April 30, 2010

Tappmeyer Names Men's Basketball Assistant Coaches

ST. LOUIS, MO. – University of Missouri-St. Louis head men’s basketball coach Steve Tappmeyer announced today the addition of Dale Ribble and Luke Crump as assistant men’s basketball coaches for the Tritons program.

Ribble has spent the past three seasons as the head coach at State Fair Community College in Sedalia, Mo., where he directed the program to 19, 15 and 20 win seasons.

Before his stint at State Fair, Ribble spent five seasons as an assistant at fellow Great Lakes Valley Conference member Drury University. During his time with the Panthers, the program won 20 or more games four times, won or shared a conference championship three times and made three appearances in the NCAA Division II national tournament.

Ribble also spent one season as an administrative assistant to head coach Barry Hinson at his alma mater Missouri State University during the 2001-02 season and was head coach at Lindenwood University from 1997-2001.

During his time at Lindenwood, Ribble guided the program to its first national tournament appearance (1999-2000), the most wins in a season (23, 1999-2000) and its first back-to-back 20-win seasons (1999-2000, 23; and 2000-01, 21).

Ribble got his start in college coaching as a graduate assistant at Hastings (Neb.) College.

The Omaha, Neb., native played college basketball at Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University) for Coach Charlie Spoonhour, participating on two NCAA tournament teams and two NIT tournament teams. He was also an all-Missouri Valley Conference Academic Team selection and an Academic All-American candidate.

Ribble earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Missouri State in 1994 and a Master of Arts in teaching from Hastings College in 1997.

“I am excited about having Dale on my staff and the experience he will bring to this program,” said Tappmeyer. “We have known each other a number of years and I feel very fortunate to have him here with me.

“He will be involved in recruiting, especially in the St. Louis area, and as a former head coach himself, he will also be heavily involved in on the floor coaching.”

Crump comes from Seton Hill (Pa.) University where he was the program’s top assistant last season after previously serving as a graduate assistant.

No stranger to working with Tappmeyer, Crump served as a student assistant for the coach for four seasons at Northwest Missouri State. During that time, NWMS earned a bid to the NCAA Division II national tournament each year and twice reached the Sweet Sixteen.

Crump has also directed the Coach Crump Basketball Camp and has worked basketball camps at Kansas, Wichita State, Boise State, Northern State, Missouri Western and NW Missouri State.

The Gilman, Mo., native attended North Central Missouri State Community College where he played one year of baseball and was a basketball student-assistant before transferring to Northwest Missouri State.

“When Luke decided to come back to the Midwest and join me here at UMSL, I was very excited,” said Tappmeyer. “Having previously worked with me, he will be familiar with my system and the things we do. He will be a plus to this program.

“Luke will also aid us in recruiting, and coming from the East Coast, he will give us a whole new recruiting area. He will also be responsible for a lot of the day-to-day operations and assist with on-the-floor coaching.”