KALAMAZOO --  Western Michigan men's basketball head coach Steve Hawkins announced today the hiring of Clayton Bates as an assistant coach for the Broncos.

Bates returns to the Broncos after taking a one-year hiatus during the 2008-09 season to work in the private sector. Prior to that, Bates was an assistant for eight seasons under Hawkins and Robert McCullum at WMU.

Bates again becomes one of the most experienced coaches in the Mid-American Conference and has established himself as both an excellent coach and a top recruiter. Through his efforts, the Broncos have notched four of the school's seven 20-win seasons in school history and reached the 2004 NCAA Tournament and the 2003 and 2005 National Invitation Tournament.

During his previous stint with the Broncos, Bates mentored center Joe Reitz, who was named First Team All-MAC and CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major All-American in 2008, Second Team All-MAC in 2006 and 2007 and MAC All-Freshman Team in 2005.  Reitz also became the first ESPN the Magazine First Team Academic All-American in WMU men's basketball history and only the seventh in MAC history in 2007 and he followed that up by being named an Academic All-American again in 2008.

Under his direction, big men Mike Williams, Anthony Kann and Levi Rost also developed into all-conference caliber performers.  Williams was named the MAC Player of the Year in 2004 and Kann was tabbed to the all-league squad each of his final two years. Rost was named Second Team All-MAC in 2005. In 2001-02, forward Steve Reynolds claimed Second Team All-MAC accolades following the arrival of Bates.

The Broncos were also successful in the classroom under Bates oversight. Besides Reitz' national accolades, WMU was represented in eight of the 16 spots on the Academic All-MAC squad from 2006-08.  

Bates replaces Andy Hipsher on the men's basketball coaching staff.