Zach Kancher, a veteran coach with over 10 years of collegiate experience including four years in the DMV, has been named an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator for the Towson University women’s basketball team, head coach Diane Richardson announced.
“I am pleased to add Zach Kancher to our staff,” said Richardson. “He brings a great deal of energy and enthusiasm and I think that he is one of the best skill development coaches in the country. It will be exciting to see the transformation of our student-athletes.”
“I couldn’t be any more excited to reunite with Coach Rich and represent the Towson Tigers,” said Kancher of working with Coach Richardson. “I’ve known Coach Rich for a decade and was fortunate to work side-by-side with her at George Washington. Simply put: Coach Rich is an incredible mentor for young people and is a phenomenal basketball coach. It is impossible to walk anywhere in the DMV without running into someone who knows her or played for her. Coach Rich is instantly memorable and remembers everyone she comes across, and in the DMV, basketball relationships are vital to recruiting success.”
“We plan to continue to build upon our longstanding relationships with coaches in the area and make beautiful SECU Arena a destination spot to play basketball,” added Kancher. “Towson University is an incredibly diverse community with exemplary academics, and I am honored to be woven into the University’s fabric.”
Kancher has influenced plenty of careers during his coaching career. Thirteen players that he has worked with have gone on to play professionally, including WNBA stars Jonquel Jones, Alyssa Thomas, Tianna Hawkins and Lynetta Kizer.
Kancher comes to Towson after serving as the associate head coach at the University of Missouri-Kansas City last year. There he helped guide UMKC to the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) semifinals for the first time in program history. Kancher helped facilitate recruitment of student-athletes, worked with scouting and preparing strategy and in-game tactics. He helped develop the game schedule for future seasons and served as the team’s liaison to other areas of the athletic department.
Kancher spent the 2015-16 season on the bench at George Washington with Richardson. The duo helped lead the Colonials to a 26-7 record, the Atlantic 10 Championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Kancher was responsible for the post position player development, including Jones. Jones was an All-American honoree that season and has gone on to be named an All-Star in the WNBA. He also was responsible for recruiting and scouting opponents and breaking down film. Jones is one of three Colonial players that Kancher worked with that went on to play professionally.
Prior to his time in Washington, D.C. Kancher served as an assistant coach at the University of Miami for a year. As the guards coach, he helped the Hurricanes post 20 wins and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Kancher played a key role in recruiting in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast region of the country. He was also responsible for scouting opponents and statistical analysis of game film. A pair of Hurricanes that Kancher worked with went on to play professionally.
Kancher spent three seasons on the bench in College Park, Maryland while serving as the Director of Scouting and Player Development for the Terrapins. Maryland posted at least 26 wins in all three of his seasons and advanced to the Final Four during the 2013-14 campaign. While at Maryland he was the lead scouting coach and was responsible for completing the scouting report on each opponent. Kancher broke down game film, analyzed it and did game plan collaboration with head coach Brenda Frese. He also helped develop multiple offensive and defensive schemes that could be used in game and in practice. Seven Terps that Kancher worked with went on to play professionally.
Kancher also severed as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Goldey-Beacom College in Delaware for three years. Kancher and Goldey-Beacom won the Central Athletic Collegiate Conference (CACC) in 2010-11 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament that year. There he was responsible for all aspects of recruiting and for live/video scouting and generating the scouting report.
Kancher got his collegiate coaching start during the 2007-08 season when he served as the head coach at the College of Mount St. Vincent. He was also the assistant AD for operations that year. Kancher led his squad to the HVAC Championship and the first ECAC Tournament appearance in program history.
Kancher got his coaching start at The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He served first as the assistant coach and then as the head coach for four years.
Kancher earned his bachelors degree in English from George Washington in 2003. There he served as a practice player for the women’s team for all four years. Kancher is currently working on a masters degree in sports administration from Canisius College.
Photo Courtesy Towson Athletics
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