Michael Schwartz adds to his coaching staff with a familiar face from his days at Tennessee.

East Carolina University has announced the appointment of Ira ‘I.J.’ Poole as a new assistant coach for their basketball team. Head coach Michael Schwartz revealed this addition to the staff, following recent departures from the team. Jake Morton, who had been with ECU for the past two years, left for a position at Florida State. Additionally, assistant coach Mark Adams departed to join Chris Beard at Ole Miss, after spending one season with the Pirates.

Poole joins the team with a connection to Schwartz, having previously worked on Tennessee’s coaching staff as the assistant to the head coach under Rick Barnes from 2019-21. At that time, Schwartz was Tennessee’s associate head coach and defensive coordinator before assuming the head coaching role at ECU for the 2022-23 season.

“We are incredibly lucky to welcome I.J. Poole to our coaching team,” Schwartz stated. “He is an exceptional individual and professional in this field. I.J. possesses a high-level understanding of basketball and exceptional interpersonal skills that will make an immediate positive impact across all areas of our program. We are thrilled to have I.J. and his wife Rachel become part of the Pirate family.”

Last season, Poole worked at Providence as the associate director of player development under Kim English, who had previously been on staff at Tennessee with both Schwartz and Poole. Poole had followed English from George Mason to Providence, after spending the two prior seasons as the director of player personnel and scouting with the Patriots.

Poole’s appointment brings the number of ECU assistant coaches to four. Riley Davis has been working with Schwartz since he was recruited before his first season in Greenville. Reggie Williams, who was previously the director of player personnel in 2022-23, is now entering his second season as an assistant coach. Josh Giardina, who was a former graduate assistant at Tennessee, is now in his third season with ECU, and his second season as an assistant coach.

The basketball support staff also includes Jesse Higdon as the Director of Basketball Operations, newly-appointed Colton Susen as the strength and conditioning coach, and Nate Clark as the athletic trainer/medical services provider. In Schwartz’s first two years at East Carolina, the Pirates achieved records of 16-17 and 15-18.

Poole spent two seasons at Appalachian State, initially serving as the director of basketball operations responsible for budget management, daily scheduling, and team travel during his first year. He was later promoted to assistant coach for the 2018-19 season.

He started his professional journey at the University of Texas as a student manager and was part of two NCAA Tournament teams with the Longhorns. During that period, Texas averaged 22 wins per season.

A native of Austin, Texas, Poole graduated from Texas in 2015 with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Biology.