"We are extremely pleased to announce that Dale and Bobby have joined our staff," says Head Coach Randy Smithson '82/89. "They will be an improvement to our staff, our program and the total operation. I feel that the coaches in the past have done a great job, but these two are a great fit right now. They bring passion and resilience to the program."
Kennen, 27, comes to WSU after one year as the top assistant coach at Central Florida Community College under head coach Gene Smithson. A native of Ocala, Fla., Kennen earned a bachelor's degree from Palm Beach Atlantic College in 1993 and a master's degree from the University of Florida in 1998. At pbac, he was a four-year letterwinner at point guard, as well as a four-year academic all-conference selection.
"Bobby has handled a variety of duties under my father at Central Florida, from recruiting, practices, media relations and fund-raising, so he has been through the mill," Smithson says. Kennen was also head coach at Williston High School from 1995-98. He won three conference championships while there. From 1993-95, he was assistant coach at Santaluces High School.
Faber, head basketball coach at Bishop Carroll High School since 1987, compiled a 146-69 record in his 12 seasons as head coach. He took over a program that had only three winning seasons in the 22 years previous. He coached bchs to winning records in eight of the last nine seasons, and also had 100 wins in the City League in the last 12 years.
"Dale has great respect in the community as a highly-successful high school coach, and he has had valuable experience in his work with Five Star Camps," Smithson says. "He brings passion similar to mine for player development, the game and the university. I have a strong trust with Dale, and a lot of faith in his philosophy."
A Wichita native, Faber, 40, graduated from Bishop Carroll in 1976, earned an associate's degree from Pratt Community College in 1978 and a bachelor's degree from WSU in 1982.
"I have great confidence in Bobby and Dale, and I think they are the right fit at the right time," Smithson stresses. "The program is in a lot better shape now than when we first arrived, so we need to give the former assistant coaches credit, but these two coaches bring what we need now."
