University of Wisconsin - Stout

Coach Eddie Andrist

Coach Eddie AndristThree national collegiate championships, two international basketball championships, nine national tournament appearances, six collegiate final fours, six collegiate conference championships, and 486 head coaching victories later, coach Eddie Andrist still wants to know exactly how much better his career and the University of Wisconsin — Stout Blue Devils can get.

"Here at Stout, we have come so far and accomplished many program milestones, but the train is not stopping here," Andrist said. "We have a great deal of unfinished business."

Andrist will begin his eighth season as head coach for the Blue Devils and 34th season overall in coaching. During the 2005-06 season, Stout found itself nationally ranked, in first place in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) deep into the conference race, playing in the conference title game and advancing to the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time and racking up the program's most victories (22) since the 1968-69 season..

Contact Information:

  • andriste@uwstout.edu
  • 715-232-1162
  • 222 Sports & Fitness Center

One of the real success stories for Andrist and his staff during the past five seasons with the Blue Devils has been the return of Blue Devil fans to Johnson Fieldhouse. Stout finished 138th in national attendance prior to Andrist's arrival.

Over the past several years, the Blue Devils have ranked in the top 15 in attendance in Division III and have averaged at least 1,150 fans per game.

Systematic success has been the cornerstone for the Blue Devils. For the past five seasons, Andrist and the Blue Devils have used a full-court run and jump pressing style, and transition game that is extremely entertaining for the players and fans.

In 33 years of coaching, Andrist has coached in 946 official high school and collegiate games, 760 games as a head coach.

Under Andrist, Blue Devil basketball has exploded in many areas. During June and July, the Blue Devil Basketball Camps bring in over 1,300 high school and junior high boys and girls from all across the United States. For five straight years, a coach’s instructional clinic has been conducted in Johnson Fieldhouse, attracting more than 800 coaches. Andrist has also helped spearhead three major basketball and athletic projects for Stout totaling well over $500,000 dollars. A state-of-the-art floating basketball floor with hydra ribs baskets for the main court, an incredible basketball office renovation project, and additional bleacher project for the basketball court and other Blue Devil activities are among the Andrist-influenced additions.

Eddie Andrist is a Stout alumni, enrolling as a student in 1972. In 1974, Andrist joined the basketball staff under head coach Dwain Mintz and that year the Blue Devils won the Wisconsin State University Conference (WSUC) championship. After two seasons as a student assistant, Andrist left for the high school ranks, where he head coached the LaFarge Wildcats, Stanley Boyd Orioles, and the Stockbridge Indians. He returned to Stout in 1984, serving as top assistant for three seasons (1984-87).

In 1989, Andrist got his first collegiate head coaching job at Mount Senario College and his success speaks volumes. Under Andrist, the Fighting Saints won six straight UMAC championships and national collegiate titles in 1991, 1994, and 1996. In 11 seasons, Andrist won 250 games, averaging almost 23 victories per season.

"There is no other feeling like winning the final game of the year in your division and walking away with the national men’s basketball championship," Andrist said. "It doesn’t matter what level you are at. I want the UW-Stout Blue Devils to experience the same thing."

Andrist's teams have never shied away from strong competition. His Fighting Saints and Blue Devils have taken on the best NCAA Division II and several NCAA Division I teams in the Midwest. The Blue Devil's tough schedule each season ranks in the top five for NCAA Division III. Last season, the Blue Devils played at NCAA Division I UW-Green Bay and this season will take on the nationally ranked Wisconsin Badgers.

"I have always felt the better the teams you play, the better you become as a team." Andrist said. "Playing quality teams is more valuable than blowing out weaker ones."

Andrist not only has experience on the high school and college levels, but also on the international scene as well. He spent the spring and summer of 2000 overseas, coaching the Qatar National Men’s Team, where his undersized team from the tiny country on the Arabian Peninsula won its first-ever Asian and Gulf Countries Championships. Qatar upset favorite China twice in the Asian Games and defeated favorite Saudi Arabia in the Gulf.

Andrist, who received his bachelor’s degree from Stout in 1976 and his masters from Winona State University in 1982, also serves as an instructor in the Department of Physical Education and Athletics.

