Courtesy of Oneonta Sport Management Department
SUNY Oneonta Director of Athletics Tracey Ranieri announced today that the athletics department staff has been completed for the 2017-18 year. Cameron Conover and Brett Willmott will return to coach men's basketball and cross country and track & field respectively while Anais Moton will join the athletic training staff as an assistant and Allyson Baribault will serve as the interim head coach of women's lacrosse.
After national searches this past spring, both Conover and Willmott accepted their positions after having served as interim coaches during the 2016-17 year. Moton came through a national search as well becoming a permanent assistant for Oneonta. Baribault served as the assistant coach for women's lacrosse last year and will replace Ali Pollock who left Oneonta to pursue another career outside of coaching.
As the interim this past winter, Conover led the men's basketball team to a 17-11 record overall while playing for the SUNYAC title for just the third time in program history. The squad saw Mikey McElroy become the program's all-time leading scorer while having two more players eclipse 1,000 points. Freshman Kevin Mackin also garnered SUNYAC Rookie of the Year honors.
Conover joined Oneonta after spending the 11 years on the men's basketball staff at Plattsburgh, the last eight years as the Associate Head Coach.
During his tenure at Plattsburgh, Conover was instrumental in building Plattsburgh into a regional power. He was the coordinator of the programs' highly successful recruiting efforts, which produced three All-Americans and Three SUNYAC Players of the Year. The Cardinals won four SUNYAC championships, competed in seven NCAA tournaments, and had six 20-win seasons. With the help of Conover, the Cardinals also advanced to the "Sweet 16" twice.
Conover earned a bachelor's degree in communications from USC before earning his master's degree in administration and leadership at Plattsburgh.
During 2016-17, Willmott guided the cross country and track & field programs in an interim capacity. Last fall, he mentored both cross country teams to an appearance in the NCAA championships. It was the fourth consecutive time for the women while being the first time in history for the men's team. He coached one All-American, as Rachael Shine finished 23rd at the championships.
During the winter and spring, Willmott had one relay and two individuals qualify for the NCAA championships. The men's 4x400-meter relay qualified during the indoor season as did Meghan Serdock (Shoreham/Shoreham Wading River) and Kayla Clohessy. Both Serdock and Clohessy qualified again for the outdoor championships. Serdock garnered All-American honors twice while Clohessy was an All-American during indoor season.
Prior to Oneonta, Willmott spent nine years as the Associate Head Coach of the track & field program at Division I Vermont. Prior to that, he had stints at both Plattsburgh and New Paltz as a student athlete, assistant and head coach.
Willmott matriculated from Plattsburgh with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice in 1995. He is a certified Strength and Conditioning coach and is a board member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association and has been a speaker at numerous clinics during his career.
Willmott also currently serves as a Push Coach and Strength and Conditioning Coach for the USA Skeleton Team in Lake Placid, N.Y., a position he has held since 2007. During his tenure, his athletes have earned much success including Jim Shea, Jr. who won the Olympic Gold Medal in Skeleton at the 2002 winter games in Salt Lake City.
Moton comes to Oneonta from William Penn University in Oskaloosa, IA where she served as an assistant athletic trainer and adjunct professor since 2015. While at WPU, Moton received her Maters of Business Leadership in May of 2016. During her first year at WPU she was a graduate assistant athletic trainer.
Moton's responsibilities at WPU included assessing and caring for 250 student athletes, developing and implementing injury prevention and rehabilitation programs and supervision of student interns while serving as a mentor for the graduate assistants. She was the primary trainer for football, women's basketball and men's and women's golf.
Moton graduated with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Athletic Training from Aurora University in May of 2013. She is a board certified athletic trainer and was a contracted athletic trainer for Peak Performance and BGM High School.
Baribault is a 2013 graduate of Plymouth State University where she was a two-sport athlete in ice hockey and lacrosse. Since her graduation, she has spent time as an assistant coach at her Alma Mater, Post University in Connecticut and Wesleyan University.
Baribault was involved in all aspects of the program last year with specific duties of working with the goalies. Under her guidance, Oneonta improved its overall goals against average by nearly two goals from 2016. Additionally, Baribault responsible for film breakdown of opponents and practice and game preparation along with recruiting of prospects.
During the past four summers, Baribault has worked various camps specializing in one-on-one instruction with goalies.
Baribault earned a degree in special education where she spent time teaching at both Middletown (CT) High School and Plymouth (NH) Elementary School.
