Southeast hires men's basketball assistant

Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball program has filled one of its two vacant assistant coaching positions with Friday's hiring of Robert Guster.

Guster has been an assistant coach at Southwest Missouri State-West Plains Community College the past five seasons, helping lead the Grizzlies to a 120-36 record during that time. Eight players Guster recruited went on to play Division I basketball.

"We are very excited about having Guster join our staff," Southeast head coach Gary Garner said. "I have known him for a number of years, and I know he has recruited a lot of great players for SMS-West Plains. Guster has great recruiting ties in the south and comes highly recommended."

Guster played basketball at SMS-West Plains, where he was a teammate of former Southeast player Brian Bunche, and at the University of Missouri-Rolla. He graduated from Missouri-Rolla in 1999 and received a Master of Science degree from Southwest Missouri State University in 2002.

"I'm extremely excited about the move to Division I basketball," Guster said. "Cape Girardeau is a great city, and I think a lot of coach Garner. If he has players, no one can coach with him. I know that with hard work and dedication we can make things happen at Southeast."

Guster replaces Gary Abner, who recently resigned to became an assistant coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga. Garner still must fill the vacancy of former No. 3 assistant Kevin Williams, who recently left for a coaching position at Hancock High School in St. Louis.