Kansas guard Sherron Collins, right, celebrates with Brennan Bechard after a three-pointer by Bechard against Coppin State during the second half Friday, Nov. 28, 2008 at Allen Fieldhouse.

Former Kansas University basketball walk-on guard Brennan Bechard has joined the Jayhawk coaching staff.

Bechard, who played at KU the past three seasons, replaces former KU guard Jeremy Case, who left a graduate student manager post last spring to become a full-time assistant at Southeast Missouri State.

“I’ve always liked to hire ex-players of mine to an entry-level coaching position,” KU coach Bill Self said Friday. “Certainly when Jeremy was able to move on, the obvious choice for me was Brennan. He has been a huge asset to our program in the time he’s been here. He cares. I really think he’ll attack this coaching profession much like Mike (Lee, now an assistant at Gardner-Webb) and Jeremy did the past two years and will be an excellent coach.”

Bechard’s title at this time is volunteer assistant to the basketball program.

“I couldn’t be happier,” said Bechard, a Lawrence High graduate, whose dad, Ray, is KU volleyball coach. “It’s a great group of coaches to be around and learn from. I am looking forward to an exciting year.”

Bechard’s responsibilities will entail “breaking down film,” he said, as well as “being involved with a lot of stuff, any little thing that needs to be done.”

Bechard said he decided earlier this summer he definitely wanted to follow in his dad’s footsteps and choose coaching as a profession.

“Just after being here for so long and being around a great group of coaches and players, it seemed like a great opportunity,” Bechard said. “It doesn’t get better than a spot at Kansas. It will hopefully open up a lot of opportunities in the future.”

Coaches v. Cancer

Bill Self will join Kansas State’s Frank Martin, Missouri’s Mike Anderson and UMKC’s Matt Brown at the second-annual Coaches vs. Cancer Cocktail Reception on Oct. 6 at the College Basketball Experience in Kansas City, Mo.

The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with coaches’ presentations at 6:15 p.m. To reserve tickets, visit www.kcseasontipoff.org.