The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
04.09.2015 | Men's Basketball
Former VCU Director of Sports Performance for Men’s Basketball joins Shaka Smart’s staff in Austin.
AUSTIN, Texas — The former Director of Sports Performance for Men's Basketball on Shaka Smart's staff at Virginia Commonwealth University, Daniel Roose has been named Strength and Conditioning Coach for Men's Basketball at The University of Texas, Smart announced Thursday. The 37-year-old Roose begins his appointment immediately.
"Daniel is as good as any strength coach I've been around," Smart said. "He knows how to prepare our guys physically for the style of play that we will employ and the demands of a long season. Daniel is a terrific motivator of players. He has an ability to be very demanding, but at the same time very supportive."
Roose served as Director of Sports Performance for Men's Basketball during each of Smart's six seasons at VCU (2009-15). The Rams posted an overall record of 163-56 (.744) and made five NCAA Tournament appearances.
VCU and Duke are the only two programs in the country to have posted at least 26 wins in each of the past six seasons. In addition, VCU is one of only 11 schools in the nation to earn a NCAA Tournament bid in each of the past five years (Cincinnati, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan State, North Carolina, Ohio State, San Diego State and Wisconsin). The Rams' NCAA appearance this past March marked the first time in school history VCU had advanced to the Big Dance five straight years, and the first time in the history of the Commonwealth of Virginia that a Division I basketball program had accomplished that feat.
Smart's style of play during his time at VCU was termed "Havoc." Simply stated, it was a high-octane platform marked by full-court pressure and transition offense. Roose was the architect of the physical conditioning program needed to play that style of basketball.
The Rams led the country in steals per game for three consecutive seasons (2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14) and ranked fourth nationally this past year (9.5 spg). In 2012-13, VCU's 422 total steals shattered the Atlantic 10 single-season record of 352 set by Xavier in 1998-99. The 422 thefts marked the 18th-highest single-season total in NCAA Division I history. During the 2013-14 season, the Rams registered 391 steals, 21 more than any other squad.
VCU also ranked near the top of the national statistics in turnover margin and opponent turnover rate under Smart's guidance. The Rams led the nation in turnover margin in 2011-12 (+6.47) and 2012-13 (+8.03) and ranked third nationally (+5.4) during the recent 2014-15 season. VCU's +8.03 mark in 2012-13 was the sixth-best turnover margin by a NCAA Division I team since the 1992-93 season.
Roose and Smart's tenure in VCU will be forever linked to the magical 2010-11 season, which saw the Rams advance to the NCAA Final Four for the first time in school history. VCU posted a 28-12 overall record, including a 12-6 mark in CAA play, and earned a No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Forced to play in a First Four game in Dayton, the Rams registered five consecutive upsets in what many experts called the greatest run to the Final Four in tourney history. Along the way, VCU defeated "Power 5" schools USC (59-46), Georgetown (74-56), Purdue (94-76), Florida State (72-71 OT) and Kansas (71-61). VCU, which fell to Butler in the NCAA semifinals, finished the season ranked No. 6 in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll, the highest in school and CAA history.
Prior to his arrival at VCU, Roose spent two years at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke (2007-09). He oversaw the strength and conditioning program of all 16 athletic teams for the Braves.
Roose served as a graduate assistant at Marshall University for one season (2004-05) and then transitioned into a role as director of strength and conditioning at Marshall for three years (2005-07). He worked directly with the basketball, volleyball, baseball and softball teams, but oversaw and designed training programs for all 15 varsity sports for the Thundering Herd. He also spent one year (2003-04) at Campbell University, serving as the head strength and conditioning coach for the Camels.
Roose earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from Appalachian State in 2001. He later earned his master's degree in exercise physiology from Marshall in 2006. Certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Roose also has been tabbed as a Level 1 coach by the United States Weightlifting Association.
A native of Troy, N.C., Roose was born on Oct. 10, 1977. He and his wife, Laura, have one son, Devin (born Feb. 20, 2007), and one daughter, Anna (born Jan. 23, 2012).
| Birthdate | October 10, 1977 |
|---|---|
| Hometown | Troy, N.C. |
| Education | Appalachian State University; bachelor's degree in physical education, 2001 |
| Marshall University; master's degree in exercise physiology, 2006 | |
| Wife | Laura |
| Children | Son, Devin (born Feb. 20, 2007); |
| Daughter, Anna (born Jan. 23, 2012) |
