UA Fort Smith Athletics

    Hank Plona begins his second season as assistant men’s basketball coach at UA Fort Smith. 
    His duties include coaching post players, scouting, conducting strength and condition workouts, serving as summer camp director, coordinating housing, monitoring academic progress and recruiting. 
    Plona, a native of Avon, Conn., spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at NCAA Division I Providence College. His duties there included video editing, film exchange, assisting with scouting, creating and updating a recruiting database, monitoring academic progress and serving as assistant camp director. 
    During his final season at Providence, the Friars finished 19-13 and qualified for the NIT. They finished 10-8 in the Big East, which included a win against No. 1-ranked Pittsburgh. Five seniors graduated from that team, and all have received offers to play professionally. 
    While at Providence, Plona worked with such Friars post players as Herbert Hill, who was the 2007 Big East Most Improved Player and a second-round pick in the 2007 NBA draft; Randall Hanke, who is currently playing for the Great Britain National Team; and Jonathan Kale, who is currently playing for the Ivory Coast National Team. 
    Plona is a graduate of Avon High School (2003) and Providence (2007), where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science while serving as student manager for the Friars basketball team.