Brumett takes over a Lakeland program that finished 21-6 last season. (Photo courtesy of Lakeland College)

DePauw assistant is new Lakeland College head basketball coach
SHEBOYGAN, Wis. -- Kyle Brumett, no stranger to success in Division III basketball, today was named new head men's basketball coach at Lakeland College.

For the past seven seasons, Brumett has been top assistant at DePauw University, a highly-successful Division III program in Greencastle, Ind. Brumett played at Hanover College in his native Indiana and spent a season as an assistant to current Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl at Division II powerhouse Southern Indiana.

“I'm excited about this opportunity to be in charge of my own program,” said Brumett, who replaces Gary Grzesk as Lakeland's head coach. “This has been a goal of mine for a long time – to become the head coach of a Division III basketball team.”

DePauw was 121-62 and won three Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference championships during Brumett's seven seasons on staff.

In 2001-02, DePauw advanced to the Elite Eight round of the Division III NCAA Tournament, including a win over top-ranked Washington University in the Sweet 16. DePauw then fell to eventual national champion Otterbein in the Elite Eight. The Tigers ended the season ranked fourth in the final D3hoops.com poll.

Brumett and DePauw met Lakeland twice in the 2003-04 season. DePauw beat Lakeland 79-77 in the season opener for both teams at the Transylvania, Ky., tournament, then beat the Muskies again a few months later, 56-48, in the consolation championship game of the Clark College Holiday Tournament in Dubuque, Iowa.

“This national search was a matter of finding a coach with solid Division III experience and someone that would be a good fit for Lakeland, and in Kyle we found both,” said Lakeland athletic director Jane Bouche. “We enjoyed a great season this past winter, and we want to keep that success rolling as we enter the Northern Athletics Conference. Kyle is the coach to make that happen.”

Lakeland finished 21-6 in 2005-06 and won the final Lake Michigan Conference regular season title. The Muskies won 20 games for the first time in over a decade, and returned to the NCAA Division III Midwest Region Poll for the first time since 2002-03.

Lakeland joins the new 12-school Northern Athletics Conference this fall.

“They had such a great season, and the returning players are so excited right now to get right back at it,” Brumett said. “With the coaching change and the new conference there are some question marks, but we will quickly commit to continuing the success of last season.”

Brumett said he's well aware of Lakeland's success under legendary coach Duane “Moose” Woltzen in the 1960s and 1970s, which makes landing Lakeland as his first head coaching position a little sweeter.

“Coach Woltzen's success is legendary,” Brumett said. “The tradition of this program is thanks to him, his players and his assistant coaches. The things he and his wife, Dona, have done for Lakeland College and its students are extraordinary. It's a great honor for a young guy like me to coach at a place that has enjoyed so much success.”

Brumett said Lakeland and its students are a good fit for him.

“I think Lakeland College embraces kids that come from similar backgrounds as mine – young men and women who are anxious to be successful and are not afraid of the hard work it takes to attain that success,” Brumett said. “That is what our team is going to be about.

“Lakeland's program has the reputation of outworking the competition thanks to former coaches Paul Combs and Gary Grzesk. It's important to me that reputation continues and grows.”

Brumett, who also served as DePauw's assistant men's and women's golf coach, coordinated DePauw's recruiting, scouting, game scheduling and travel arrangements. On the floor, he spent four years working specifically with the Tigers' post players and three years with the perimeter players. In addition, Brumett supervised one graduate assistant basketball coach, one volunteer assistant coach, two student managers and numerous work study students.

Before arriving at DePauw, the 1998 Hanover graduate assisted Bruce Pearl at the University of Southern Indiana during the 1998-99 season. The Eagles finished that season 26-6 before losing to the eventual Division II national champion. The Eagles were the top-ranked Division II team throughout the year.

Brumett majored in physical education at Hanover and served as an assistant when his playing career came to an end. In his four years, the Panthers posted a 74-34 record.

The Jeffersonville, Ind., native graduated from Jeffersonville High School in 1994. Brumett earned a master's degree in Recreation and Sports Management from Indiana State University in 2004.

Brumett said he and his wife, Steffanie, are anxious to move to the area and get acclimated.

“Steffanie and I look forward to becoming a big part of both the athletic and larger Lakeland community,” he said.

Release courtesy of Lakeland College, Sports Information Department, May 30, 2006.