Former NBA player and 2003 alumni Blake Ahearn is the new basketball coach. This morning athletic director Kevin Roberts introduced Ahearn to the team.

“I was raised family is the most important thing,” Ahearn said, “and I consider De Smet my family so any chance I have to come back home is exciting for me and my family as well.”

When meeting with the team Ahearn emphasized the importance of hard work.

“You cannot have goals and then no do anything about it in terms of working towards those goals,” Ahearn said. “The only way you can achieve success is by working hard and that is what we are going to do.”