EXCLUSIVE: ESU's Ostermann joins K-Nation to talk relationships with Wildcats, Jayhawks

NORTHEAST KANSAS (KSNT) – Emporia State's new women's basketball coach is not new to the area.

Brian Ostermann comes to the Lady Hornets after nine years as an assistant under K-State coach Jeff Mittie. Ostermann joined K-Nation's Landon Reinhardt for an exclusive one-on-one interview about his time in Manhattan.

Despite K-State women's basketball projected to have a big season, Ostermann said he knew it was time for him to take on a lead gig.

"Opportunity, I think, is always one of the big key pieces," Ostermann said. "That's the biggest piece, is the timing of it."

Ostermann says he'll keep close track of the Wildcats, as he's recruited most of them, and he loves the players in Manhattan.

"I'll be their biggest fan, they do have big expectations," Ostermann said. "The neat thing about big expectations is there comes a point...where you know you're really good, and that's fun."

With a year on campus as K-State men's basketball coach Jerome Tang, Ostermann says he has some key takeaways on how to enter a program.

"I'm going to bring some of the character things that coach Tang brings," Ostermann said. "That's a belief, a faith, a hope and a love...a belief in your players and a belief in your program."

Manhattan being a short drive from Lawrence, Ostermann had high praise for Kansas head women's basketball coach Brandon Schneider, who won a national championship at Emporia State.

"I've known Brandon since we've started playing them...you know [he] has relationships with his players and they win," Ostermann said.

The full interview with Ostermann aired on K-Nation.