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SALT LAKE CITY â Newly hired men's basketball coach Craig Smith hasn't stopped working in the nearly two months he's been at the University of Utah. On Tuesday, he rounded out his coaching staff with the hiring of the team's director of player personnel.
Tramel Barnes, who will replace the retiring Donny Daniels, was hired for the position after previously working with Smith at Utah State and at South Dakota State as an assistant coach and as a director of basketball operations and player development.
"Tramel has been part of winning everywhere he's been and that's not an accident," Smith said in a statement Tuesday. "He's relationship driven and leaves a positive impression on everyone he comes in contact with. He has a wealth of experience from both the administrative and basketball aspect. We couldn't be more thrilled and excited to have him join our Runnin' Utes basketball family."
Barnes is the latest hire for Smith, who brought over several members of his coaching staff from Utah State with him to Utah, including assistant coach Eric Peterson; Curran Walsh, director of basketball operations; Justin Johnson, special assistant to the head coach; Brandon Ubel, director of scouting; and Logan Ogden, the team's strength and conditioning coach.
In addition to his staff from Utah State, Smith hired back DeMarlo Slocum and added Tim Morris to serve as assistant coaches. Slocum was previously an assistant coach under former head coach Larry Krystkowiak before he left for an assistant coach position at UNLV in 2019. Morris was previously at Cincinnati as an assistant coach to John Brannen for the last two seasons.
Staying on staff is Trevor Jameson, the team's head athletic trainer and 20-year veteran with the program, and Alina Rogers as the team's creative and social media coordinator.
