SIUE Men's Basketball Changes Announced

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE men's basketball coach Lennox Forrester has announced changes to the Cougars' basketball staff.

The biggest change is the addition of assistant coach Mitch Gilfillan. Gilfillan joins SIUE after serving the last four years on the coaching staff at Ball State University, of the Mid-American Conference.

It also was announced that Assistant Coach Matt Laur, who begins his fifth season on the staff, has been elevated to Associate Head Coach.

"Mitch is going to be a great addition," Forrester said. "He brings experience, knowledge, and enthusiasm to our program."

"I want to thank Coach Forrester and SIUE for the opportunity to join the men's basketball program," Gilfillan said. "SIUE is filled with promise and potential in one of the most underestimated conferences in the country – the OVC.  I want to help the Cougars reach new heights on and off the court."

After serving a year at Ball State as the director of basketball operations in 2009-10, Gilfillan was elevated to assistant coach at age 26, making him the youngest assistant coach in the MAC at the time. In his first year as an assistant, the Cardinals finished 19-13, marking the 11th most wins in a single season in Ball State history.
While coaching the Cardinals, Gilfillan was instrumental in the Cardinals' recruiting process, including helping the Cardinals land one of the top junior college players in the country in Majok Majok. Known as a tireless recruiter, Gilfillan also was involved with scouting, game preparation, practice planning, and community relations.

A native of Morton, Ill., Gilfillan was a four-year letter winner as a player at Lehigh University. After earning Patriot League All-Rookie honors as a freshman, Gilfillan helped Lehigh claim its first-ever Patriot League regular season and tournament championships as a sophomore, which led to a berth in the 2004 NCAA tournament. He graduated in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in political science before earning a Juris Doctor from Valparaiso University School of Law in 2009.

"Mitch is very organized and very passionate about what he does," Forrester added. "He is the perfect fit for our program."

Gilfillan graduated from Peoria Notre Dame High School in 2002 after earning 11 varsity letters.  As a three-sport athlete, Gilfillan earned All-State honors in basketball and soccer.  He was named a McDonald's All-American nominee and was a member of the St. Louis Eagles AAU team.