Divilbiss leaves GB, joins Bollant

GREEN BAY - Former Phoenix women's basketball assistant coach Mike Divilbiss is heading back to his home state to take a job on Matt Bollant's staff.

In a statement on the University of Illinois' website, Bollant said:

"Our program just got way better.  I've been around women's basketball 15 years and I believe (Divilbiss) is as good of a teacher of the game as there is in the entire country. He has great attention to detail. He sees the little things in practice. It is just a great progression of learning for the players."

Divilbiss joined Bollant's staff at Green Bay in 2008. He was named assistant head coach in 2010 and helped guide the team to 122-13 record in his four years there.

"Matt and I feel like we equip each other very well," Divilbiss said in the statement. "Our gifts are completely opposite. We both agree, though, in recruiting great character. There are some great character kids here who want to win and want to learn. It takes time to develop the culture that we really believe will make us successful. When that is in place, winning takes care of itself. I feel really blessed to have the opportunity to coach at this level."

Divilbiss is credited with creating and implementing Green Bay's "buzz" defense, a 2-1-2 zone defense that gave opponents fits, and helped the Phoenix rack up 12.9 steals per game in 2011-12, good enough for fourth in the nation.

• Web extra: Divilbiss breaks down 'buzz'

Before coming to Green Bay, Divilbiss was the women's head coach at the University of Idaho for seven years, winning Big West Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2004. Prior to that, he coached at Lewis and Clark State for 14 seasons.

Divilbiss is a native of Dundee, Illinois. He graduated from Winona State University with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1981. He earned his master's degree in physical education from Eastern Washington University in 1987.