University of Connecticut Athletics
Kimani Young Named Finalist For 'Next Up' Initiative
10/17/2022 1:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 17, 2022
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – UConn Associate Head Coach Kimani Young has been named a finalist by The Rising Coaches Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Alliance for its third annual annual "Next Up" Head Coaches Training Initiative. The 12-member organizations who make up the DEI Alliance each nominated two coaches to represent their groups. Of the nominees, 12 coaches were selected by a DEI committee to participate in the Next Up Training Initiative in late October. Young was nominated by Coaches For Action, an organization he helped found.
Joining Young as finalists are:
Britney Anderson – Stanford – Black Coaches Association
R-Jay Barsh – Florida State – Black Coaches Association
Alvin Brooks III – Baylor – Coaches 4 Change
Tasha Butts – Georgia Tech – Women of Color Coaches Network
Mansa El – Houston – embRACEus
Jeremy Growe – Furman – Jewish Coaches Association
Myia Johnson – Cincinnati – Rising Coaches
Akeem Miskdeen – Georgia – Be Ready
Jonneshia Pineda – Louisville – Latino Association of Basketball Coaches
Anthony Santos – Cal State Fullerton – Asian Coaches Association
Candice Walker – St. Johns – Women of Color Coaches Network
Young is in his fifth season with the UConn program under head coach Dan Hurley, assuming the role of associate head coach in September, 2020. He has been instrumental in helping Hurley return UConn to national prominence and secure four consecutive Top 20 recruiting classes.
Besides the impact he has had at UConn, Young is also one of the founders of Coaches For Action, a group of 21 BIG EAST Conference assistant basketball coaches, with a shared mission to use the platform of athletics to educate and bring awareness to social injustices.
Young, a Queens, N.Y. native, was featured in The Athletic as one of 25 up-and-coming assistant coaches in the country and he also was one of just 50 assistant coaches invited to attend Nike's 2015 Villa 7 Consortium, which introduces rising assistants to sitting athletic directors.
So far, four alumns from the Next Up Initiative have gone on to receive head coaching jobs, including Ben Johnson at Minnesota (Coaches For Action), Ganiyat Adeduntan at Colgate (Women of Color Coaches Network), Surina Dixon at Lane College (Women of Color Coaches Network) and Jason Hart of the G League Ignite (Black Coaches Association).Â
"Thank you to all the organizations and the nominees. They all presented themselves exceptionally well and have bright futures as head coaches," said Darryl Jacobs, Executive Director for the Rising Coaches DEI Alliance. "I commend the DEI staff of Kym Hampton, Brian Burton and Adam Gordon for their hard work and commitment in the selection process."Â
The DEI Alliance partners with a different search firm executive each year to help facilitate "Next Up." This year's Next Up workshop will be led by Senior Associate for Parker Executive Search, DeLaina Jordan.
"In order to develop deep and diverse pools of candidates for our client's consideration, we, as consultants, have to be intentional in continuously developing a diverse network of our own," said Jordan. "Partnering with the Next Up Initiative provides a great platform for me to connect with the rising stars of our industry, in particular those from underrepresented groups, while also helping them to develop a better understanding of one of the more integral parts of the search process – navigating the interview."Â
The DEI Alliance is made up of 12 different minority coaches and social justice organizations. Their mission is to use their platform as leaders in sports to impact change in the profession and their communities. For more information, visit www.risingcoaches.com/DEI-alliance
Rising Coaches is an inclusive membership-based organization for coaches of all levels. They provide relationships, resources and job opportunities to their 1,500+ members. For more information, visit www.risingcoaches.com
