Prospero Will Be Named Assistant Coach at Chapman

Rich Prospero will remain at Chapman College as an assistant basketball coach, a source in the athletic department said Thursday. School officials are expected to make the announcement today.

Prospero, 25, was the Panthers’ interim coach last season. He and Jerry DeBusk will assist new Chapman coach Bob Boyd.

Boyd met with Prospero on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of Prospero remaining with the program.

Prospero will be the team’s top assistant coach and will handle some of the recruiting, according to a source. He was an assistant at Chapman for two years before replacing Kevin Wilson, who was fired.

Before coming to Chapman, Prospero coached four years at Tustin High School as a varsity assistant and lower-level coach.

Prospero’s contract is expected to be in excess of $30,000 per year. Besides coaching, he also will teach at least one class.

DeBusk, who coached at Newport Harbor High School last season, accepted the Chapman job Wednesday.

Prospero also was a candidate for the job as head coach. He was one of five candidates interviewed.

Under Prospero, the Panthers finished 17-12 and were third in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. Chapman had a successful season despite some off-court distractions.

In October, Wilson resigned effective at the end of the season. He was fired seven weeks later for his published comments regarding the distribution of funds at Chapman.

Lindsay Strothers was named interim coach. However, after the team threatened to boycott, Prospero became the interim coach.