Bill Armstrong Formally Introduced As McNeese Men’s Basketball Coach

Lake Charles, Louisiana - A new era of McNeese Basketball is officially underway as Director of Athletics Heath Schroyer formally introduced Bill Armstrong as the new McNeese Men’s Basketball Coach.

Armstrong was formerly an assistant to Scott Drew at Baylor and Will Wade during his time at LSU.

“This is an incredible opportunity,” Armstrong said. “I don’t think there’s a more exciting place to be in the country right now as a head coach. To take over a team that just won its first-ever NCAA Tournament game and is coming off back-to-back regular season and tournament championships—it’s a dream scenario. Now, the challenge is to build on that success, keep this momentum going, and make even more history.”

When Will Wade arrived on campus at McNeese back in 2023, Athletics Director Heath Schryoer knew it would only be for a short amount of time, so he has had plenty of time to think about who he would get for the post-Wade era…

Schroyer emphasized that while Armstrong was a top candidate, McNeese conducted an extensive search to ensure they found the best fit for the program’s continued success.

“Make no mistake, this is the best one-bid basketball job in the country. A lot of people wanted this position, and I vetted numerous candidates. At the end of the day, Coach Armstrong checked every box we were looking for. His experience, recruiting ability, and understanding of our system made him the right choice.”

Even though it is a new era of McNeese Basketball, one could argue that it is just a continuation of the past. Wade and Armstrong go back for years, dating back to their time together at LSU.

“Will and I are like brothers. We’ve talked nearly every day for the past eight years, and I’ve had the opportunity to learn so much from him. I was here during the first Southland Conference tournament win, and I celebrated that moment with the team. I’ve had a front-row seat to this program’s rise, and I’m ready to build on it.”

In this new age of college basketball, I don’t expect much to change. Mid-major programs are virtually set up as minor league affiliates to the bigger programs, and that is certainly what McNeese could be for NC State.

Armstrong’s path to McNeese includes time as a high-level recruiter in the SEC and success as the head coach at Link Academy, where he led the program to a national championship. He noted how his past experiences have shaped him for this role.

“Recruiting at a high level has shown me that having great players is the foundation of success. At Link Academy, we had a roster full of high-major talent and won at the highest level. That experience, combined with my time working under elite coaches like Andy Kennedy, Will Wade, and Scott Drew, has prepared me for this job. I understand what it takes to win championships, and that’s the expectation here.”

Unlike most first-time head coaches who inherit struggling programs, Armstrong takes over a championship-winning team. He embraces the pressure and is eager to continue the success McNeese has built.

“This is exactly what I want. I want the pressure that comes with taking over a winning program. The expectation here is to win the Southland Championship, get to the NCAA Tournament, and win games there. That’s the standard, and I’m excited to lead this program in that direction.”

Armstrong, who met with the current McNeese roster on Tuesday, will now look to round out his coaching staff, hit the transfer portal, and get to recruiting. All of this while moving his family from Waco to Lake Charles.