LAS VEGAS – University of Dayton men's basketball coach Sean Damaska has been selected to participate in the prestigious 2024 TopConnect Basketball Symposium.  This year's event will be held at the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of UNLV on Monday, June 10 (presented by Teamworks and VanWagner).  

TopConnect (formerly Villa 7), originated in 2003 by then VCU Athletic Director Dr. Richard Sander, identifies the top assistant basketball coaches in the country and connects them with mid-major Athletic Directors, providing tremendous networking and leadership development opportunities for both parties.

In its seventh year in its current format, TopConnect develops educational programming that allows these top assistant coaches to hear from a wide variety of successful leaders and speakers. 

Panel discussions and breakout sessions include First- and Second-Year Head Coaches, New Realities of College Athletics: NIL, Search Firms Creating and Maintaining Culture and Roster management / staff management.

The three-word mantra of "Connect. Prepare. Lead." identifies the purpose of TopConnect.

Since the inception of TopConnect in 2018, more than 50 assistant coach and assistant athletic director participants have been promoted to the next chair of Head Coach and Athletic Director as well as a Conference Commissioner.

This is Kane's second invitation to the symposium.  TopConnect had previously announced that Sean Damaska was also attending this year.

Flyer men's head coach Anthony Grant is an alum of the original Villa 7 program, having attended prior to becoming a head coach in 2006.