July 3, 2002

Virginia Commonwealth University men's basketball head coach Jeff Capel has announced the hiring of Jeff LaMere as an assistant coach for the upcoming 2002-03 season.

LaMere has spent the past five seasons as the Director of Basketball Operations at Duke University and has also headed Blue Devils' head coach Mike Krzyzewski's Coach K's Basketball Camp since 1996. A 1994 graduate of Duke, LaMere also served as an assistant coach at the University of Delaware for the 1995-96 campaign before returning to his alma mater as an administrative assistant for one year. He then took over as Duke's Director of Basketball Operations in 1997.

"I'm very excited about Jeff (joining the staff)," said Capel. "He has a passion for coaching and for working with guys. Although his title was Director of Basketball Operations at Duke, he did do a lot of bench coaching there during games. He was definitely the best choice for us."

LaMere also worked three years as a student manager for Duke from 1992-95, including Capel's first two seasons as a player for the Blue Devils. The El Dorado Hills, Calif., native has also coordinated Duke's fall Coaches Clinic and has coached basketball in England as well.

Capel, who took over the reigns of the Rams' program in March, has now completely assembled his coaching staff as he begins his first season. He retained Gerald White from former head coach Mack McCarthy's regime and hired former College of Charleston assistant Ben Betts in the spring. Former VCU aide Kevin Brooks has also joined the staff as Director of Basketball Operations for the upcoming year.