New Gophers women's basketball coach Dawn Plitzuweit announced her assistant coaching staff Monday. And as hinted, it's a reunion of her staff from West Virginia.
New Gophers coach Dawn Plitzuweit brings staff from West Virginia
Jason Jeschke, Aaron Horn and Ariel Braker all coached under Plitzuweit at South Dakota before heading to West Virginia and now Minnesota.
March 27, 2023 at 5:18PM
After having moved with Plitzuweit from South Dakota to West Virginia a year ago, Jason Jeschke, Aaron Horn and Ariel Braker will be coming to Minnesota.
"I am incredibly excited and thankful to have the opportunity to continue working alongside Jason, Aaron and Ariel,'' Plitzuweit said in a news release. "We have great synergy and connectivity as a staff, and we have continued to learn and grow together over the years.''
As he was at West Virginia, Jeschke will be Plitzuweit's associate head coach. He has been with Plitzuweit since coming to South Dakota in 2017. Horn came to South Dakota in 2016. Braker — a two-year starter and three-time captain as a player at Notre Dame who played in three NCAA title games — was with Plitzuweit for a year at South Dakota before going to West Virginia.
As a group the coaching staff led the Mountaineers to an NCAA tournament berth this spring.
South Dakota was 135-27 in Jeschke's time at South Dakota. He was an assistant for a year, then promoted to associate head coach starting with the 2018-19 season.
"Having worked with Dawn for the past six seasons, I know her to be a great leader and developer of young women, both on and off the court,'' he said in the release. "I am absolutely pumped to work alongside here and the rest of the staff.''
Horn was with Plitzuweit for her entire run at South Dakota, during which the Coyotes went 158-35.
"I have recruited in the Minneapolis area for many years and have always thought it was a great place to be,'' he said. "And now to be able to call lit home is absolutely remarkable.''
Braker came to South Dakota for the 2021-22 season after stints as an assistant at Oakland, Lehigh, Western Texas, Grosse Pointe North High School and Wayne State. Part of the winningest class in Notre Dame history, the Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich. native was also recruiting coordinator for Plitzuweit both at South Dakota and West Virginia.
"I am extremely excited to be back in the Midwest and have the opportunity to represent the University of Minnesota,'' she said. "The Big Ten is a highly-competitive conference and I am excited to get to work with our student-athletes.''
The Gophers will lose senior setter Melani Shaffmaster, but they don’t expect players to leave via the transfer portal.
