Collier Names Campbell to Husker Basketball Staff

Lincoln, Neb.--Nebraska men's basketball coach Barry Collier has begun the process of assembling his Husker basketball coaching staff. Collier announced on Tuesday that Dave Campbell has been hired as a full-time assistant coach for Nebraska.

Campbell joins the Husker staff after 13 seasons as the head coach and athletic director at Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff, where he compiled a 353-105 record. Overall, "Soupy" Campbell has 25 seasons of head coaching experience. He also served as the head coach for seven seasons at New Mexico Military Institute, three years at the College of Southern Idaho and two seasons at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.

Collier said he is excited about the addition of Campbell, who brings a proven coaching record and extensive recruiting experience to the Husker staff.

"I've known and respected "Soupy" for more than 20 years. He has a tremendous track record both as a head and assistant coach. His 20-plus years of head coaching experience is a tremendous asset to the University of Nebraska. He has won nearly 600 games and produced and recruited a number of very good players. He is an excellent recruiter and that will be one of his primary tasks here, but he is also an excellent basketball coach, both on the floor and in the locker room."

Campbell said he is excited to join the Husker program and that his time in the state of Nebraska made a position with the Huskers a natural fit.

"I've known Barry Collier for a long time and have great respect for him as a coach," Campbell said. "I know the state of Nebraska quite well and this is a tremendous opportunity for me. The University of Nebraska wants to win and be the best and I hope to contribute to that goal."

Campbell has developed Western Nebraska into one of the top programs in the junior college ranks. His 13 Cougar teams have all won 21 or more games, including four seasons with 30-plus victories. Campbell's top team at Western Nebraska was his 1994-95 squad, which posted a 36-4 overall record, captured the Region IX championship and finished third in the NJCAA national tournament. That team included Bernard Garner, who played two seasons at Nebraska, and Bobby Jackson, who was part of Minnesota's 1997 NCAA Final Four team.

Campbell's coaching efforts in the 1994-95 season were recognized as he was named the National Assocation of Basketball Coaches Junior College Coach of the Year, along with Region and District IX coach-of-the-year honors. In all, Campbell earned eight regional or district coach-of-the-year awards at Western Nebraska and his teams won seven Region IX titles and placed in the top eight at the national tournament four times.

Before his tenure at Western Nebraska, Campbell served two stints as the head coach at the New Mexico Military Institue in Roswell, N.M. He first served as head coach at the school for four seasons from 1976 to 1980, then returned for three years from 1984 to 1987. Overall, Campbell posted a 130-85 record at New Mexico Military Institute, while the school was just 25-97 in the four seasons in between his two coaching stints.

Campbell left the New Mexico Military Institute in 1980 for the head coaching job at the College of Southern Idaho, where he put together an 80-19 record in three seasons. At Southern Idaho, Campbell was named Region 18 Coach of the Year twice and his teams played in two national tournaments. After three seasons at Southern Idaho, Campbell was an assistant coach for one season (1983-84) at Clemson University under coach Bill Foster.

Campbell's first head coaching job was at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown from 1973 to 1975. In two seasons, he guided the school to a 22-27 record and in 1975 he was named the NAIA District 18 Coach of the Year and the Pittsburgh Press College Coach of the Year. Campbell's overall head coaching mark is 585-236.

In addition to his one season at Clemson, Campbell also has Division I assistant coaching experience at Duke and Tulane. He was at Duke from 1968 to 1971, serving as an assistant under head coaches Vic Bubas and Bucky Waters, then went on to Tulane for one season from 1971-72.

Campbell earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C., in 1966 and received a master's degree from Appalachian State University in 1977. Dave and his wife, Nancy, have been married for 31 years and have three sons, Cory, 25, a second-year law student at Washburn University; Jason, 23, a junior member of the University of Arkansas football team; and Bryan, 20, who will begin classes at Arkansas in the fall. The couple also has an eight-year-old foster daughter, Teela.