Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Anthony Stewart named Assistant Coach for Men's Basketball
04/06/2011 | 12:00:00 | Men's Basketball
April 6, 2011
By Tom Weber
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Southern Illinois University men's basketball coach Chris Lowery announced Wednesday that Anthony Stewart has joined his staff as assistant coach.
Stewart has spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Wyoming. The Akron, Ohio native used his midwest recruiting ties to bring players such as Desmar Jackson to the Cowboys' program. Jackson, of Warren, Ohio was a Freshman All-American at Wyoming in 2010.
Lowery said he has known Stewart since 2002 and has always been impressed with his work ethic.
"Basketball is his passion," Lowery said. "He has an MBA and he left the business world to pursue his dream of coaching. He's worked his way up the ladder in this business, and I admire the way he hustles."
Prior to Wyoming, Stewart served two seasons as an assistant at Long Beach State (2004-06). There, he recruited Aaron Nixon, who was the No. 1 ranked junior college player in the country according to The Sporting News. Nixon went on to earn Big West Conference Player of the Year honors for the 2006-07 season.
"My bread and butter has been recruiting," Stewart said. "But I've also been a good liaison between players and head coaches. I've worked on being a good communicator and building relationships with guys."
From 2001-04, Stewart was the top assistant at Columbus State Community College in Columbus, Ohio, where he helped develop that program into one of the best Division II junior college programs in the country. In his final season as an assistant at CSCC, the Cougars posted a 29-2 record and were ranked No. 1 in the country before losing to eventual national champion Cuyahoga Community College.
Stewart recruited three All-Americans and five First-Team All-Conference selections while at Columbus State. The Cougars posted an 86-36 (.705) record in his time at CSCC.
Like Ron Smith, who was named Associate Head Coach at SIU on Mar. 15, Stewart believes Saluki Basketball can achieve a quick turnaround from last year's 13-19 season.
"I don't think we're that far away," he said. "We have a solid core of guys who are willing to buy into Coach Lowery's system. All those banners I saw on my visit are there for a reason. The things they teach and emphasize at Southern Illinois obviously work, and the coaching staff is sound."
In college, Stewart was a two-sport star at Mount Union (Ohio). He was twice named Most Valuable Player of the Mount Union basketball team and concluded his college career ranked on program's all-time scoring list. Stewart was also a three-year letterman in baseball as a pitcher.
He received his bachelor's degree in business management from Mount Union in 1993, and completed his MBA from the Chancellor University College of Business in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2006.
Stewart and his wife, Cheryl, have two sons, Anthony and Parker, and one daughter, Skylar.