Andrist enjoys family life with his wife, Connie, and six children, Les, Ryan, April, Kasey, Sean, and Kelsey.

Eddie Andrist's College Coaching Record
Year School Record
1989-90 Mt. Senario 26-10
1990-91 Mt. Senario 40-10*
1991-92 Mt. Senario 29-16
1992-93 Mt. Senario 32-15
1993-94 Mt. Senario 24-22*
1994-95 Mt. Senario 12-24
1995-96 Mt. Senario 15-21*
1996-97 Mt. Senario 15-22
1997-98 Mt. Senario 12-23
1998-99 Mt. Senario 25-13
1999-00 Mt. Senario 20-15
2000-01 UW-Stout 14-12
2001-02 UW-Stout 12-13
2002-03 UW-Stout 14-11
2003-04 UW-Stout 14-11
2004-05 UW-Stout 13-11
2005-06 UW-Stout 22-7
2006-07 UW-Stout 12-13
Total (18 seasons) 351-269 (.566)
*NSCAA national champions

Eddie Andrist by the Numbers

Assistant Coach Lionel Jones

Coach Lionel JonesLionel Jones begins his fourth year as a Blue Devil assistant, and is also the Blue Devil men's basketball recruiting coordinator.. Jones has coached in Minnesota with Champlin Park, Minneapolis North and Park Center high schools. At Park Center, Jones achieved the highest winning percentage in the history of the school where his teams won 86 percent of their games, put together back-to-back 20-win seasons and won the schools' first Northwest Suburban West championship. Originally from Warrensville Heights, Ohio, Jones received his bachelors degree from the University of Minnesota in sports management. Jones has spent six years working with the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves. Jones also works with the UW-Stout Multicultural Student Services as an associate adviser overseeing the College of Human Development. Jones and his wife, Nicole, have two children, Mahlon and Aalaycia.

Assistant Coach Mike Kraft

Coach Mike KraftMike Kraft begins his third year as a Blue Devil assistant, but is certainly no stranger to the Menomonie and UW-Stout communities. A Menomonie native, Kraft has been a coach and volunteer in the are in many different athletic areas over the years. A standout athlete himself, Kraft has a direct connection with UW-Stout athletics - his father-in-law is former long-time Blue Devil basketball coach Dwain Mintz. When Kraft is not plying his craft in athletics, he is a full-time employee of the City of Menomonie.

Assistant Coach Kris Babler

Coach Kris BablerKris Babler begins his first year as a Blue Devil assistant. After playing one year at Gustavus Adolphus College, Babler spent three seasons as a student assistant coach with the Gusties. A native of Hawley, Minn., Babler was a three-sport high school standout and advanced with his football and basketball teams to the Minnesota State tournaments. Babler graduated early from Gustavus in 2006 with an English major and coaching minor.

Sports Performance Coach Brandell Lewis

Coach Brandell LewisBrandell Lewis enters his third season with the Blue Devils basketball program as the head sports performance coach. Lewis joined the staff in  2005 and implemented a hands-on-approach that stresses strength, explosive power, speed, agility, conditioning, and mobility development.  “I am so very impressed with Brandell’s passion and ability to tailor workout programs to fit individual players needs based on the player’s input and workout history,” said Coach Andrist.  “This  has earned him the respect and admiration of the players and the coaching staff.”  A native of Houston, Texas, Lewis has earned a reputation as one of the most demanding sports performance coaches, consistently challenging the players with off-the-field preparation both during the season and off-season. Within the past calendar year  Lewis has been a finalists for several NCAA Division I strength and conditioning positions at major universities, University of North Carolina – football, Marquette University - women’s basketball, and Baylor University – football and track & field. Before joining the Blue Devils, Lewis had several professional tryouts with the Edmonton Eskimos and Ottawa Renegades of the Canadian Football League.  Lewis has a degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a minor in Coaching.

 

Blue Devil Staff

Jill BerrymanCoach Mike Gaier Mike Gaier is a student assistant coach from Neillsville majoring in special education. Gaier aspires to become a head basketball coach. Jill Berryman is a student administrative assistant from Wisconsin Rapids who is majoring in marketing and business. Greg Fisher is a former Blue Devil basketball player who is serving as a recruiting adviser.