June 29, 2000

University of Illinois head men's basketball coach Bill Self announced Thursday the hiring of former Tulsa aids Billy Gillispie and Norman Roberts to assistant coaching positions. Gillispie and Roberts join Rob Judson to round out the staff. In addition to coaching responsibilities, Gillispie will serve as recruiting coordinator at Illinois.

Roberts and Gillispie come to Illinois after three years under Self at the University of Tulsa. The Hurricane staff helped lead the team to a 74-27 record over the three-year stint, including a trip to the "Elite Eight" in 2000.

"I am excited to have Coaches Gillispie and Roberts join our Illinois staff," Self said. "I think the hiring of these two along with Rob Judson provides as quality a staff as there is anywhere. Having seen what these two have brought to the table over the last three years, I know they are both excellent recruiters, as evidenced by the talent level at Tulsa, as well as great motivators and role models. With Judson, Gillispie and Roberts, we have excellent coaches whose recruiting abilities should provide us with great flexibility with our staff."

Gillispie joined Self's staff at Tulsa after two-and-a-half seasons as an assistant at Baylor University. As Baylor's top assistant and recruiting coordinator, Gillispie landed the Bears' Top-20 recruiting class of 1996-97. Prior to his stint at Baylor, Gillispie spent two years at South Plains Junior College as an assistant and six seasons as a high school coach. He spent three years as the head coach of Ellison High School, where he posted a school record 32-6 mark in the 1992-93 sesson. Gillispie earned a bachelors degree in education in 1983 from Southwest Texas State.

"I am really excited about the opportunity to work with Coach Self and help build on a tradition already established here at Illinois," Gillispie said. "I'm looking forward to moving to the Champaign area, coaching these young players and working with Rob Judson."

Prior to his stint at Tulsa, Roberts was an assistant at Oral Roberts University for two seasons, helping Self post a 39-16 record. He arrived at ORU after four years as the head coach at Queen's College and four years as the freshman coach at Archbishop Molloy High School in New York City. Roberts, a 1987 graduate of Queen's College, is the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,719 points. He is also the career leader in steals and assists and had his number (15) retired by his alma mater in 1993. He and his wife, Pascale have two sons, Nicholas and Justin.

"I am thrilled about the opportunity to work at a great institution like the University of Illinois," Roberts said. "I am excited by the chance to recruit in the Big Ten Conference and play for high stakes year-in and year-out."