Husband and wife to coach basketball at LSSU

NEWS RELEASE

LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

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Husband-wife team to serve as basketball assistants at LSSU

SAULT STE. MARIE, MI -- The husband-wife team of Troy and Tethnie Forbes will serve as assistant coaches for the Lake Superior State men's and women's basketball programs.

The Forbeses were assistant coaches at Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Ill., for four years. Troy will replace Brady Larson, who spent three seasons as the assistant coach for the Laker men’s basketball team. Tethnie will fill the position vacated by Jamie Pewinski, who was promoted to LSSU head coach in March.

Troy Forbes was a four-year letter winner and 800-point scorer at Emporia State in Emporia, Kan., and earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 2000. He also earned a master's degree in physical education from Northwest Missouri State in 2002.

During four seasons at Elmhurst, he coached a two-time NCAA Division III All-American and seven all-conference honorees. He served as strength and conditioning coordinator and equipment manager, and was involved with fund-raising. Elmhurst enjoyed a four-year record of 57-44, including its second-best season record in school history, was nationally ranked three out of four seasons, and posted team grade point averages of 3.23 (2004-05) and 3.0 (2005-06) during Forbes' tenure as an assistant coach.

"Troy comes in with excellent experience as he has been involved with very successful programs at all of his stops," LSSU men's basketball coach Mike Fitzner said. He has tremendous energy and enthusiasm, and a great rapport with the student-athletes. He will fit in very well with our team, University and community.

Troy Forbes also served as a graduate assistant coach for two seasons at Northwest Missouri State, which finished 29-3 and reached the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in 2001-02. The Bearcats were 54-9 and ranked among the top five nationally during his two-year coaching stint.

Tethnie Forbes is a 1999 graduate of Emporia State, where she received a bachelor's degree in physical education. She earned a master's degree in physical education and coaching from Ball State in 2005.

"Tethnie comes to LSSU highly recommended and with a ton of coaching experience," Pewinski said. "She has a great work ethic and the desire it takes to be successful at the Division II level. Her recruiting experience at Elmhurst will enable her to hit the ground running and will be a positive for our program."

The Bluejays won a school-record 17 games in 2005-06 and posted their best league finish in 15 years. Tethnie also gained extensive camp and recruiting experience during her tenure. Prior to coaching at Elmhurst, she served as head girls basketball coach and assistant softball coach at Jefferson C-123 High School in Conception Junction, Mo., from 2000-02, and was an assistant varsity girls basketball coach from 1996-98 at Emporia High School.

Jefferson C-123 won a Class A state softball title in 2002, and Emporia High School finished third in the Class 6A state basketball tournament in 1998. She taught elementary school in Evanston, Ill., and River Forest, Ill., while assisting with the Elmhurst College program. She was a member of the Emporia State women’s basketball team in 1994-95.

Note: Nicole Lindsey, who was recently announced as LSSU's new assistant women's basketball coach, opted to remain at Central Missouri State after being offered a No. 1 assistant's position.

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