Settles to lead Tiger men?s basketball program

MOUNT PLEASANT ? Iowa Wesleyan College announced Thursday that Jess Settles has been named the new head coach of the men?s basketball team.

The announcement comes on the heels of a decision made Wednesday to dismiss former coach Alan Magnani after he refused to submit a written statement to Jay Simmons, college president, confirming that he supported the Board of Trustees? decision to make a move from the NAIA to NCAA Division III.

Settles, of Mount Pleasant, will take over coaching duties for the remainder of the season.

Settles was a three-time all-state selection in basketball at Winfield-Mount Union and went on to a standout career at the University of Iowa (1993-99).

In college, he was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and third team all-conference in his freshman season. In his third season at Iowa, he was named first team All-Big Ten by league coaches and media. Despite suffering a back injury that limited his playing time in one season and kept him entirely out of another, Settles still holds numerous records at Iowa, where he ranks sixth in career scoring (1,611), career field goals (581) and three-point field goals (113), eighth in steals (144), ninth in rebounds (747) and 10th in free throws (336).

During his final season as a Hawkeye, he was named Co-Most Valuable Player, co-winner of the Chris Street Award and shared the Captain?s Award.

?We are very pleased that Jess has agreed to step in and lead the men?s team this season,? said Simmons. ?Jess? family has significant ties to Iowa Wesleyan, and Jess has been active in the southeast Iowa area. He will bring incredible basketball knowledge and skill to our program, and lead with integrity. The student-athletes at Iowa Wesleyan will benefit tremendously from his experience.?

In recent years, Settles has assisted with basketball coaching at Mount Pleasant Community High School and Southeastern Community College.

At the start of the season, IWC was ranked 15th in the NAIA and was picked by conference coaches to finish second in the MCC.

Under Magnani, they got off to a 4-2 start this season.

Magnani was the winningest coach in IWC men?s basketball history, with a career record of 244-220 at the college. He joined the Tigers in 1995 as an assistant coach under Dave Tremmel and took over head coaching duties in 1996. Under Magnani, the Tigers were Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament champions in 2004, 2006 and 2009. They qualified for the NAIA Division II National Tournament in those three seasons and again last year, where they advanced as far as the Sweet 16. Last season, the team also won the regular season MCC title.

It was on Oct. 14 that the Board voted to apply for NCAA membership. A statement released by the college cited scholarship equity and the opportunity to be more competitive as chief reasons for the switch.

?The athletic department was asked to support that [decision],? said athletic director Mike Hampton. ?All the coaches chose to support it except one.?

That coach was Magnani, who had started his 16th season as head coach of the IWC men?s basketball team. When Magnani refused to submit the supportive statement by the deadline, he was dismissed by Simmons.

The reason for Magnani?s resulting dismissal lies in the college?s demonstration of commitment to the NCAA move: ?The transition period ? is already under way,? Potts-Bell said. ?The organizations [involved] need to understand our commitment. Everyone has to be on board.?