JAMESTOWN, ND (jimmiepride.com) – University of Jamestown Director of Athletics Austin Hieb has announced Casey Bruggeman as the new head coach of Jimmie men’s basketball.
“What an incredible honor to become the next men’s basketball coach at the University of Jamestown,” Bruggeman said. “I would like to thank President Polly Peterson, Austin Hieb, and Greg Ulland for selecting me to lead the program into an exciting new era. I am thrilled to join a community that is so passionate about athletics and the student-athlete experience. I cannot wait to get to Jamestown and begin working.”
“Casey was on our radar early on in the process, and the more we learned about him, the more impressed we were,” said Hieb. “His emphasis on culture stuck out from the beginning. Casey’s knowledge of the region and familiarity with the NSIC are huge positives as we move to the NSIC. We are excited to have Casey leading our men’s basketball program and think he’s an incredible addition to the University of Jamestown athletic department.”
Originally from Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, Bruggeman comes to Jamestown after spending the last two seasons at the University of South Dakota as the Director of Basketball Operations and Player Development. There, he managed compliance, student-athlete academics, finances, and team travel. He also assisted in all aspects of recruiting and scheduling of practices and game preparation.
Before South Dakota, Bruggeman was an assistant at the University of Minnesota-Duluth beginning with the 2018-19 season. He took on many duties as one of two assistants on staff including scouting, recruiting, practice planning, budgeting, player development, and in-game schemes. Bruggeman was also responsible for maintaining the team’s social media accounts and creating content for recruits. Off the court, he was responsible for monitoring student-athlete academic efforts, assisting in the organizing and executing of donor and alumni outreach, and volunteering for game management and community events.
UMD went 70-32 with Bruggeman on the bench, setting a Bulldog record for most wins in the Division II era (25) in the 2021-22 season. UMD also ranked as high as fifth in Division II, the highest in school history. UMD was the 2021-22 NSIC-North Champions and earned an at-large bid to the 2022 NCAA Division II Tournament.
Bruggeman’s coaching career started as an assistant coach at the University of Mary from 2016-18. While on the Marauders staff, Bruggeman was responsible for recruiting, scouting, academic oversight, and was the lead camp director for the youth and team basketball camps. Along with his coaching duties, Bruggeman also took on the job of program operations. He coordinated travel logistics, managed student-athlete schedules, monitored budgeting, assisted with fundraising, and coordinated volunteer efforts.
Bruggeman played four seasons of collegiate basketball at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. He was voted team captain his senior season before an injury sidelined him for the remainder of his career. Bruggeman graduated from Concordia College in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics education before obtaining his master’s degree in physical education and athletic administration from the University of Mary in 2018.