July 17, 2002

NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack basketball coach Danny Kaspar has announced the addition of Ben Melland to his coaching staff for the 2002-03 basketball season. Melland takes over as the restricted coach on Kaspar?s staff, filling the role formerly held by T.J. Marcum. Marcum left earlier this summer to take a position with a Denton area high school.

Melland joins the SFA staff after having spent the past year as a graduate assistant at the University of Memphis, for coach John Calipari. A 1999 graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Stout, Melland also served as an assistant coach at the Wisconsin school for two years before moving on to Memphis.

The Eau Claire, Wisconsin native was a three sport letterwinner in high school and played one year of college football at Wisconsin-Stout. He has also coached at the high school level in Wisconsin and is nearing completion of his master?s degree in exercise and sport science from the University of Memphis.

Melland will assist in the day-to-day operations of the Lumberjack basketball team, as well as, coaching and recruiting duties.