WILMINGTON – While all five high school seniors committed to the UNC-Wilmington Men’s Basketball Team have asked for their release to search other options moving into fall 2017, new lead man C.B. McGrath has begun the task of shaping his coaching staff.
Among McGrath’s picks is a former player under his direction at North Carolina and veteran coach Doug Esleeck.
Jackie Manuel, a tri-captain on North Carolina’s 2005 national championship team and one of the top defenders in Tar Heel history, will join McGrath’s staff as an assistant after one season as an aide for Matt Lottich at Valparaiso.
“Jackie was a great player for us at North Carolina and I’m very happy to have him on our staff,” McGrath said. “He’s seen a lot of basketball and knows what it takes to be a winner. Jackie works very hard, loves working out with and developing young players.”
Manuel, 34, moved to Valpo in April of 2016 after spending four years as an assistant coach under former teammate Wes Miller at UNC Greensboro.
Manuel played professionally for five years before launching his coaching career. A 2005 graduate of North Carolina, Manuel earned All-ACC Defensive Team honors in his final two seasons, starting 85-of-126 games over four years in Chapel Hill.
Esleeck, 34, comes to Wilmington after serving on Coach Bob Hoffman’s staff at Mercer for the last seven years. The Winston-Salem native was promoted to associate head coach in the summer of 2014 after spending four years in an assistant coaching capacity.
“I’ve known Coach McGrath since college and I always thought he was going to be an amazing head coach one day,” Esleeck said. “I was excited to get his call and jumped at the chance to be part of his staff and part of the championship culture here at UNCW.”
Attention turns to players
With two assistant coaches on staff, McGrath now turns his focus to potential recruits during the spring signing period. All five incoming freshmen requested to reopen their recruitment following the departure of Kevin Keatts for N.C. State.
Paired with the exit of graduating seniors Chris Flemmings, Denzel Ingram, Ambrose Mosley, and Chuck Ogbodo, the Seahawks have nine players on its roster and just three who saw significant playing time during its run to the NCAA Tournament this past season.
