By WESLEY HALLMAN / Sports Editor

University of Montevallo men’s basketball head coach Danny Young announced the hiring of former Chipola College assistant coach Stetson Hairston as his assistant coach Aug. 8.

Hairston comes to Montevallo after spending last season as the assistant at Chipola College in Marianna, Fla.

“I am excited to have (Hairston) join the Montevallo basketball staff,” Young said. “His extensive playing experience and coaching background at the championship level will be a strong asset to the Falcon program.”

Hairston helped guide Chipola to the Florida Community College Athletic Association championship game and a 25-6 overall record during the 2010-2011 season. He helped coach a Chipola defense that allowed just 58.5 points per game last season, which will blend well with the Falcons, who allowed just 63.1 points per contest last season.

“I am very excited to work with Coach Young and the Montevallo basketball program,” Hairston said. ”Coach Young has a proven track record of producing championship caliber basketball teams and I am excited to use my experience as a both a coach and a player to help push the Falcons to that next level.”

Before joining the Indians, Hairston served as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Southwestern Illinois College, where the team was 55-9 in two years. In his opening season at Southwestern Illinois, his team were the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 24 champions and earned a trip to the National Tournament. In Hairston’s second campaign, his team finished 24-7 and lost in the second round of the Region 24 tournament.

Prior to his time at Southwestern Illinois, Hairston spent two seasons at Lincoln Trail College in Robinson, Ill., from 2006-2008. In his first year at Lincoln Trail, his team won the NJCAA Region 24 championship and was one game away from reaching the National Tournament.

As a player, Hairston was a four-year starter at Division I Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in the Missouri Valley Conference.

In four years as a player, his team won four MVC conference championships and compiled an overall record of 104-28. The Salukis also earned four bids to the NCAA Tournament, which included a Sweet 16 appearance, during Hairston’s playing career.

Hairston finished his career with more than 1,000 points and 500 rebounds. He was also a two-time All-Conference and two-time All-Defense performer at Southern Illinois.

Hairston replaces Marlon Terry, who accepted an assistant coach position at Division I University of Maryland-Eastern Shore following a one-year stint at Montevallo.