Mike Young Hires Ace Custis, Promotes Chester Frazier

Virginia Tech men’s basketball coach Mike Young announced that Ace Custis has joined the coaching staff as Coordinator of Basketball Relations, and that assistant coach Chester Frazier has been promoted to Associate Head Coach.

“As I continue to build our staff, I am excited about the addition of Ace Custis and promotion of Chester Frazier,” Young said.

Ace Custis has spent the last five seasons as an assistant at Maryland-Eastern Shore, and before that he coached at Virginia State. He played professional basketball overseas after his Virginia Tech career ended in 1997. His jersey is one of four men’s basketball jerseys retired in Cassell Coliseum.

“Ace is one of the greatest players in the history of Virginia Tech basketball,” Young said. “He helped hang a championship banner in Cassell Coliseum, he was an All-American, he’s in the Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame and he spent 15 years in the pro game. On top of all of that, he was always known as a team-guy who was unselfish and relentless on defense. To have a person like Ace Custis want to rejoin Virginia Tech basketball is something I didn’t want to pass up.”

Frazier was hired by Young from Kansas State. He has spent his entire career under head coach Bruce Weber. He has made an early mark on the recruiting trail for the Hokies, and he is considered to be a rising star in the coaching ranks.

“Coach Frazier has earned this promotion to associate head coach through his hard work, dedication and performance,” said Young. “We have great trust and belief in Chester’s ability to work with our entire coaching staff, recruit, and to lead our young men.”

“I am excited about the staff we have assembled and we will all continue to work together to maintain a standard of excellence on and off the court,” Young concluded.

25 Responses You are logged in as Test

  1. Wow! Ace is back. I talked to him once years ago and I was so impressed with his humility and obvious love of all things Virginia Tech. MY is making me feel good about the future of this program.

  2. Remember meeting Ace in the parking lot outside Lane before the Ohio St game right when Buzz was hired. Just a humble, down to earth man. Told him that I hoped Buzz would find a spot for him on the coaching staff. Glad Mike Young finally did.

  3. Outstanding! A great addition and from I’ve always hear a better guy. We’re going to struggle for a couple of years, but I think we’ll be better off with CMY.

  4. Ace Custis was one of the few players to have a tattoo & it was smaller than an I-phone. TV used to highlight the uniqueness of his tattoo.

  5. Ace’s basketball experience goes without question. He is unquestionably one of the most genuine people you will ever meet.

  6. Dude keeps making me eat crow. Great pull w Ace. Coming Home, and likely has contacts in DC/MD area given his background at UMES.

  7. Great hire! It is important to hire legacy coaches who understand and love Virginia Tech. I’d like to see Coach Fuente continue hiring legacy coaches like Hamilton.

  8. Ace and his family sat in front of me for NCAA game vs Duke. Very nice guy and looks like his son may be an up and coming player too. Another solid hire by CMY! Welcome Home, Ace!

  9. Mike Young keeps pulling the proverbial rabbit out of the hat. Met Ace personally down in New Orleans back in 1995. What a polite and I might add humble young man and a spectacular addition to an already spectacular staff. Keep it up Coach Young and welcome Ace!

    1. Always remember couple bourbons in going up to Damon Watlington on Bourbon St I 1995, “did you guys win today?” He replied, “we didn’t play”. “Oh well, have a good night”.

  10. Love hearing Ace is headed home. I live near UMES and anytime I saw him around town, he always made a point to come over and chat about VT or just how things were going.

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