PC Men’s Basketball Adds Poole & Palumbo To Coaching Staff

Providence College Press Release

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Providence College Men’s Basketball Head Coach Kim English announced today (April 10) the hiring of I.J. Poole and Matt Palumbo to his staff.  Poole will serve as the associate director of player development, scouting and recruiting coordination and Palumbo will be the special assistant to the head coach. They both worked under English the last two years at George Mason. English spent the last two years as the head coach at George Mason University.  He was named the Friars’ head coach on March 23.

Most recently, Poole was the director of player personnel and scouting at George Mason from 2021-23.  Before going to George Mason, Poole had worked with English at the University of Tennessee, where they both served under head coach Rick Barnes from 2019-21.  Poole’s role under Barnes was the assistant to the head coach. It marked his second stint in Knoxville, as Poole previously was a graduate manager at Tennessee from 2015-17.

Prior to returning to Tennessee, Poole worked for two seasons at Appalachian State. In 2017-18, he handled budget management, daily scheduling and team travel as director of basketball operations. He then was promoted to assistant coach for the 2018-19 campaign.

Poole began his career with Barnes at the University of Texas, where he worked as a student manager. He was a part of two NCAA Tournament teams with the Longhorns, and Texas averaged 22 wins per season during that stretch.

The Austin, Texas, native graduated from Texas in 2015 with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Biology.

“I.J. Poole is the ultimate grinder,” English said. “He’s one of the hardest workers that I know. He knows how elite programs operate as he spent a number of years working at Texas and Tennessee.  He brings that same approach and high standard with him to Providence.”

Palumbo spent the last two seasons as the graduate assistant at George Mason.  As the graduate assistant, he worked with player development, scouting and on-campus recruiting.

Prior to George Mason, Palumbo was an undergraduate manager for four years for the men’s basketball team at the University of Virginia.  In his role he assisted with many facets of the programs, including recruiting videos and practice films.  He also served as a scout team player for the 2019 NCAA Champion Cavaliers.  He saw action in Virginia’s 65-34 win over James Madison on November 10, 2019.

Palumbo also has worked with USA Basketball as a member of their support staff.  He assisted with the Junior National Team in the summer and fall of 2019.  In May of 2022, Palumbo worked the U-19 tryouts.

A native of Charlottesville, Va., Palumbo received his undergraduate degree in Public Policy and Leadership from the University of Virginia in 2021.

“Matt Palumbo has a brilliant basketball mind,” English stated.  “He has it all – a great IQ, work ethic, dedication and grit.  I am looking forward to seeing all the special things he will do at Providence.  He has worked at Virginia and George Mason and those programs were  better because Matt Palumbo was involved.  I am confident we will see the same results at Providence.”