April 15, 2005

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (April 15, 2005) - Loyola Marymount women's basketball head coach Julie Wilhoit announced today that Will Callanen will be joining the Lions' coaching staff. Callanen is the former head coach of the varsity boys basketball team at Brentwood School, and led his teams to two league titles and four CIF playoff appearances. He replaces Julie Brase, who was recently named an assistant coach for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA.

Callanen served as the head coach of Brentwood from September 1999 to July of 2004. The Eagles qualified for the CIF playoffs during four of his five seasons. In his third season, he led the team to the CIF quarterfinals with a 22-7 record overall. During the 2002-03 season, the Eagles captured the Alpha League Championship and advanced to the CIF quarterfinals for a second straight year. The Eagles took things one step further in 2003-04, winning the Alpha League Championship for the second year, and advancing to the CIF semifinals with a 23-6 overall record.

At Brentwood, Callanen oversaw the entire program in addition to his duties as the head coach. He helped add a freshman team which had the largest participation of any athletic program on campus. He ran successful camps, leagues and tournaments. He taught high school level team sports, weight training, cardio fitness and health and nutrition classes. He also served as the chairman of the K-12 physical education department.

Callanen is a 1993 graduate of the University of Arizona, earning a bachelor's degree in Health Sciences. He received a master's degree in Exercise and Nutritional Sciences with an emphasis in sport psychology from San Diego State in 1999. While at SDSU, Callanen worked as a peak performance consultant, providing performance enhancement consultation to the women's basketball program. He implemented team-building activities, and served as an individual consultant on both performance and communication issues with players and the coaching staff. Additionally, he served as a teaching assistant at San Diego State, teaching undergraduate classes in basketball and volleyball.

Callanen started coaching while he was in college in Arizona. He helped lead the freshman girls squad at Salpointe High School in Tucson, Arizona, to an undefeated 18-0 record during the 1991-92 season. He was promoted to varsity assistant the next season, and was the head coach by the 1994-95 season.

"Will is an outstanding fit for not only our staff, but our women student-athletes and the entire LMU community," said Wilhoit. He brings a great deal of basketball knowledge to us, but more importantly, his attitude towards education and winning is in line with our vision and philosophy. Our staff is excited to begin working together to bring LMU another WCC Championship."

Callanen will begin working full-time at LMU after he completes the school year at Bishop Montgomery High School where he is a geometry teacher.

-GO LIONS!-