Vermont rounds out their coaching staff with Braeden Estes

Vermont has filled the director of basketball operations position to round out their coaching staff. Braeden Estes joins the Catamounts after spending the last three seasons at Dartmouth. This is another strong hire for Vermont. During Becker's tenure, he has done a great job hiring assistant coaches and his coaching tree is pretty diverse as Vermont has become a strong jumping off point for a coaching career. The director of basketball operations is a wide ranging job that has been expanded even further for this season as the NCAA now allows more coaches to head out on the recruiting trail. It is rare to fill this position with a candidate who has so much experience. Estes is a local guy growing up just over the border in Lebanon, NH. He was the student manager at UNH for four years before spending a couple of years at South Florida. He has experience in all aspects of the job and it is particularly nice that he already has recruiting and player development experience. Becker is always quick to point out how important his coaching staff is to the success of the Vermont program. Estes looks like a great fit in Catamount country and will further strengthen the Vermont coaching staff.  

Vermont completes their 24-25 roster

Today Vermont filled their last scholarship for the 24-25 season with a commitment from Gavin Perryman, a 6'1" transfer guard from Dallas, TX who has spent the last three seasons at Texas. With the late decommitment from Jayhlon Young it is good to get some veteran experience to fill the spot. Whereas wth Young the coaching staff was most certainly excited about his defensive value, Perryman is a pivot to give the Cats some insurance in the shooting department. Perryman redshirted in the 21-22 season and did not see very much game action over the last few seasons. Vermont will give him an opportunity to prove himself at the Division I level. In high school at Jesuit Dallas Prep, Perryman was an absolute sniper from long distance, shooting 42% over three varsity seasons on a very high volume (228-582) from three (Jesuit Prep actually has high school stats on their website. You can even check out his baseball stats as well!). Going to Texas was a legacy move as his father, Brandy Perryman, was a star shooting guard for the Longhorns in the mid nineties (1994-1998). After graduating in three years from Texas, Perryman has a chance to make an impact with what I would assume is two more years of eligibility. I actually got a chance to see Perryman play during his visit on the first day I went down to camp last week (before he tweaked something and sat out). He is comfortable with the ball in his hands and has a nice stroke from the outside. He is physical, smart, and looked like a good fit. I see him as having a range of outcomes this season and filling the Brenton Mills role. Perryman will bring a veteran presence and push the competition in practice while being able to fill in if needed due to injury or ineffectiveness. A nice job by the Vermont coaching staff filling the last scholarship for this season in a less than ideal situation. This will help take some of the pressure off any of the young players who may have been forced into a role if there were any injury difficulties similar to last season. With the roster fully set fans can now get excited to this season's group of Catamounts in the fall. Can't wait!

Derryk O'Grady gets a promotion

The Cats found their new assistant coach just one chair down the bench as longtime Catamount bench fixture Derryk O'Grady has been promoted. O'Grady steps into the assistant coaching position after 11 seasons on the bench in various roles. What an awesome move for the Cats as O'Grady has been an integral part of the program during its rise. O'Grady has always had a knack for injecting humor and personality into every season. The mic'ed up moments have become a much anticipated tradition and he has done a great job of building positive relationships with players and community members alike. Seemingly able to learn quickly, juggle responsibilities, and excel in whatever role he has been in, I have no doubt he will continue his positive impact as he moves up the bench. It is great to see his hard work and dedication to the Vermont program pay off with this new role. Congratulations for sure!!