Kansas State assistant men’s basketball coach Chester Frazier announced his resignation today (April 17) to accept a coaching position at Virginia Tech.
“Obviously, I have a long history with Chester from our time at Illinois and now as my assistant coach these past seven years at K-State,” said head coach Bruce Weber. “He has had previous opportunities to leave the staff and I know that the proximity of (Virginia Tech) to his family in Baltimore played a major role in his decision. He has played an important role in our success and has helped build a solid foundation for this program. We will miss Chester, Sarah and their kids, Chandler and Cameron, and wish them great success in the future.”
Hired as part of Weber’s original coaching staff on May 29, 2012, Frazier spent seven seasons (2012-19) at K-State, where he played a role in one of the best stretches in school history. During this span, the school has 150 wins, two Big 12 regular-season championships (2012-13 and 2018-19) and five NCAA Tournament appearances (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019), including a run to the Elite Eight in 2018. The Wildcats’ two conference titles are the second-most by a Big 12 school in that span with the 2012-13 championship the first-ever in the Big 12 and the first title by the school in more than 36 seasons.
"The decision to leave K-State has been one of most of difficult in my professional life,” said Frazier. “I have learned so much from Coach Weber about coaching and helping develop young people with integrity. He is one of the best in the business and our relationship extends beyond basketball. I also want to thank all current and past players for their dedication, effort and trust in me. I hope they continue to make themselves, their families and school proud. Ultimately, this was a great opportunity to advance in the profession and also get closer to my family on East Coast.
“Our family will be forever grateful to Coach Weber, the players and the entire K-State Family for making our seven years in Manhattan so special. It was a place we called home,” Frazier added. “We accomplished many great things, including two Big 12 titles and a run to the Elite Eight. I will forever be a Wildcat at heart.”
Frazier came to K-State after playing professionally in Germany from 2009 to 2012.
A four-year lettermen and two-time captain for Weber at Illinois from 2005-09, Frazier helped the Fighting Illini to 89 wins, including three 20-win seasons, and three trips to the NCAA Tournament during his career. He led the Big Ten in assists (5.3 apg.) as a senior en route to earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 2008-09 and was twice named to the league’s All-Defensive Team (2006-07 and 2008-09). He played in 125 games with 88 starts in his career and still ranks seventh at Illinois in career assists (484) and ninth in career assists per game (3.9 apg.), while he is just outside the Top 10 in minutes played (3,566).
A native of Baltimore, Frazier, 33, earned a bachelor’s degree in recreation management from Illinois in 2009. He and his wife, Sarah, have two children, daughter Chandler and son Cameron.