Louisville Officially Announces the Hiring of Assistant Coach Michael Cassidy and Two Support Staff Members.
UofL men’s basketball head coach Pat Kelsey announced on Tuesday the hiring of three new staff members: assistant coach Mike Cassidy, Creative Director Tom Pupavac, and Associate Athletic Trainer Katie Creznic.
All three hires are reuniting with current Louisville staff and former College of Charleston colleagues: Pat Kelsey, Brian Kloman, Thomas Carr, Jermaine Ukaegbu, Eli Foy, Mitch Johnson, and Braden Smith.
### Michael Cassidy – Assistant Coach
Cassidy, entering his fourth year on a college basketball staff in the 2024-25 season, comes to Louisville after three seasons at College of Charleston. “Cass is one of the brightest basketball minds I’ve ever worked with,” said Kelsey, noting Cassidy’s role as the offensive coordinator and his ability to design, implement, and adjust offensive schemes. Cassidy expressed his excitement about joining Louisville, appreciating the opportunity given by Coach Kelsey and highlighting the rich basketball history and passionate fan base of the city.
At Charleston, Cassidy contributed to a 75-27 overall record and back-to-back Coastal Athletic Association championships. Before joining Charleston, Cassidy coached the U19 Australian National Team at the U19 FIBA World Cup and worked with the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence, which has produced numerous NBA players. He played a key role in talent identification and development for the Australian National teams.
### Tom Pupavac – Creative Director for Men’s Basketball
Pupavac enters his fourth season in creative content, previously working under Kelsey at Charleston and playing four seasons for him at Winthrop. Kelsey emphasized the advantage of having a former player in the creative space, noting Pupavac’s understanding and belief in their culture. Pupavac expressed his honor to join the Louisville Basketball family and his excitement to work with the team’s passionate fan base.
In his role, Pupavac handles digital creative projects, including photography, videography, and graphic design, and collaborates with the coaching staff on creative recruiting content. At Charleston, he significantly boosted the team’s social media metrics.
### Katie Creznic – Associate Athletic Trainer
Creznic joins Louisville after two years at Charleston, where she worked with men’s basketball and women’s golf, contributing to back-to-back conference championships. Kelsey highlighted the importance of the athletic trainer role and praised Creznic’s expertise and rapport with players. Creznic expressed her excitement to continue working with Kelsey and his staff, looking forward to supporting the student-athletes with Louisville’s top-notch resources.
Before Charleston, Creznic served at Morgan State University, Dickinson College, and the University of South Carolina. She has also worked at the 2022 NBA Combine and G League Elite Camp. Creznic holds multiple certifications and degrees in athletic training from Messiah College and the University of South Carolina.
