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OUR COACHES

Rickey Paulding is a former professional basketball player from Detroit, Michigan. He played college basketball at the University of Missouri from 2000-04. While at Mizzou he scored 1200 points and grabbed 300 rebounds, earning a spot as the 10th highest all time scorer in school history.  Rickey also holds Mizzou's career record for most points scored in NCAA tournament play and is remembered by fans for scoring 36 points and making nine threes against Dwayne Wade and the Marquette Golden Eagles in the 2nd round loss of the NCAA tournament his junior year.  Rickey made the decision to return to Mizzou for his senior year where he graduated with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. 

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Paulding was drafted by the Detroit Pistons, 54th overall in the second round of the 2004 NBA draft.   He began his professional career in Israel with Hapoel Jerusalem (Jerusalem, 04-05 season) and then played two years in France with Asvel Lyon-Villeurbanne Basket (Lyon, 05-06 season) and BCM Gravelines Dunkerque (Gravelines, 06-07 season).  In 2007, Paulding signed in Germany with EWE Baskets Oldenburg and played there for 15 seasons.  He currently holds the BBL record for most consecutive years played on one team.

 

Rickey is beloved in Oldenburg where fans refer to the name of the city as “Pauldingburg” or to Rickey as “Mr. Oldenburg.” He has received many awards and honors while with EWE Baskets.

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Rickey and his wife Kara, have two sons, Tre and Sidney and a daughter Marleigh.  Rickey retired from the game he loves in 2022 and currently resides in Lee's Summit, MO.   

 

Awards and Honors:

  • 2003 Wooden Award pre-season finalist.

  • Two-time All-Big 12 Second Team.

  • Scored 37 points in the NCAA Tournament against Marquette.

  • Made 9 three-point field goals against Marquette.

  • Currently the 10th highest all-time scorer at Mizzou (1,673 points).

  • 5th in made threes (187) at Mizzou.

  • Mizzou's all-time leader in points scored in NCAA tournament play (145).

  • Made NCAA Tournament all region team in 2002.

  • Member of Mizzou All Century Team. 

  • 10-time Basketball Bundesliga All-Star.

  • 2009 BBL Champion.

  • 2009 BBL Finals MVP after leading EWE Baskets Oldenburg to the league title.

  • Most Likeable Player of the Basketball Bundesliga (2009, 2017, 2018, 2022).

  • 2015 BBL Cup Winner.

  • 4 time All BBL First team (2008, 2009, 2013, 2016).

  • 1st in most points scored in Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) history (7,959).

  • 1st in most field goals made in BBL history (2,786).

  • 1st in most three points made in BBL history (1,073).

  • 5th in most two pointers made in BBL history (1,713).

  • 3rd in most free-throws made in BBL history (1,314).

  • 6th in most rebounds in BBL history (1,957).

  • 9th in most assists in BBL history (1,125).

  • 2nd in most steals in BBL history (539).

  • 9th in most blocked shots in BBL history (190).

Bryan Austin, originally from Victorville, CA, grew up a traveling the world, due to his father being in the United State Air Force.  He spent a large portion of his childhood in Italy, where he learned the European approach to basketball.  When Austin was in high school, his family landed in Blue Springs, MO, where he graduated from Blue Springs South High School.  After high school, Austin went on to play at Truman State University.  After a short stint on the court, Austin moved to the sidelines and was a student assistant for the men’s team for a season, before moving over to the women’s side. He was a student assistant for three years while also being the head coach of the women’s club team.  He had found his passion!  Austin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science from Truman State University.

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After graduating college, Coach Austin pursued his new found passion, becoming the head girls' basketball coach at Ruskin High School in Kansas City, MO.  During his tenure at Ruskin, he rebuilt the girls’ basketball program, implemented and executed summer youth camps, off-seasoning training, and summer strength and conditioning programs. Austin was responsible for helping eight student-athletes continue their playing careers at the next level.

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In 2018, Austin was named head coach of the Southwestern Spartan collegiate women’s basketball program.  At Southwestern, Coach Austin brought an infectious energy and enthusiasm to the women’s basketball program. The 2019-2020 season ended with the team hosting a home playoff game, something that hadn’t been achieved in over a decade. 

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During the 2020-21 season, Austin and the Spartans fought their way to a Region XI championship appearance, finishing as the Region XI runners-up. The team finished 11th  nationally in free throw percentage, 9th in free throw attempts, and 6th in free throw makes nationally, all 1st in the ICCAC; 14th nationally in rebounds a game, 1st in the ICCAC.

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The Spartans ended the 2020-21 season run with four student-athletes being recognized by the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) All-Region Teams.  In 2022, Bryan decided to step down as head coach at Southwestern and return to Kansas City; giving him the opportunity to focus on youth and collegiate programs closer to home while spending more time with his daughters Leila, Ava, and Zariya.  Coach Austin currently resides in Raytown, MO.

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