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Davidson assistant moving to Philly

Davidson v Louisville

PORTLAND, OR - MARCH 15: Jake Cohen #15 of the Davidson Wildcats dunks the ball in the second half against the Louisville Cardinals in the second round of the 2012 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Rose Garden Arena on March 15, 2012 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

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When Davidson made the NCAA tournament in 2008, Stephen Curry was the obvious focus of the Wildcats’ Elite Eight run. After Curry left, the team had to re-invent itself to a degree. They did that with the help of assistant coach Landry Kosmalski, who put big men in the spotlight. A former Davidson forward himself, Kosmalski cultivated the talents of 6'7" De’Mon Brooks (15.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and 6'10" Jake Cohen (pictured), helping Bob McKillop take his hard-working Wildcats back to the Big Dance.

Kosmalski’s contribution to the Davidson resurgence was recognized by Philly-based Swarthmore College on Friday, as he was named head coach of the Garnet.

“I am thrilled to be joining the Swarthmore community and I look forward to building on the College’s tradition of high achievement,” said Kosmalski in a press release. “I am confident that our student-athletes can be as successful on the basketball court as they are in the classroom, and I believe that commitment to excellence will be the driving force behind the future success of Garnet basketball.”

Komalski was a fair player in his own right. One of the best big men in program history, Kosmalski was a four-year starter for the Wildcats, leading the 1997-98 squad to the NCAA Tournament. Kosmalski’s playing accolades while at Davidson include All-Southern Conference First Team in 1999 and 2000, as well as the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year in 1997. He ranks third all-time at Davidson in rebounding (877), 13th in scoring (1,438), and 10th in steals (121).

No telling whether accepting the head job at a DIII school will eventually lead to the big leagues, but Komalski’s Davidson ties and head coaching experience may come into play whenever McKillop decides to retire, and the search for a worthy replacement begins.