Updated: April 3, 2019 at 8:44 p.m.
Men’s basketball head coach Jamion Christian added a trio of new faces to the men’s basketball coaching staff.
Graham Bousley, Ryan Devlin and Nima Omidvar were named men’s basketball assistant coaches, Christian announced in a release from the athletic department Wednesday. Bousley and Devlin both come to Foggy Bottom off stints at Siena, where they worked under Christian, while Omidvar hails from the program at South Alabama.
“I’ve always prided myself in hiring a great staff that not only supports my weaknesses but that most importantly provides our student-athletes with tremendous optimism daily,” Christian in the release. “The energy and enthusiasm each one brings will give us the fight needed to compete in our league and beyond.”
The three assistant coaches mark the first hirings by Christian after he was named men’s basketball head coach last month.
Bousley, who will serve as the team’s offensive coordinator, spent the 2018-19 season as an assistant coach at Siena under Christian. Under Bousley’s purview, the Saints’ offense ranked eighth nationally in fewest turnovers per game and set the school record with 288 made three-pointers.
“You always want to work with people who are high achievers and who attack challenges without fear,” Christian said. “That is exactly who Graham has always been. His understanding of our offense and how we can attack opposing teams will help us climb to the top of the A-10.”
Prior to his single season at Siena, Bousley spent two seasons at Mount St. Mary’s alongside Christian. During the 2017-18 season, the team’s offense led the Northeast Conference in made threes per game with 10.1, three-point field goal percentage with .379 and assists with 14.0. Bousley helped Mount St. Mary’s secure 38 wins overall.
Devlin will manage the Colonials’ post play and serve as the team’s defensive coordinator. He spent the 2018-19 season at Siena as an assistant coach and worked in the AAU circuit with the U16 and U17 Albany City Rocks program for one year before that.
From 2013-17, Devlin served as the director of player development at Penn State.
“I absolutely love Ryan’s energy,” Christian said.
Omidvar served as an assistant coach at South Alabama for the 2018-19 season after being on staff at Maryland for four years. He will take over as recruiting coordinator and oversee “the press and specials” for the Colonials, according to the release.
At South Alabama, Omidvar helped the Jaguars to 17 wins – the program’s most wins since 2013 – in his one-year stint as an assistant coach.
Omidvar was an assistant coach at Maryland from 2014-18 where he helped the Terrapins to a regular-season record 26 wins in his first year before guiding the team to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament in the 2015-16 season. The Terrapins went 20–2 in their first 22 games of the 2016-17 season with Omidvar on the sidelines.
Omidvar also comes to GW with experience at North Carolina State and Bowie State.
“Every place Nima has been has seen great improvement because his work ethic and passion are infectious,” Christian said.
This post was updated to reflect the following correction:
The Hatchet incorrectly reported that Christian was hired earlier this month. He was hired in March. We regret this error.
