EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Fresh off of a CollegeInsider.com Tournament Championship, University of Evansville men's basketball coach Marty Simmons has announced the addition of Doug Novsek and Lennox Forrester as assistant coaches with the Purple Aces.
 
"We are very excited to add Doug and Lennox to our staff, they both bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the program," Simmons said.  "Both have also worked extensively in the MVC, that experience, coupled with everything else they have done, will be priceless for Evansville Basketball."
 
Novsek makes his way to Evansville after spending the last nine seasons on the staff at the University of Nevada.  Since 2009, Novsek has served as the Associate Head Coach of the Wolfpack.  His expertise helped Nevada win three Western Athletic Conference regular-season championships while making five postseason appearances.  Nevada advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2007 while making the NIT in 2010 and 2012.  In 2008 and 2009, his squads played in the CBI. 
 
In his time with the Wolfpack, Novsek coached six players who went on to play in the NBA.  That included a pair of first-round picks in JaVale McGee and Luke Babbitt.  McGee was the 18^th pick in the 2009 draft by the Washington Wizards while Babbitt was the 16^th choice in the 2011 draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
 
Nick Fazekas was taken 34^th by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2008 NBA Draft.  He was one of three second-round picks coached by Novsek.  Ramon Sessions was a second-round pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2007 while Armon Johnson went to the Portland Trail Blazers with the 34^th pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.  Deonte Burton was a free agent signee by the Sacramento Kings.
 
Before heading to Reno, Novsek spent four seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska.  Aside from his experience at Nevada and Nebraska, he also has a Missouri Valley Conference background.  Novsek was an assistant coach at Illinois State from 1999 through 2002, helping the Redbirds to the NIT in 2001.  Between 1989 and 1994, Novsek was on the staff at Indiana State.  He was also a player at Southern Illinois from 1983 through 1987.
 
Evansville graduate Lennox Forrester makes his return to the program after serving as the head coach at SIU Edwardsville for the last eight seasons.  He did an admirable job of overseeing the Cougars transition from Division II to a full DI member of the Ohio Valley Conference.  Forrester led the SIUE to its first OVC Tournament appearance in 2014 while winning seven league games, both records in SIUE's Division I tenure.
 
From the start of the 2010-11 season through the end of 2013-14, Forrester oversaw his program improve its home win total in each season, laying the foundation for its DI transition.  In the Cougar's first season in the OVC, Forrester's SIUE team defeated Murray State.
 
The 2008-09 season marked the program's first season participating in Division I as he led the squad to 10 victories.  In 2009, he helped the Cougars to the championship of the Drake Hy-Vee Classic in Des Moines.  His SIUE squad picked up impressive victories over Drake and Texas-Arlington on their way to the win.
 
Forrester also brings a wealth of MVC experience to the UE staff.  Before being introduced as the SIUE head coach in April of 2007, Forrester spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Bradley.  He was a pivotal part of a Braves team that advanced all the way to the Sweet 16 of the 2006 NCAA Tournament. 
 
A 1992 graduate of the University of Evansville, Forrester was on the Jim Crews UE staff from 1992 through 2002.
 
"In Jimmy Elgas and Carson Harris, we lost two coaches who have been pivotal to the success of our program.  Being able to add Doug and Lennox is such a fortunate opportunity for us," Simmons added.  "I am excited to get both in town and working for our program."