Matt Lottich has his first staff as Valparaiso’s coach.
David Ragland and Jackie Manuel were announced as assistants on Wednesday, with Chad Warner as director of basketball operations. They join Luke Gore, who remained an assistant in his 15th season with the Crusaders.
“I am excited to introduce our coaching staff for next season to the Valpo fan base,” Lottich said in a news release. “Bringing in David, Jackie and Chad, along with keeping Luke on staff, will strengthen our program going forward.
“As a group, it’s a staff which has experienced winning — both as players and coaches — a staff which has strong recruiting ties, and most importantly a staff devoted to helping develop our players, both on and off the basketball court.”
Ragland was an assistant for one season with fellow Horizon League member Northern Kentucky after one at Bowling Green and four at Indiana State. He also was the coach at Vincennes for two seasons after three as an assistant. The Evansville native finished his college career at Southern Indiana.
Manuel spent four seasons as an assistant at UNC Greensboro under former North Carolina teammate Wes Miller. He was the Tar Heels’ assistant strength and conditioning coach in 2011-12.
A two-time All-ACC Defensive Team pick, Manuel was a tri-captain on North Carolina’s 2005 national champion that beat Roger Powell and Illinois. He played four seasons in the NBA Development League and one in Japan, against Lottich.
Warner was the coach at Shorter University for eight seasons through 2015, and was named the NABC National Coach of the Year in 2011-12. He guided the NAIA school in its transition to Division II in 2012-13.
Warner also spent two seasons each as an assistant at William & Mary and Division III Hampden-Sydney. A walk-on at Georgia and 1998 graduate, he was a graduate assistant for the Bulldogs in 2002-03.
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Post-Tribune staff contributed to this story.