A general manager will oversee both men’s and women’s basketball teams, a new position in a slew of hires that officials say will elevate the programs to the standard of other Division I teams.
Former men’s basketball Director of Operations and Assistant Coach Cooper Handelsman was named GW’s first general manager of basketball earlier this month, a role that allows him to oversee both basketball programs. Men’s basketball also added Eric Sebastian as the team’s new director of operations for the 2024-25 season, to fill Handelsman’s former role.
Women’s basketball Head Coach Caroline McCombs added three assistant coaches, Amy Pryor, Jasmyn Walker and Doug Novak and a new Director of Basketball Operations, Carolina Blanco.
Prior to the round of August hires, officials promoted Matt Colpoys to assistant coach from director of recruiting in April after former Assistant Coach Zak Boisvert departed for the same position at fellow A-10 school Saint Louis. Officials also promoted Aaron Thompson from director of player development to assistant coach in July.
The hires come amid a slump for both basketball programs. The women’s team finished 11th in the Atlantic-10 last season, and the men concluded their season in last place.
Cooper Handelsman – General Manager of Basketball
Then-Director of Athletics Tanya Vogel announced that former men’s basketball Director of Operations and Assistant Coach Handelsman would shift roles to become the University’s first general manager of basketball. This new role was created to continue advancing both basketball programs in the Division I field and allow student-athletes to benefit from name, image and likeness deals, according to a release.
GW joins St. Joseph’s as the only A-10 teams that employ general managers for their basketball programs. Before the 2023-24 season commenced, St. Joseph’s promoted Rob Sullivan to the general manager position.
“GW is working to position all of its sports programs to be able to best take advantage of NIL opportunities,” Vogel said in a press release. “Cooper will be focusing on how best to optimize GW’s resources including its alumni, fans and donors to provide opportunities for our men’s and women’s basketball programs while learning more about how to build out GW’s NIL program for all current and future student-athletes.”
NIL allows college athletes to benefit from paid endorsements and sponsorships from companies.
Handelsman will also serve as the liaison between the basketball programs and other University departments.
“We’ve been trying to do some research and just seeing how many programs across the country have this position,” McCombs said. “Sometimes it’s just for one sport, but to have this for the sport of basketball, for our men and our women, is really important.”
Men’s basketball Head Coach Chris Caputo said the creation of the general manager position demonstrates the University’s dedication to advancing the basketball programs.
“I think it shows a commitment by President Granberg and our administration and our board,” Caputo said. “We understand that these are some of the things that are happening in college basketball, and we need somebody to help us with navigating that.”
Eric Sebastian – Men’s Basketball Director of Operations
Sebastian joins the men’s basketball program as the director of operations after spending seven seasons as the director of coaching operations for the Washington Wizards.
His responsibilities for the Wizards included scheduling, booking travel and communicating between them and their G-League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go. Caputo said that Sebastian will take on a role similar to his with the Wizards.
After graduating from Southern Methodist University in 1994, Sebastian interned with the Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Nuggets. During his 15 years with the Nuggets, he rose from intern to director of media relations. In 2009, he was hired as the director of basketball operations at the University of Memphis, where he worked with the Tigers until 2016.
Caputo said Sebastian’s work across the NBA, NFL and NCAA will benefit the Revolutionaries by bringing more professional experience to the program.
“I think just having that high level,” Caputo said. “When you’re trying to build a first-class program, you bring somebody from the NBA, and the NBA does things first class. It’s a good match for what we’re trying to do.”
Amy Pryor, Jasmyn Walker and Doug Novak – Women’s Basketball Assistant Coaches
McCombs hired three new women’s basketball team assistant coaches this offseason after Ali Jaques, Adria Crawford and Hailey Zeise left the program.
Pryor comes to the District after spending two seasons at Eastern Michigan University, the first season as the director of basketball operations and the second as an assistant coach. As an athlete, she played her first two collegiate seasons at Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa College before transferring to Oral Roberts University and spending her final season at Oklahoma Baptist University.
Pryor previously coached at Northern Oklahoma as an assistant coach in the 2010-11 season and at Eastern New Mexico State from 2011 to 2013.
McCombs said Pryor will primarily focus on the point guards, the position she played during her career. In her two seasons at Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa, Pryor averaged 12.4 points per game.
Walker joins the Revs’ staff after spending the 2023-24 season at Purdue University Fort Wayne as an assistant coach. Before joining the Mastodons staff, Walker was the coordinator of recruiting and creative content at Butler University. She also served as an assistant coach at Davenport University and Ferris State University.
While playing college basketball, Walker spent her first two seasons at Valparaiso University and her final two at Western Michigan University. McCombs spent six seasons at Valparaiso as an assistant coach and an associate coach in 2004 when Walker was on the roster.
McCombs said she believes Walker will be an essential contributor to her coaching staff because of her previous work as a coach and player.
“Jasmyn is first and foremost, a good young person for our players to watch,” McCombs said. “I think she’s going to be very highly involved, in recruiting, whether that’s nationally, regionally, just looking for her to really make her mark in that area this year.”
As a wing in college, Walker will work to develop other players in the same position for the women’s team this upcoming season.
Novak joined McCombs’ staff on July 15 as an assistant coach. He previously served in the same role at Northern Kentucky University last season and coached at Mississippi State and Army.
The University of Tennessee graduate spent most of his coaching tenure with the Bethel University men’s basketball team, leading the program to a 131-68 record over his eight years.
McCombs said she has implemented Novak’s offense into her coaching repertoire and is grateful to work alongside him.
Novak will also work on player development throughout the season.
“Coach Novak is a veteran, seasoned coach,” McCombs said. “He has a lot of wisdom. He has a lot of expertise. I’ve been fortunate to build a friendship with him over the past few years.”
Carolina Blanco – Women’s Director of Basketball Operations
On the same day Pryor and Walker were hired, officials announced that Blanco would join women’s basketball as the new director of basketball operations.
Blanco spent her career working in a wide array of industries, most recently spending time as a consultant for the 318 Foundation, a company striving to empower marginalized communities through sports and mentorship.
Blanco spent 18 seasons as the executive director of Sports International Group, a sports agency representing professional and collegiate athletes and coaches. As a Duquesne graduate, Blanco is no stranger to the A-10.
McCombs said Blanco’s work as a sports agent in the area and her familiarity with the A-10 conference will help the program grow. Blanco was the agent of GW Athletics Hall of Famer Jonquel Jones.
“The relationships that she has with really high level college basketball players, now pros, helping them make that transition, from college to Pro is a skill that she has really developed,” McCombs said. “So now we’re just looking at high school to college, and that development, but the connections that she has with people around the world is really awesome. She definitely has strong connections in the DMV.”
