PITTSBURG — Pittsburg State University head men's basketball coach Kim Anderson announced the recent hiring of Justin Bailey as an assistant coach for the Gorillas.
 
Bailey replaces former assistant Jason Owens who left Pitt State for a coaching position at Southeast Missouri State University.
 
Bailey comes to Pitt State after serving as head coach at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith during the 2018-19 season.
 
He served as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Lamar University for two years (2016-17 - 2017-18) helping the Cardinals to consecutive 19-win seasons and back-to-back selections to the College Basketball Invitational (CIT). Bailey was promoted to recruiting coordinator during the 2017-18 season.
 
He also served as an assistant coach at UAFS for four seasons from 2012-13 to 2015-16 helping the Lions to a pair of NCAA Division II National Tournament appearances (2013-14, 2015-16) and two Heartland Conference Championships (2012-13, 2013-14). Bailey also spent three years as head men's cross country coach at UAFS (2013-15).
 
Prior to joining the UAFS staff, Bailey spent two years as a graduate assistant coach at Arizona State University (2010-11, 2011-12).
 
"Our Gorilla basketball family welcomes Justin, Sarah, and their family to Pitt State basketball," Anderson said. "We are excited to add an individual with accomplished success as a player and coach. We feel Justin will do a great job of mentoring our student/athletes and help them achieve their goals academically and as basketball players. He brings great experience and energy to our program."
 
The Fort Smith, Ark., native played two seasons at Arkansas Fort Smith, helping the program capture the 2005-06 NJCAA National Championship. He then played three seasons at the University of Texas Permian Basin (2007-08 – 2009-10), earning All-Heartland Conference honors.
 
Bailey earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from UT Permian Basin in May 2010 and a master's degree in higher and postsecondary education from Arizona State in May 2012.
 
In addition to Bailey's hiring, Anderson announced that Vince Walker will serve as the program's graduate assistant coach for the 2019-20 season.
 
Walker comes to Pitt State after completing his playing career at NCAA Division II University of Illinois-Springfield.  The native of Ankeny, Iowa played five seasons for his father, Bill Walker, at UIS. He averaged 10.5 points and made a team-leading 71 3-point field goals as a senior this past winter for the Prairie Stars.
 
Jake Hamburger also joined the Pitt State coaching staff in May as an assistant coach. Hamburger came to Pitt State from the University of Oregon where he served as a graduate assistant coach for the Ducks the past two seasons. 
 
Prior to his tenure at Oregon, Hamburger served as the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at his alma mater, Hastings College, during the 2016-17 season. He also served as an assistant coach at Papillion La-Vista South High School for two years (2015-16).
 
"We are thrilled with the addition of Justin, Jake, and Vince to our staff," Anderson said. "All three bring outstanding basketball knowledge and tremendous backgrounds as players and coaches. I am looking forward to working with them as we continue to build our program."