Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Staff report
Youngstown
Although Jerry Slocum’s contract has not been resolved for next season, the Youngstown State University men’s basketball coach announced on Monday that Michael Wernicki has been named associate head coach.
Wernicki has served 11 seasons as an assistant coach to Slocum.
Wernicki serves as the program’s recruiting coordinator and is responsible for opponent scouting and on-court coaching. He also helps oversee the academic progress of the Penguins’ student-athletes.
“Mike has been a valued and loyal assistant coach to me for 11 years, and he has worked diligently during his time here,” Slocum said. “He has a tremendous knowledge of the game and is a great teacher of the game.
“He loves YSU and is a person that I have the utmost trust in.”
The Penguins have had six first- or second-team all-league selections, a defensive player of the year and six all-newcomer/all-freshman team honorees while Wernicki has been an assistant coach.
In 2015-16, Wernicki, who works with the Penguins guards, mentored sophomore Cameron Morse, who averaged 20.3 points per game and was named All-Horizon League Second-Team.
Morse led the Horizon League with 23.3 points per game in league games and became just the seventh player in school history to score at least 600 points in a season with 608.