COLUMBIA - Frank Haith has begun to fill out his Missouri men's basketball staff, announcing the hiring of three assistants Wednesday.
Tim Fuller will be an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator after spending last season at the University of Louisville. Fuller helped Louisville sign a Top 10 recruiting class.
Fuller met Haith while playing at Wake Forest from 1997-2000. Haith was an assistant coach for the Demon Deacons.
"I have known Tim (Fuller) since his playing days at Wake Forest and he is basically a part of my family," Haith said in a statement released by the university. "Tim is a tireless worker. He has risen up the coaching ranks and has made a big impact at every stop along the way. Louisville has a Top 10 recruiting class for next year and Tim was a major part of that. He has learned from some great coaches.
"Tim has great contacts all over the country, not just because of his ability to teach the game of basketball, but his connections with Nike and the AAU and high school circuits. Being able to hire Tim from a school like Louisville speaks volumes to what can take place at Missouri. This program is highly thought of across America. This is a big step in taking our program to that next level."
Fuller, 33, was briefly on Haith's first staff at the University of Miami. He also has worked at Wake Forest and Fairfeld.
"I'm excited to join Coach Haith and the Missouri family," Fuller said. "The academics, the facilities, the location, the talent and the great AAU and high school programs in this state make this job one of the elite in America."
Ernie Nester will serve as Haith's bench coach.
Nester has spent 42 years in basketball, including serving as the Director of Basketball Operations at Penn State last season. He was a head coach at Elon College and George Mason, and an assistant at James Madison, Wake Forest, California and South Carolina.
"It's exciting to be reunited with Frank here at Missouri," Nestor, who coached with Haith at Wake Forest, said. "Frank is an outstanding coach, someone who has the ability to connect with young men and get the most out of them.
"I am also excited to be part of the Missouri family. Being around the college game for 40 years, I know what it means when someone says Mizzou Basketball. These fans expect discipline and toughness and that's what we will give them."
Todor Pandov will be the strength and conditioning coach after serving in that role under Haith last season at Miami.
Pandov, who played at Western Kentucky, is familiar with the Big 12 Conference after spending the 2005-06 season as a volunteer coach at Texas.
"(Pandov) has a tremendous grasp of what it takes to be successful at this level and will give our players a unique perspective with his collegiate playing experience," Haith said.
Haith still has two positions to fill - one assistant spot and the Director of Basketball Operations.