Villanova Grad Anderson Joins Staff At Penn State
By Matt Leon
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Dwayne Anderson had a memorable career as a key piece of some great Villanova teams, including the 2008-09 squad that went to the Final Four.
After playing the last four years overseas, Anderson has decided to join the college coaching ranks and recently was named an assistant at Penn State under head coach Patrick Chambers.
"I'm very excited," Anderson tells KYW Newsradio. "Glad to be part of the family and just excited to be around in Happy Valley."
A 6'6" swingman, Anderson was a captain on that Villanova Final Four team and he scored 573 points during his Wildcat career, and he says the seeds of this opportunity were planted during his time on the Main line.
Dwayne Andwerson Interview
"It goes back to my college career because Coach Chambers (who worked at Villanova as an associate head coach during Anderson's career) always knew that I wanted to coach, and he always told me that he was going to hire me one day," Anderson says. "And I'm thinking, 'Okay, he's just saying that.' As soon as I got back from overseas he told me to come meet with him in person. He talked about the position that was opening, I kind of interviewed, in my mind I thought, 'Okay, I'm doing this just for experience,' so when I'm done playing basketball, I know the questions that will be asked, I know the interview process. But me and my fiance just loved the idea of being in Happy Valley, we love Penn State, we love where Coach Chambers wants to take the program. We said, 'You know what, why not join the family now?'"
Anderson is looking forward to getting started.
"I'm looking forward to building relationships and helping younger guys get to the point, it took me two years (in college) to realize that I could play at a high level, I want to get guys to that point as early as possible," Anderson says. "All the players there now, freshman to seniors, I've been there, done that. Everything about the experience, I've gone through and I still can play today, so that's what I bring to the table and that's what I want to share with young guys now. I want to help for the switch to come on earlier than later."
Penn State is coming off a 10-21 season in 2012-13.
You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.
