April 2, 2006

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Former West Texas A&M University men's basketball player Fred Rike was named head men's basketball coach at fellow Lone Star Conference-foe Angelo State University on Sunday. Rike, who was an associate head coach at the University of North Texas for the past five seasons, played at WTAMU in 1989-90 season, when it was known as West Texas State University.

Rike, who becomes ASU's fourth men's basketball coach in the program's history, takes over after Joe Esposito resigned in February. ASU has had three consecutive losing seasons, including going 8-19 overall this season and 0-12 in LSC South play.

Prior to his stint at UNT, Rike had previous assistant coaching jobs at Louisiana Tech, University of Memphis and Georgia State University, and both assistant and head coaching time at Tyler Junior College.

Rike is a native of Haskell, Texas, and played his high school prep basketball at Tulia High School, and began his collegiate playing career at Tyler Junior College, and then Sam Houston State University before coming to West Texas State in 1989, playing one season for the Buffs.

In 1989, Rike earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from West Texas State, and received his master's degree in health and kinesiology at the University of Texas at Tyler in 1991.

Rike and his wife, Kimberley, have two daughters, Allie, 10, and Jessie, 7.

-WT-