Holy Cross Basketball Announces Completion of Coaching Staff

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

GoLocalWorcester Sports Team

RJ Evans PHOTO: Holy Cross

Holy Cross basketball head coach Brett Nelson announced the completion of his coaching staff for the 2019-2020 season.

R.J. Evans and Sam Ferry have both been named assistant coaches, while assistant coach Joe Kennedy and director of operations Max Ginsberg have been retained.

“I am really excited that we have been able to put together a tremendous staff of high-integrity, high-energy individuals. All of them are motivated, competitive, committed and unselfish. They will help our program and our community each and every day, and I am looking forward to working with each of them,” said Nelson.

Holy Cross will be entering its first year under Nelson in 2019-2020. The Crusaders finished the 2018-2019 campaign with an overall record of 16-17.

The Staff

Evans returns to Holy Cross after spending the 2018-2019 season as an assistant coach at North Carolina-Asheville. He was previously an assistant coach at Louisville in 2017-2018, helping the Cardinals to an overall record of 22-14 and a trip to the National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals.

Evans also spent two years as a graduate assistant at Texas (2015-2017) and one year as an assistant coach at Nichols (2014-2015). A 2012 graduate of Holy Cross with a bachelor’s degree in economics, Evans scored 1,200 career points for the Crusaders and was named the 2009 Patriot League Rookie of the Year. He then played one post-graduate season at Connecticut in 2012-2013. Evans received a master’s degree in educational psychology from Connecticut in 2013 and a master’s degree in kinesiology from Texas in 2017.

Evans worked for GoLocal as a digital media consultant.

Ferry joins the Crusaders after spending the 2018-2019 season as an assistant coach at Cleveland State. He was previously an assistant coach at Pittsburgh during the 2017-2018 campaign. Prior to that, Ferry spent six seasons on the staff at Monmouth from 2011-2017. He joined the Hawks as the director of basketball operations in 2011, before being promoted to assistant coach prior to the 2013-2014 season.

Ferry helped lead Monmouth to a pair of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season titles, with the Hawks winning 28 games in 2015-2016 and 27 games in 2016-2017. A 2010 graduate of Vanderbilt with a bachelor’s degree in human and organizational development, Ferry spent four years as a student manager for the Commodores before serving as the team’s director of video operations in 2010-2011.

Kennedy has been on the Holy Cross coaching staff for four years, with the Crusaders posting a 6-3 mark in the Patriot League Tournament during that time. In 2015-2016, he helped the Crusaders to their first NCAA Tournament victory since 1953 and their first Patriot League Tournament title since 2007, while becoming the first team in conference history to win four postseason games on the road.

Prior to his time at Holy Cross, Kennedy served as a video coordinator for the Sacramento Kings (2014-2015), the director of player personnel at Oregon State (2013-2014) and the director of men’s basketball operations at Northwestern (2010-2013). A 2007 graduate of Northwestern with a bachelor’s degree in education and social policy, Kennedy was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.

Ginsberg is entering his second year with the Crusaders, after serving as the team’s volunteer video coordinator during the 2018-2019 season. He was in charge of using game analysis and scouting software to provide edits and reports to the coaching staff, in addition to evaluating film and developing scouting reports.

Ginsberg came to Holy Cross from Cornell University, where he worked with the men’s basketball program for four years. He served as the assistant to the director of basketball operations during the 2017-2018 season, assisting with practice plans, scouting reports, film editing and travel arrangements. Ginsberg also spent three years as the team’s head student manager. In addition, he was the director of the Cornell summer basketball camp in 2017, while working as a coach at summer camps for Holy Cross and UCLA.

Related Slideshow: 10 Biggest Games in Holy Cross Basketball History

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10.

March 1, 1975

Holy Cross vs Army - The final game at the Worcester Auditorium

Holy Cross beat Army 89-73 in the final game at the Worcester Auditorium.

The Crusaders were coached by George Blaney and went 229-64 in the building all-time.

PHOTO: Tunnelbug/flickr

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9.

Feb, 14, 2001

Holy Cross vs Navy

Holy Cross clinches the programs first ever Patriot League Regular season title beating Navy 77-67 on the road.

Josh Sankes led Holy Cross that season.

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8.

March 9, 2001

Holy Cross vs. Navy - Patriot League Championship

Holy Cross beats Navy 68-64 in overtime to win the Patriot League Championship.

Ralph Willard was the head coach.

PHOTO: College Hoop Hits

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7.

March 9, 2007

Bucknell vs Holy Cross - Patriot League Championship

The Crusaders hosted the Patriot League Championship game at the Hart Center and defeated Bucknell 74-66.

Keith Simmons led Holy Cross in the game.

PHOTO: Wikipedia

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6.

March 10, 1993

Holy Cross vs Bucknell - Patriot League Championship

The Crusaders won their first Patriot league title beating Bucknell 98-73.

Rob Feaster was named tournament MVP after pouring in 66 points and recording 9 steals in three games.

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5.

March 5, 1977

Holy Cross vs. #8 Providence in ECAC Championship

Holy Cross defeated Providence 68-67 on a buzzer beater by Chris Potter to win ECAC Championship and advance to NCAA Tournament for first time in 21 years.