Mike McBride, Assistant Coach

Mike McBride is beginning his first season as assistant men's basketball coach at Tusculum College. McBride will be involved in all phases of the program, serving as recruiting coordinator and assisting with on-floor coaching and teaching, game preparation and director of operations for summer basketball camps.

McBride comes to the Greeneville campus after serving three seasons at Indiana University Southeast (2004-07).  While at the New Albany, Ind. school, he helped the Grenadiers to a 78-22 combined record, including two seasons where IUS finished the year nationally ranked. 

During the 2004-05 campaign, IUS posted a 29-8 record, while capturing the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC) Regular Season and Tournament titles and advanced to the NAIA Division II National Tournament, finishing the year ranked No. 23 in the country.

The Grenadiers followed that outstanding campaign with one even better as IUS rattled off a 30-4 record.  IUS repeated as KIAC Regular Season and Tournament Champions, and returned to the NAIA National Tournament.  IUS posted the second-best scoring margin in the nation (+16.91), while finishing seventh in both field goal percentage (49.4%) and three-point field goal percentage (40.5%).  The Grenadiers ended the season ranked No. 9 in the land, while tallying winning streaks spanning 10 and eight games, including four overtime contests.  IUS averaged 79.8 points per game, while limiting its opponents to just 62.9 ppg.

During his three seasons at IUS, McBride mentored eight All-Conference selections, including Ty Crone, who garnered NAIA All-America recognition in 2004-05.

Prior to coaching at IUS, he spent four seasons as the boys’ varsity head coach at Tipton (Ind.) High School.  He led the Blue Devils to the Class 2A Taylor Sectional Championship in 2001.

His first stint as a collegiate coach came at Eastern Kentucky University during the 1999-2000 season, preceded by three years as head boys’ varsity coach at Eminence (Ind.) High School.  From 1997-99, he also served the dual role as basketball coach and athletic director.
               
The Jeffersonville, Ind. native played his collegiate career at Marian College, where he was an All-Conference standout (1995-96) and was twice named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honors Court (1994-96).  The 1996 Marian graduate lettered three seasons with the Knights and served as team captain during his senior year.

McBride has worked at numerous basketball camps and clinics, serving as director of the IUS Basketball Camp, Tipton Summer League, Tipton High School Basketball Camp and the Tipton Fall Developmental Camp.  He has also worked with the Bloomington Red AAU Program, Five Star Basketball Camp and the Indiana University Basketball Camp.

He is a member of the NABC and the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association.

 

Jarrell Christian

Jarell Christian is beginning his first year on the Tusculum College men’s basketball coaching staff. He will assist in all aspects of the program, including strength and conditioning and film exchange.

Christian, a native of Quinton, Va., graduated from Emory & Henry College in May of 2009 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management. While at Emory & Henry, Christian played three seasons on the men’s basketball team under Coach Bob Johnson, serving as a team captain for the past two years.

As a member of the Wasps, Christian learned the value of hard work and diligent game preparation. He was presented with the Mangoday Warrior Award by Coach Johnson in 2006, an award given to the hardest worker, toughest player, and the one who puts the team before himself.

Christian brings a wealth of mentoring and coaching experience with him, including several basketball camps while at Emory & Henry. He has also served as a track coach at a local high school near his childhood home, as well as substitute teaching at several locations in the surrounding area.

He is the third member of his family to pursue a career in coaching, joining his father, John, and his older brother, Jamion. His father is currently a Physical Education teacher at Charles City High School in Charles City, Va. where he also coaches track and field and football. His brother is currently in his second year as the Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.

Josh Ellis

Ellis has wrapped up his second season on the coaching staff for the Tusculum College men’s basketball program.

The Merritt Island, Fla. native assists with all operations of team, including practice and game preparation, strength and conditioning and video coordination.  During practice, he assists with coaching the Tusculum post players and is also responsible for the team’s student assistants and managers.

He is a 2006 graduate of Merritt Island High School, where he was a three-year letterman for the Mustangs where he was coached by former Tusculum assistant coach Colin Flaskamp.  His senior squad posted a 20-win season, while advancing to the State Tournament for the first time in 10 years.  Merritt Island finished runner-up for the District Championship as Ellis earned the 2006 Mustang Award and served as team captain.  During his final prep campaign, he also earned Area Player of the Week honors.

Ellis, a Math Education major, is the son of David and Suzanne Ellis.  Josh has two siblings, brother John and sister Katelyn.

Gerald Oliver

Gerald Oliver has completed his second year serving as a volunteer advisor with the Tusculum College men’s basketball team.  Oliver provides over 30 years of NCAA, NBA, CBA and ABA coaching and personnel experience to the Tusculum staff.

His NBA experience includes the Cleveland Cavaliers (1980-83) under head coaches Bill Musselman and Chuck Daly and with the Milwaukee Bucks (1999-2001).

Oliver spent three seasons on the Connecticut Pride (CBA) bench, helping guide the team to three straight playoff appearances, which included the Pride’s first-ever CBA Championship in 1998-99.

Prior to his tenure with the Pride, Oliver was the head coach of the Fort Wayne Furry for two seasons.  Previously, he spent three years with the Albany Patroons from 1988-91.  He was the 1990 CBA Coach of the Year, and the general manager of the 1990-91 George Karl-coached Patroons squad, which recorded the highest winning percentage (50-6, .893) in CBA or NBA history.

Before joining Albany, Oliver spent five years as the head coach for the CBA’s Charleston Gunners, Maine Windjammers and Toronto Tornados.

Oliver’s coaching career began in 1966 at his alma mater, Carson-Newman College where he served as an assistant coach.  He later went on to the University of Tennessee as an assistant coach for eight years with legendary UT coach Ray Mears.  While at Tennessee, Oliver coached future NBA players Bernard King and Ernie Grunfield.  After a one-year stint in the ABA with the San Diego Sails and Virginia Squires, Oliver returned to the collegiate ranks as an assistant at Jacksonville University (1976-77) and Marquette University (1977-80).

As a collegiate player, Oliver earned three varsity letters at Carson-Newman and captained his senior squad that won the Volunteer State Athletic Conference title.  He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Carson-Newman and later earned a Master’s degree in Mathematics from Tennessee.

The Knoxville, Tenn. native has been a frequent clinic speaker on coaching techniques and educational motivation.

- Courtesy of Tusculum Athletics -