Reigning national champion NSU men’s hoops will have to manage without key person
He wasn’t the head coach.
He wasn’t a starting player.
And he wasn’t a reserve, either.
But when associate head coach Jordan Fee left the Nova Southeastern University Sharks following the program’s first national title in men’s basketball this past spring, it was a painful blow.
“I hear people saying, ‘We lost our entire starting lineup following last season’, and that’s true,” NSU coach Jim Crutchfield said. “But nobody mentions we lost Jordan, too.
“He was very valuable.”
On April 12, Fee was hired as the head coach at Gannon University, an NCAA Division II school located in his hometown of Erie, Pennsylvania.
Fee, 35, said he had previously rejected offers to become a head coach at other Division II universities. He had also turned down invitations to become a Division I assistant coach.
“I didn’t want to leave NSU,” Fee said. “Why would I leave?”
The answer to that question is simple: Fee went home.
As a kid, he would attend Gannon games with. his father, Don, who was a head coach for 25 years at Pennsylvania’s Grove City High School. Don is now retired, and he is able to spend quality time with his son.
“It’s great,” Fee said. “I (recently) picked up my dad on the way to a recruiting event in Pittsburgh.”
In addition, Fee’s wife, Jaclyn, has her family close, too, as they live 90 minutes away in Akron, Ohio.
As great as it feels for Fee to be back home, this figures to be a tough on-court challenge as the Gannon Golden Knights went 3-23 last season.
Fee’s work ethic cannot be disputed as he spent his first six months at Gannon hiring two assistant coaches and bringing in nine recruits – six transfers and three freshmen.
Gannon’s upcoming season starts Nov. 10 in West Virginia against Glenville State.
Fee said you can expect Gannon to play the same fast-break style that led NSU to a 36-0 record and that 2023 national title. NSU led the nation last season with a 102.5 scoring average.
“It may be unfair,” Fee said, “but I expect my Gannon players to reach the same level we attained at NSU.”
Fee said he is grateful to NSU’s Crutchfield for giving him great freedom in many aspects of his previous post, including recruiting and player development.
Ironically, Crutchfield, with the help of Fee at NSU, recruited a bunch of players with Ohio/Pennsylvania ties. Those types of players will likely form the foundation of Fee’s recruiting efforts at Gannon.
Fee, by the way, said he still talks to Crutchfield a couple of times per week.
“Our relationship has changed,” Fee said. “Now we’re more like colleagues.”
Crutchfield said Fee’s departure marks the fourth time one of his assistants has gone on to become an NCAA Division II head coach: Devin Hoehn (Bluefield State), Ben Howlett (West Liberty) and Eric Bovaird (Chaminade) are the others.
“Those guys have been successful, and I have no doubt Jordan will become an outstanding head coach,” Crutchfield said. “Besides his knowledge of the X’s and O’s, he has the right personality to deal with his players, the administration and everything else.”
For his part, Fee clearly treasures his time at NSU, and he said Crutchfield is the best talent evaluator he’s ever seen.
“I have great love for the people at NSU,” Fee said. “Nobody is rooting harder for Nova than me. And nobody is rooting harder for me than (Crutchfield and assistants Nick Smith and Mike Chalas).
“Leaving those guys was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”
