When Davidson made the NCAA tournament in 2008, Stephen Curry was the obvious focus of the Wildcats’ Elite Eight run. After Curry left, the team had to re-invent itself to a degree. They did that with the help of assistant coach Landry Kosmalski, who put big men in the spotlight. A former Davidson forward himself, Kosmalski cultivated the talents of 6'7" De’Mon Brooks (15.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and 6'10" Jake Cohen (pictured), helping Bob McKillop take his hard-working Wildcats back to the Big Dance.
Kosmalski’s contribution to the Davidson resurgence was recognized by Philly-based Swarthmore College on Friday, as he was named head coach of the Garnet.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Swarthmore community and I look forward to building on the College’s tradition of high achievement,” said Kosmalski in a press release. “I am confident that our student-athletes can be as successful on the basketball court as they are in the classroom, and I believe that commitment to excellence will be the driving force behind the future success of Garnet basketball.”
Komalski was a fair player in his own right. One of the best big men in program history, Kosmalski was a four-year starter for the Wildcats, leading the 1997-98 squad to the NCAA Tournament. Kosmalski’s playing accolades while at Davidson include All-Southern Conference First Team in 1999 and 2000, as well as the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year in 1997. He ranks third all-time at Davidson in rebounding (877), 13th in scoring (1,438), and 10th in steals (121).
No telling whether accepting the head job at a DIII school will eventually lead to the big leagues, but Komalski’s Davidson ties and head coaching experience may come into play whenever McKillop decides to retire, and the search for a worthy replacement begins.