VERMILLION, S.D. -- The University of South Dakota has announced that it has added three new full-time positions to the athletic department staff. Chris Kassin (men's basketball), Ryan Larsen (women's basketball) and David Frazier (strength and conditioning) have all been hired as full-time USD staff members.

"I'm really pleased to be adding Chris to our staff as a full-time member," said Dave Boots, men's basketball head coach. "He has been with us over the past few years and has done a great job. It is really going to benefit our program having him on staff full-time. Chris is going to be a great addition to the USD men's basketball program."

Kassin has been a member of the USD men's basketball staff for four seasons. During that stretch, the Coyotes have compiled a 93-32 record. All four seasons that Kassin has been on the coaching staff, the team has won 20 or more games and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. In the 2006-07 season the Coyotes won the regular season conference title and the NCC Tournament championship. They also won the conference tournament title in 2004-05. In the four seasons Kassin has been at USD, two players have earned All-American honors and seven have been named all-conference. Kassin earned his bachelor's degree (2002) and his master's degree (2005) from USD.

"We are thrilled to have a coach of Ryan's caliber join our staff," said Ryun Williams, women's basketball head coach. "Ryan is a very enthusiastic and passionate basketball coach. His reputation is one of a relentless worker and recruiter and his ties to the state of South Dakota will be advantageous to our program."

Larsen brings eight years of coaching experience to the women's basketball program. He was a member of the Augustana College men's basketball staff from 2002-07. In his five seasons at Augustana, Larsen helped revitalized the men's basketball program. In 2006-07, the Vikings went 16-12 which was the team's highest win total in 15 years. Along with his coaching duties, Larsen was also the recruiting coordinator for three seasons. During that time he recruited three high school student-athletes who earned player of the year honors from their respective states. From 1999-02 Larsen was at Minnesota State University-Moorhead. In the 2001-02 season the team posted its best record in nine years and was ranked in the North Central Region for the first time in school history. Larsen graduated from MSU-Moorhead, earning his bachelor's degree in 2002. He obtained is master's degree from Augustana in 2004.

"Part of the University's move to NCAA Division I is the addition of full-time coaches and staff members," said Joel Nielsen, USD director of athletics. "We felt as though it was important to have our men's and women's basketball programs with three full-time coaches, to help increase the programs level of competitiveness and strengthen the team's recruiting ability. Bringing in a strength and conditioning coach was another position that we felt was key in our transition to DI. Coach Frazier did a remarkable job this past season as a graduate assistant and I'm pleased to now have him on staff full-time. David has implemented an outstanding weight training and conditioning program that our athletes have greatly benefited from. The coaches noticed David's impact on the student-athlete's conditioning this past season."

Prior to his arrival at USD Frazier was the assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Detroit Mercy, a NCAA Division I member of the Horizon League. There he was responsible for the training program for nine sports, working directly with the teams on speed specific technique, agility performance and plyometric enhancement. Frazier is a NSCA certified strength and conditioning specialist. He earned his bachelor's degree in health and human performance from Iowa State University in 2006. While at ISU he was a member of the Cyclone's top 10 nationally ranked wrestling team. Frazier earned his master's degree in health, physical education and recreation from USD in 2008.