CCU

Waller Named Assistant Men's Basketball Coach

       

Waller Named Assistant Men's Basketball Coach

CONWAY, S.C. -- Coastal Carolina University men's basketball has named Raheem Waller as an assistantcoach, Head Coach Cliff Ellis announced today. Waller replaces Dennis Nutt, who left CCU to join the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats as a scout.

"I've been very impressed with the work ethic I have seen in Raheem," Ellis said. "I would see him first thing at the evaluation camps as well as being one of the last ones to leave. He is not afraid to get after it and work hard, and that kind of attitude will go far in helping us reaching our goals here at Coastal Carolina."

Waller spent the last two seasons at Savannah State University where he worked with the Tigers' post players, recruited and handled the program's strength and conditioning and travel. Before his time at SSU, he spent three seasons as assistant men’s basketball coach at Elizabeth City State University. The Atlanta, Ga. native started his coaching career at South Carolina State University where he served as a volunteer assistant coach in the 1999-2000 season.

Soon there after, he was selected by the International Basketball Association's Rochester (Minn.) Skeeters in 1999. While playing with the Skeeters he earned honorable mention All-IBA honors. Waller also played professional basketball in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, and Portugal.

A 1999 graduate of South Carolina State with a degree in industrial technology, Waller was a four-year letterman in basketball, serving as the team captain from 1997-1999. He led the Bulldogs to the 1996 and 1998 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championships and a pair of NCAA appearances against Kansas and Kentucky, respectively. In the 1998 MEAC Championship, Waller had a tip-in with 23 seconds left to seal the win over Coppin State and send the Bulldogs to their second "Big Dance" in three years and earning All-Tournament honors. Waller was named to the All-MEAC Second Team in 1997-98, leading the team at 7.9 rebounds per game.