University of Louisville Press Release:
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – UofL men’s basketball head coach Pat Kelsey on Tuesday announced the additional staff hires of assistant coach Mike Cassidy, creative director Tom Pupavac and associate athletic trainer Katie Creznic.
The three new additions to the staff reunite with current Louisville staff members and former College of Charleston employees Pat Kelsey, Brian Kloman, Thomas Carr, Jermaine Ukaegbu, Eli Foy, Mitch Johnson and Braden Smith.
Michael Cassidy – Assistant Coach
Cassidy will enter his fourth year on a college basketball team in 2024-25 with the Louisville Cardinals after spending the previous three seasons in CofC.
“‘Cass’ is one of the brightest basketball minds I’ve ever worked with,” Kelsey said. “As our offensive coordinator, he helps me design, implement and adjust our offensive schemes. He is a very skilled master of the game on the court. Players are attracted to him because of his positive disposition, his sense of humor and his obvious knowledge of the game.”
“I am incredibly honored and excited to join the men’s basketball staff at such a prestigious institution as the University of Louisville,” Cassidy said. “I would also like to thank Coach Kelsey for this great opportunity. Louisville has a very rich basketball history and the city and its fans are like no other. We, as a staff, hope to bring an exciting and electric brand of basketball that the city can get behind. A huge thank you to everyone at Louisville Athletics for making this transition seamless and seamless. I can’t wait to be on the court with our guys in the summer and build the team for an exciting first year of the Pat Kelsey era at Louisville. Let’s get to the cards!
Charleston went 75-27 overall (.735) in the three seasons Cassidy and Kelsey were there, capturing back-to-back Coastal Athletic Association regular-season and tournament championships in 2023 and 2024.
Cassidy was an assistant coach for the Australian U19 National Team at the FIBA U19 World Cup in July 2021, just before joining the Charleston staff as an assistant coach. Prior to that, he spent five years playing an integral role on the staff of the Basketball Australia Center of Excellence, a world-class institution dedicated to the development of youth basketball in Austral and the future Boomers and Opals, competing for the Australian Men’s National Championship and Feminine. Equipment.
With the Center of Excellence, Cassidy worked as an assistant coach competing in the NBL1 (Division II Pro League) in Australia. Additionally, he worked in collaboration with the NBA Global Academy, which is based in Canberra, Australia. The Center of Excellence has produced several NBA stars, including Andrew Bogut, Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Joe Ingles, Luc Longley, Patty Mills and more.
Cassidy was responsible for nationally identifying future talent for Australian national teams and individually tailoring athlete development programs while teaching with a focus on shooting and international offensive and defensive tendencies. She helped coach several U19 national teams and helped lead the U18 national team to a silver medal at the Albert Schweitzer Tournament, an international competition held in Germany every two years.
Cassidy, a 2018 graduate of the Australian College of Physical Education, also has experience as a head coach during the National Basketball League Combine and the Australian Basketball Development Camp. During the latter, he led and managed a team of 10 coaches and a team of 20 athletes, bringing Louisville an impressive resume in recruiting, talent identification and development, and on-court coaching experience.
Tom Pupavac – Men’s Basketball Creative Director
Pupavac will spend his fourth season in creative content in 2024-25 after spending the previous three seasons with Kelsey in Charleston. He previously played four seasons of basketball with Kelsey at Winthrop.
“Tom played for us and was part of championship teams at Winthrop,” Kelsey said. “He is unique and, I think, an advantage to have a former player working with you in the creative space. He understands and believes in our culture so much that it allows him to tell a special story about who we are through his work. He is extremely talented and brings our show to life through the content he creates.”
“It is an honor to be welcomed into the Louisville Basketball family and a privilege to be a part of the rich history on which this program was founded,” Pupavac said. “I would like to thank Coach Kelsey for the opportunity here and the trust he has in my vision over the years! I can’t wait to share this journey with the amazing Card Nation! The unwavering support of Louisville basketball fans is like no other and fuels this team’s success. Let’s get to the cards!
In his role, Pupavac is responsible for producing digital creative projects related to the men’s basketball program, including photography, videography and graphic design. He collaborates with the coaching staff to produce all creative recruiting content for specific prospects and leads creative projects with prospects during his official visits.
He helped double the Cougars’ social media metrics during his three years in Charleston. In 2022, the Cougars ranked 98th in total social interactions, 74th in engagement rate, 87th in total views and experienced the third-best growth rate in DI men’s basketball.
Pupavac, originally from Australia, graduated in 2021 from Winthrop with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. In her four seasons on the court with Kelsey, she won two conference championships.
Katie Creznic – Associate Athletic Trainer
Creznic comes to the University of Louisville after spending two years working in men’s basketball and women’s golf at the College of Charleston. In his time with the Cougars basketball program, Charleston won back-to-back conference championships and made the NCAA Tournament.
“In college basketball, I think the athletic trainer is one of the most important positions in the program,” Kelsey said. “Katie was a big part of our last two championships in Charleston. Her experience in her craft is exceptional, but her true gift is the relationship she has with the players. “She is a big part of our 25 Strong culture.”
“I feel very blessed and excited to continue working with Coach Kelsey and his incredible staff here at Louisville,” Creznic said. “The resources and support poured into this program from a medical standpoint and beyond are second to none. I can’t wait to serve our student-athletes and help them achieve incredible success on and off the court. Together we will build something truly special. Let’s get to the cards!
Prior to working with Kelsey in Charleston, Creznic was at Morgan State University working with men’s basketball first as an assistant athletic trainer (2017-18) before being promoted to Director of Sports Medicine beginning in 2018.
She interned at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, from 2013 to 2015 and was a graduate assistant at the University of South Carolina. While at the Palmetto State for graduate studies, she worked at Dreher High School and South Carolina State University.
Outside of collegiate athletics, Creznic served as an athletic trainer at the 2022 NBA Combine and G League Elite Camp, as well as the NBA x HBCU Summer League Combine that same summer.
Creznic holds certifications in Graston Level 1, Myofascial Cupping, Intricate Art Dry Needling Level 1, PES, and FMC-C.
Creznic graduated from Messiah College (now University) with a bachelor’s degree in athletic training in 2013. He added a master’s degree in advanced athletic training in 2017 from the University of South Carolina. Creznic is originally from Hershey, Pennsylvania.
(Photo via Jared Anderson – Louisville Report)
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