University of Nevada Athletics

RENO, Nev. - University of Nevada head men's basketball coach Eric Musselman has added Hallice Cooke to his staff as an undergraduate student assistant. Cooks joins the program after playing last season at Iowa State.

"We are extremely excited to welcome Hallice to our staff," Musselman said. "He has already brought a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge to our program. Although he has only been here a short time, you would think he would have known the guys in the locker room his entire life. He just has that type of personality where he is able to connect with others. That will be extremely beneficial to us as we move forward as a program. We feel that he has a bright future as a coach."

Hallice will be in very good company on Coach Musselman's staff at Nevada. Dave Fizdale, Keith Smart, Scott Brooks, Wayne Tinkle, Craig Neal, Conner Henry, Phil Handy, Larry Lewis, Nick Van Exel, and Avery Johnson, are just a few of the people who have worked or played for Coach Musselman and gone on to successful coaching careers.

"I've always loved the game of basketball. It has brought me so many amazing experiences and introduced me to unbelievable people," Cooke said. "Playing for Hall of Fame Coach Bob Hurley Sr. at St. Anthony's High School, Coach Robinson at Oregon State, Coach Hoiberg & Coach Prohm at Iowa State, and now being around Coach Musselman at Nevada, has been awesome. I couldn't have asked for a better journey or situation."

Cooke from Union City, N.J. played his freshman season at Oregon State University where he played in all 32 games and started 18 for the Beavers. He earned Pac-12 All-Freshman honorable mention honors after averaging 8.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. From behind the arc he shot 45.6 percent to rank second in the conference. His 41 made three-pointers is the fourth most by a freshman in OSU history.

After sitting a year under NCAA transfer rules Cooke played his sophomore season at Iowa State last year where he appeared in 32 games and helped the Cyclones post a 23-12 record on the way to a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament appearance. Cooke averaged 2.6 points, one rebound and one assist playing 10.9 minutes per game. From behind the arc he shot 36.5 percent, making 19-of-52 attempts. On the season he scored in double figures four times with a season-high 11 coming twice versus Virginia Tech and Arkansas-Pine Bluff.


As a prep athlete he played at St. Anthony High School and helped the team to a 28-2 record his senior season. Rivals.com ranked Cooke as the 45th best guard in the nation his senior season. He earned MVP honors at the 2013 SNY Invitational after scoring game-high 22 points as St. Anthony won its 81st consecutive game. Participated in the West Coast All-Start Classic, Mary Kline Classic and Schoolboy Classic in his senior year.