Released: May 14, 1999

Centre Names Mason Head Men's Basketball Coach

DANVILLE, KY-Greg Mason, a 1994 Centre College graduate and an assistant coach at the school since 1996, has been named the head men's basketball coach at his alma mater, Centre's acting athletic director Joe McDaniel said Friday.

Mason, 28, was an All-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference guard at Centre from 1990-94, scoring 1,082 points and handing out 374 assists, both totals among the school's all-time leaders. During his four years, Centre posted a record of 64-37 and won three conference championships.

After spending one season as an assistant at Kentucky Wesleyan, Mason returned to Centre to join former head coach Mike DeWitt's staff. Centre won eight of 25 games that first year, then went 15-10 the second season, the Colonels' best record since 1993. Centre was 12-13 last season.

Centre President John Roush said Mason was a natural fit for Centre's basketball program and a welcome addition to the full-time coaching staff.

"Greg Mason is a young man marked as much by his warmth and integrity as his love of basketball," Roush said. "Greg understands the (NCAA) Division III philosophy and Centre's commitment to the scholar athlete. He has a long history with basketball in this state, and he cares deeply about the game and the people who play it. Greg already has won the confidence of our players, and we look forward to his successes as a coach and mentor."

McDaniel said that after an extensive national search, Mason emerged as the leading candidate to replace DeWitt, who returned to his alma mater, Ohio Wesleyan, in March.

"We conducted a comprehensive review of the candidates and Greg really came to the top during the interview process," said McDaniel. "We think Greg has all the potential necessary to become a very successful coach at Centre and his familiarity with our program and our conference was a definite advantage."

At Centre, Mason has coordinated the school's recruiting efforts and served as head coach of the Colonels' junior varsity squad in addition to coaching the perimeter players on the varsity level. At Kentucky Wesleyan, he worked under 1995 National Coach of the Year Wayne Boultinghouse and on the same staff as current Wesleyan head coach Ray Harper.

Playing under Tom Bryant, Centre's winningest coach, Mason averaged 10.9 points in 99 games, shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 45.8 percent from the three-point line. He holds the school record for most three-point field goals attempted and made in a single game and his 51.6 percent success rate from long range in 1990-91 is another record. Mason also shot 83 percent from the free throw line and grabbed 241 rebounds. His assist total is fifth all-time on the Centre list while his scoring mark is 19th in school history.

A native of Shelbyville, Mason was an honorable mention All-State selection at guard for Shelby County.

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Communications Office
Centre College
600 W. Walnut Street
Danville, KY 40422

Sports Information: Glenn Osborne
Telephone 606-238-5489 · osborneg@centre.edu