Notre Dame coach Mike Brey looking to hire former players as assistants

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Coach Mike Brey is looking at former Notre Dame players he coached to fill two assistant jobs that just came open.

The Fighting Irish have two openings because Martin Ingelsby, a former Irish player who coached with Brey for 13 seasons, was named Delaware's head coach Tuesday and Anthony Solomon is moving to Georgetown as an assistant. Solomon coached with Brey for two stints covering 11 seasons.

Brey said he's excited to be able to bring in new assistants, saying he thinks the current staff had "maxed it out."

The Irish finished 24-12 last season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament regional finals for a second straight season.

Brey said he has a list of four or five former Irish captains with coaching experience that he will look at first.

Notre Dame coach Mike Brey says he will look to former Fighting Irish players who played under him first as he looks to fill two assistant jobs.

The Irish have two openings because Martin Ingelsby, a former Irish player who coached with Brey for 13 seasons, was named Delaware's head coach on Tuesday and Anthony Solomon is moving to Georgetown as an assistant. Solomon coached with Brey for two stints covering 11 seasons.

Brey said he's excited to be able to bring in new assistants.

"This staff that we had, we maxed it out together," Brey said Wednesday. "It was time for change on both sides of the coin. It was an unbelievable ride, but I think reinvention is great for me."

The Irish finished 24-12 last season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament regional finals for a second straight season.

Brey said he has a list of four or five former Irish captains who have coaching experience that he will look at first. Among players that fit that description are Ryan Ayers, an assistant at Bucknell the past two seasons; Chris Quinn, an assistant coach with the Miami Heat the past two seasons; Ryan Humphrey, Northwestern's director of player development the past two seasons; and Ben Hansbrough, who spent a season as coordinator of player development at Western Kentucky University.

Brey hopes to have a candidate on campus next week for an interview and wants to fill at least one of the positions by the time players return to campus on June 13.

Brey said he's telling others interested in the job that he's going to talk to his former players first, but encourages them to "stay in touch."