May 28, 2005

University of Dayton men's basketball coach Brian Gregory has announced that assistant coach Mike Jackson will leave the Flyers to become an assistant coach at the University of Michigan. The Detroit native had previously coached at Detroit (five years) and Toledo (two years) before coming to UD with Gregory in 2003.

"It's tough to leave what's being built here at Dayton, but this is a great opportunity for my family to go back home," Jackson said. "It's been an extremely positive experience being in Dayton. "It's a great place. It really is."

"Mike has a great future as a coach, and this job will just be another successful stop in his career," Gregory said. "I'm excited for him and at the same time disappointed we're losing someone of his caliber. "In the two years he was here, he represented the program well in terms of the values, character and work ethic we want associated with our program."

Jackson, 32, will join Tommy Amaker's staff at Michigan. Ironically, Gregory's top assistant at UD, Billy Schmidt, came to the Flyers from Amaker's staff at Michigan.

One of the youngest teams in the nation (six freshmen averaged 10 or more minutes a game) last season. UD was 18-11 overall, and 10-6 in the Atlantic 10. The Flyers tied for second in the A-10 West Division, one game behind eventual league champion George Washington.