Minnesota State women’s basketball coach Emilee Thiesse has announced the hiring of Brent Pollari as an assistant coach with the Maverick basketball program.

Pollari comes to MSU from the University of North Dakota where he served as recruiting coordinator for the women’s basketball program last year.

"We couldn’t be more excited about the addition of Brent Pollari to our Maverick Basketball family" said Thiesse. "Not only will he be a great fit with our staff and team, but his familiarity with the Northern Sun is very helpful as we look to compete for a championship. Brent has a great basketball mind, is a diligent recruiter and a tireless worker, but above all he is a wonderful person and I know he will have a lasting impact on the players in our program."

Prior to working with the North Dakota staff in 2013-14, Pollari (pronounced "pole-err-EYE") spent eight seasons at Northern State University, including six as associate women’s head coach. He also was a member of the Texas A&M Kingsville women’s basketball staff where he was an assistant coach and interim head coach during the 2006-07 season.

Pollari has high school coaching experience at Corvallis High School (Corvallis, Mont.), St. Mary’s High School (Bismarck, N.D.) and Bozeman High School (Bozeman, Mont.), and was an assistant coach at Montana State University in 2001-02.

He played two seasons of basketball for the University of Mary, where he received a degree in physical education in 2001. Pollari owns a master’s degree from Northern State where he served as a graduate assistant with the women’s basketball program in 2004-06.

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