KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Western Michigan University has hired a highly successful coach from Texas to head its men’s basketball program.
President/Director of Athletics Dan Bartholomae has announced the hiring of Kahil Fennell. He will be formally introduced as the 16th head coach in the history of the Bronco men’s basketball program Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the construction site of the Kalamazoo Event Center.
He replaces Dwayne Stephen’s, who was let go earlier this month after four seasons as coach. The Broncos finished the season 10-21 overall and 4-14 in the Mid American Conference.
Fennell arrives in Kalamazoo following a successful tenure at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where he has established himself as one of the rising leaders in college basketball, guiding a team with six wins prior to his arrival to one of Division I’s largest turnarounds with 16 and 19 wins over the past two seasons, respectively.
Most recently, he was named a finalist for the prestigious Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year award, presented annually to the top minority head coach in Division I men’s basketball.
Prior to becoming head coach at UTRGV in April 2024, Fennell served on the BYU Cougars men’s basketball staff under Mark Pope.
Fennell also spent four seasons at the University of Louisville, working under Chris Mack. He was elevated to assistant coach in April 2021 after serving three seasons as the program’s director of operations.
Earlier in his career, Fennell spent one season with the Portland State Vikings men’s basketball team, helping guide the program to a 20-14 record, its highest win total in over a decade.
Fennell began his coaching career at UT Permian Basin from 2015-17.
A native of California, Fennell played one season at Penn State New Kensington, before transferring to the University of Redlands, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in History. He played three seasons and served as team captain his senior year.
Fennell and his wife, Sarah, a former collegiate basketball student-athlete at the University of Dayton, have two sons, Ezra (12) and Koa (11).
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