Staff Report

Men’s basketball head coach Billy Gillispie announced the hiring of Tracy Webster as the third and final assistant coach on the men’s basketball team yesterday.

“I’m extremely happy that we were able to hire Tracy Webster,” Gillispie said. “I’ve known him and observed him for a long time. He gets along with everyone. The players he has recruited over the year speak highly of him because he develops relationships.”

Webster comes to UK after a three-year stint as an assistant coach at Illinois and sat on the bench during the 2005 national championship game when the Fighting Illini finished as the runner-up. Prior to Illinois, Webster served as an assistant at Purdue from 2003-04 and as an assistant at Ball State from 2001-03.

During his tenure at Ball State, the Harvey, Ill., native helped the Cardinals to their first outright Mid-American Conference West Division Championship while advancing to the Elite Eight of the National Invitational Tournament in 2002.

As a player, Webster was a three-time captain at Wisconsin from 1992-94. He earned All-Big Ten honors in each of his three years.

“He was a good player,” Gillispie said, “and as an assistant he’s been on the bench during the NCAA championship game, which is the goal we are all working toward.”