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MEGAN BEVINS
A New Era for West Virginia Basketball
In the heart of the Mountain State ’ s sports sector lies two beloved Division I schools — Marshall University and West Virginia University ( WVU ). Surrounding these universities are passionate fans , loving communities and vibrant cultures . This year , both schools have experienced a major change in their athletics — new head coaches for their men ’ s basketball teams .
In April , Marshall announced the hiring of Cornelius “ Corny ” Jackson as its new men ’ s head basketball coach . Jackson will replace coach Dan D ’ Antoni , who he previously worked alongside as assistant coach , following his 10-year run with the team .
Jackson , a West Virginia native , grew up in Oak Hill and developed a love for basketball around the age of 6 . He attended Oak Hill High School and played on the basketball
team , eventually becoming the 1996 West Virginia High School Player of the Year .
After graduating , Jackson began his college basketball career at the University of Tennessee . There , he played for one season before transferring back home to attend Marshall , where he stayed until graduation .
Once he completed college , Jackson played internationally in Austria and Hungary before beginning what would be a long and fruitful coaching career . In total , he has coached through four seasons at Cleveland State University , four seasons at the University of Tennessee at Martin and six seasons at West Virginia State University . He is now heading into his eighth season at Marshall . Stepping into the role of head
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