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A native of Harvey, Webster comes to
the University of Illinois after serving this past season as an
assistant at Purdue. Prior to coaching in the Big Ten, Webster spent
three seasons as an assistant at Ball State, from 2001-03. While in
Muncie, Ind., he helped Ball State to the school's first outright
Mid-American Conference West Division championship and the Elite
Eight of the National Invitation Tournament in 2002.
"When searching for a new member of
your coaching staff, you look for someone who is familiar, someone
who will be loyal and someone who fits in with the rest of the
staff," Weber said. "Tracy Webster is someone I got to know when I
interviewed him for a position at Southern Illinois, and I've
actually recommended him for a couple of positions over the past few
years. Tracy brings a great connection to Chicago after a terrific
career at Thornton High School. He knows the Big Ten Conference
after being one of the better players at Wisconsin and serving as an
assistant at Purdue for the past season. In his career at the
Division I level, Tracy has had the opportunity to branch out and
recruit many areas of the country, making him even more valuable.
Our assistant coaches played a big part in the search, and all were
strongly in favor of Tracy joining the Illini."
Webster was a three-year letter winner
and three-time team captain at the University of Wisconsin from
1992-94. He was team MVP and earned second-team all-Big Ten honors
in1992, was a third-team all-conference pick in '93 and earned
honorable mention honors in '94.
Webster is the school record holder for
career assists (501) and ranks No. 2 in career steals (183). He also
stands 11th on the Badgers' career scoring chart with 1,264 points.
He owns two Wisconsin season records, setting marks for 3-point
percentage (.490 in 1991-92) and assists (179 in 1992-93).
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After wrapping up his playing career,
Webster served as the coordinator of community outreach programs at
Wisconsin from 1994 to 1997. He began his coaching career as the
head freshman and varsity assistant coach at Verona High School in
Wisconsin in 1997-98. He then served as an assistant at the Division
II level at Wisconsin-Parkside during the 1998-99 season.
Prior to his tenure at Ball State,
Webster spent 1999-2000 as the director of Webster Extramural
Basketball Productions and as a care coordinator at Willowglen
Academy in Milwaukee.
"I'm very excited," Webster said. "This
is a great opportunity at this point in my career. Being from
Illinois, I've watched those guys play over the years, and I'm aware
of the great tradition at the U of I. I'm looking forward to working
with Coach Weber, who really understands the game. It's exciting to
become a part of the Illini family."
Webster, 33, earned his bachelor's
degree from Wisconsin in 1995. He is married to the former Shenetta
Richardson.
The
Tracy Webster file
Born:
April 7, 1971
Hometown:
Harvey, Ill.
High
School: Thornton
College:
University of Wisconsin; B.A., Afro-American studies, '95
Family:
Wife, Shenetta
Coaching
experience:
1997-98 -- Verona (Wis.) High School,
assistant coach
1999 -- University of Wisconsin-Parkside,
assistant coach
2001-03 -- Ball State University,
assistant coach
2004 --
Purdue University, assistant coach
[Kent Brown, assistant
athletics director,
sports information director,
University of Illinois] |
