The Reno Bighorns, Sacramento’s D-League affiliate, officially named David Arseneault Jr. their brand new head coach Friday. Scott Schroeder, who served as assistant coach and video coordinator last season, was promoted to Director of Basketball Operations.
Arseneault replaces Joel Abelson, who led the 2013-14 Bighorns to a 27-23 finish and the postseason. The 28-year-old comes to Reno after spending the previous four seasons as associate head coach for Grinnell College, his Division III alma mater. There, Arseneault Jr. coached under his father and helped to oversee a fast-paced, high-scoring juggernaut that got national attention when its leading scorer, Jack Taylor, erupted for 138 points in a November 2012 game. The following season, Taylor topped 100 yet again for the tiny Iowa school. In his playing days, Arseneault was a three-time Bob Cousy Award finalist. He also finished as the all-time Division III leader in assists per game, averaging 9.4 per contest.
The Bighorns will also welcome former Erie Bayhawks assistant Ben McDonald to Arseneault’s staff. Meanwhile, Ross McMains will remain on Reno’s bench as an assistant, and Jervae Odom will reprise his role as lead trainer and equipment manager.
After starring for the University of California-Irvine, the 6-foot-8 McDonald went on to play in the NBA (most notably, three seasons with the Warriors), as well as overseas. He then went into coaching, where he found himself serving on Mike Davis’ staff at Indiana University from 2001-2004. Prior to that, he spent the 1996-97 season as an assistant for California State-Dominguez Hills.
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