VERMILLION, S.D. (May 10, 2005)--The University of South Dakota athletic department has announced that Joey James has been named the top assistant men's basketball coach under Dave Boots. James, a member of USD's 1999 NCC Championship team, will enter his third season as an assistant coach at South Dakota.

"I am very excited about the opportunity to continue to be a part of a very successful program under a great head coach," said James. "There's no other place my family and I would rather be than at The University of South Dakota."

A native of Bellevue, Neb., James played two seasons at USD from 1997-99 when the Coyotes went 42-14. He averaged 7.8 points per game as a senior and 8.4 points per game as a junior. He tied a school record in 1999 when he hit eight three-pointers in a win over South Dakota State at the DakotaDome.

Before joining the Coyotes, James was a two-time all-conference selection at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He averaged 14.9 points per game as a sophomore and 11.6 points per game as a freshman at IWCC.

James earned a Bachelor of Science degree in recreation in 2000 and has his Master's degree in athletic administration from USD in 2004.

He and his wife Jena have a three-year-old son, Jaylen.