FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University head men's basketball coach Gary Tuell announced today the hiring of Jordan Fee as assistant men's basketball coach. Fee replaces Brandon Crone, who left NSU on Oct. 12 to accept a similar position at his alma mater, Butler University.
 
"Obviously we're excited that Jordan has decided to join our basketball family at NSU," said Tuell. "I want to give a huge, heartfelt thanks to (volunteer assistant) Marquise Kiffin for bridging the gap between Brandon's departure and Jordan's hiring. He did an amazing job, far beyond what anyone had any right to expect of him. I'm sure I speak for our players and the entire athletics department in thanking Marquise for his selfless dedication and commitment to our program. He played a valuable role in helping to convince Jordan to join our family and I'm excited to have both Jordan and Marquise on the staff as we all work together to bring NSU a championship caliber program."
 
Tuell said Fee is "a perfect fit" for the NSU basketball program. "He's the right guy at the right time. Jordan is uncommonly bright, a tireless worker, extremely knowledgeable, well connected and a proven leader and winner with a tremendous pedigree," Tuell said. "He also brings a philosophy about the student-athlete – particularly the balance between academics and athletics -- that coincides with the mission and beliefs of our department and our university."
 
"I just want to thank NSU Director of Athletics Mike Mominey and coach Gary Tuell for giving me this opportunity," said Fee. "It was obvious to me when I visited NSU that the university, the athletics department, the coaches and support staff and the players on the basketball team are first class in every way. This is really a special place. Coach Tuell and I share very similar philosophies about basketball and about the student-athlete experience. Spending time with Coach Tuell and Coach Kiffin really helped me make my decision. They have a great relationship and it's obvious the players really care about their coaches. I was very impressed with the players when I visited, not only with their talent level, but more importantly with their character and their sense of family."
 
Fee is a coach's son, having played for his legendary father, Don, whose Grove City High School teams won over 400 games and dominated Western Pennsylvania basketball for years. Jordan scored over 1,200 points in his Grove City career and led his team to the Pennsylvania Final Four as a junior. A four-year starter at point guard, Fee averaged over seven assists per game during his career. He was both District and Regional Player of the Year as a junior and a senior before enrolling in the U.S. Air Force Academy Prep School. Fee was the starting point guard for the 19-6 prep school team in 2007-08, where he excelled in the academy's Princeton style offense. Eight years after leaving the prep school, Fee is still remembered by Dave Pilipovich, head coach of the NCAA D-1 Air Force Academy. "Jordan was a leader, very mature, just a great young man. He grew up around basketball and had the benefit of playing for his father, who was a tremendous coach. Jordan is going to be very successful in the coaching business. I'm happy for him and I'm happy for Nova Southeastern. This is a great hire."
 
After his year at the Air Force Academy Prep School Fee played two seasons at NCAA D-1 University of Detroit-Mercy for head coach Ray McCallum. Fee appeared in 35 games in two seasons with the Titans, both as a starter and a reserve. Fee was named to the UDM Athletic Director's Honor Roll and also the Horizon League's Academic Honor Roll.
 
Fee transferred to NCAA DII national powerhouse West Liberty University for his final two seasons. Despite an injury-plagued career with West Liberty, Jordan played an instrumental part in helping his teams capture two conference and regional championships. As a junior Fee helped West Liberty reel off 33 consecutive victories to start the 2010-11 season before falling 110-101 to BYU-Hawaii in the NCAA DII National Semifinals and finishing 33-1. As a senior in 2011-12, Fee helped the Hilltoppers to a 32-3 record and a return to the NCAA DII Elite Eight where West Liberty lost in the quarter-final round 91-90 to Stonehill College.
 
Following graduation, Fee spent one season as a volunteer assistant at West Liberty, helping the 2012-13 squad to a 34-2 record including an 83-76 loss to Metro State in the NCAA DII national semifinals. West Liberty is led by the winningest coach in college basketball, Jim Crutchfield, whose 11 Hilltopper teams have an astounding .849 winning percentage (300-53), and who regularly average 100 points or more a game. In Fee's two playing seasons at West Liberty the Hilltoppers were a remarkable 65-4. Tack on his one season as an assistant there and the West Liberty won-loss record during Coach Fee's tenure at the West Virginia school is an astounding 99-6.
 
"Jordan was a winner in high school, a winner at the prep academy at Air Force and a phenomenal winner in Coach Crutchfield's program at West Liberty," said Tuell. "He understands winning and what it takes to have success on and off the court. I love what he brings to our program in terms of his knowledge and understanding of our offense. We've run a hybrid Princeton Offense for the past three years and he will definitely impact our continued growth and development in that area. But I've always been an admirer of Coach Crutchfield and the incredible success he's had at West Liberty. We definitely want to tap into Coach Fee's experience with West Liberty. Coach Fee brings a lot to the table for us, both in terms of the things we do and the things we would like to do, and that made him the most attractive of the nearly 300 applicants for the job. On top of that he's just a high character, classy individual with a great basketball mind and a great love for the game. He will be 27 in July and he's still young enough to relate well with the players on and off the court. I couldn't be more excited or pleased with his decision to bring his knowledge, talent and skill to our program."
 
After leaving West Liberty, Coach Fee spent one season as a graduate assistant coach at Clarion (Pa.) University before rejoining Coach McCallum the past two seasons in Detroit. "Jordan is an enthusiastic young coach with a great work ethic," said McCallum. "He is very dedicated and will be a great fit for Nova Southeastern. He will help them build a championship program. NSU is getting a quality young coach with a tremendous future. A great hire for NSU."
 
Tuell said McCallum's influence on Fee, both as his coach and his mentor during Jordan's years at Detroit-Mercy, "will have an impact on Coach Fee that will last a lifetime. Not only is Coach McCallum an outstanding coach, but he's recognized across the country, throughout our profession, as a gentleman and a classy, highly respected individual who treats people the right way and does things the right way. His influence on Jordan, along with the influence of his father, Don, and coach Crutchfield at West Liberty and his experiences at the Air Force Academy Prep school have all helped to shape him into the person and coach he is today. His entire basketball life has been surrounded by quality people. Our players are very fortunate that someone of Coach Fee's character, talent, experience and enthusiasm will be part of our basketball family."
 
Fee earned his bachelor's degree in physical education and health education in 2013 from West Liberty and his master's degree in leadership from Detroit-Mercy in 2015.