhoun takes on the Pioneers at Trinity College in Hartford, Dan Hurley, fresh off his first win as UConn’s head coach, had high praise for the living legend.

“He’s one of the great coaches of our generation in any sport that’s still doing it,” Hurley said of Calhoun at today’s teleconference. “It’s an unbelievable treat for those players and people that love the sport.”

There’s been plenty of hype surrounding Calhoun and the Blue Jays as they try to build a program this season. In order to get that started, Calhoun has put together a coaching staff filled with UConn connections, which should help make this St. Joe’s team competitive from the get-go.

Here’s a look at the UConn connections on Calhoun’s new staff.

Glenn Miller, Associate Head Coach

Miller played two seasons under Calhoun at Northeastern and was a part of Calhoun’s first staff in 1986, working with him for seven years before leaving to coach Connecticut College in 1993. After coaching at Brown and Penn, Miller returned to UConn in the 2010-11 season, winning one championship with Calhoun and another with Kevin Ollie as the Huskies’ associate head coach before being let go after the 2016-17 season.

Rashamel Jones, Assistant Coach

Jones was a fan favorite over the course of his four years in Storrs and helped the Huskies win their first-ever national championship as a senior in 1999, averaging 3.5 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.

Jeff Calhoun, Assistant Coach

Jeff Calhoun is Jim Calhoun’s son and was a walk-on with the Huskies in the early 1990s. He was redshirted in 1991 after suffering a shoulder injury and was once a roommate with Hurley at a Five-Star basketball camp.

Ryan Olander, Assistant Coach

Ryan is the older brother of UConn’s two-time national champion Tyler Olander. Ryan starred at E.O. Smith High School in Mansfield, Connecticut before playing four seasons at Fairfield from 2008-12, averaging 7.1 points, 1.5 blocks and 4.5 rebounds per game. He later played professionally overseas before joining Calhoun’s staff.