College of Lake County men's basketball coach Chuck Ramsey gives instruction to the team during a game. | Photo provided by College of Lake County Athletics
College of Lake County men's basketball coach Chuck Ramsey gives instruction to the team during a game. | Photo provided by College of Lake County Athletics
Dan Ryan didn't get a lot of playing time as a Lancer, but what he did get was confidence.
The former College of Lake County basketball player had been wanting to pursue a coaching career for a long time, and now he’s been given the chance as a graduate assistant coach for Belmont University’s men’s basketball program.
Ryan spent three years as the head men’s basketball manager at Illinois State University, where he watched the team make trips to the National Invitational Tournament after just missing the NCAA tournament. He said he is planning to complete a graduate degree in sports administration at Belmont, and he credits his time as a Lancer with putting him on the right path.
Dan Ryan
At Lake County, Ryan didn’t got the chance to observe coach Chuck Ramsey’s style and even filled in as an assistant coach when regular assistant Bill Werly was unable to attend a game due to health reasons.
He said that not only did the experience prepare for a four-year degree, but he also saw what he could do in a mentor role. Ryan hopes the success he had at both Lake County and Illinois State will translate well to the next stage of his career.
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