Zack Freesman joins the Chanticleers after spending the past three seasons as an assistant coach at Western Carolina University.
He helped lead the Catamounts to two top-four Southern Conference regular season finishes. The Catamounts also found post-season experience with an appearance in the College Basketball Invitation (CBI).
Freesman was instrumental in helping turn around the Catamount men’s basketball program. Upon hiring Freesman, Gray appointed him as the team’s offensive and special situations coordinator. Under Freesman’s leadership, Western Carolina produced an extremely efficient offense, ranking in the top 125 teams nationally.
At the end of the 2021-22 season, Freesman was promoted for his outstanding work in the Catamounts recruiting efforts, being named the program’s recruiting coordinator. Freesman was influential in guiding several top prospects to Cullowhee including three all-conference selections. Vonterius Woolbright, the 2023-24 SoCon Player of the Year, joined the Catamounts from the junior college ranks. Preseason All-SoCon selections Tre Jackson and Russell Jones Jr. also came to WCU from Big 12 member Iowa State and Winthrop, respectively. Jones Jr. followed Freesman to the mountains after having previously been coached by him at Winthrop University.
Before joining Gray at Western Carolina, Freesman served head coach Pat Kelsey as the Director of Basketball Operations (2019-21) and Video Coordinator (2018-19) at Winthrop University. While in Rock Hill, Freesman helped the Eagles qualify for back-to-back NCAA Tournaments.
Prior to his time at Winthrop, Freesman spent two seasons at VCU as a graduate assistant. During his time, the Rams won 44 games and advanced to the 2017 NCAA Tournament. Freesman completed his master’s degree coursework in sport leadership while at Virginia Commonwealth University.
A 2016 graduate of the University of North Florida, Freesman earned his bachelor’s degree in sport management with minors in business and community leadership. He spent four years as a manager for the Ospreys’ men’s basketball program and was named head manager for the final two. In 2015, the Ospreys won back-to-back Atlantic Sun Conference Championships and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
Originally from Weston, Fla., Freesman graduated from Cypress Bay High School in 2012. He and his wife, Jillian, were married in May of 2021.
Â
