American University Men's Basketball

Nationally recognized coach and legendary DMV basketball star Duane Simpkins will enter his third season as head coach of the American University men’s basketball team in 2025-26. In just his second year, Simpkins led the Eagles to a historic season, winning the 2024-25 Patriot League Championship and earning the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014. American finished 22-13 overall and 13-5 in the Patriot League, matching the program’s all-time record for league wins in a season. The championship was clinched on the Eagles’ home floor at Bender Arena in front of a packed house, capping off a season in which AU led the Patriot League in home attendance for the first time in over a decade. The 2024-25 campaign also saw the Eagles break their own program record for made three-pointers with 299 on the season. Under Simpkins' leadership, the team embraced an up-tempo, modern style of play and re-energized the fan base with its high-effort, high-character identity. Individually, Simpkins earned national recognition, landing on the watchlists for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award, the Ben Jobe Award, and the ABIS Mid-Major Coaches Watchlist. He coached two-time All-Patriot League First Teamer Matt Rogers for his final season, one in which Rogers earned Patriot League Tournament MVP honors. Also earning All-PL recognition in Simpkins' second season was Elijah Stephens (All-PL Third Team) and Greg Jones (All-PL Defensive Team). In his first season at the helm, Simpkins guided AU to a 16-16 record and a tie for second place in the Patriot League, despite multiple key injuries in the second half of the year. The team set a new program record with 279 three-pointers that season and earned a signature win at Colgate to close the regular season, snapping one of the nation’s longest winning streaks. Over his first two seasons, Simpkins has coached multiple All-Patriot League selections including Matt Rogers, Elijah Stephens, Greg Jones, and Matt Mayock, and has continued to emphasize academic success. The program has earned the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award in both of his seasons so far, and has seen numerous players recognized on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll while getting both Matt Rogers (2024) and Lincoln Ball (2025) named to the Academic All-Patriot League Team. Simpkins was announced as AU’s 18th head men’s basketball coach on April 1, 2023. He joined American after eight seasons on the coaching staff at George Mason, where he helped guide the Patriots to multiple program bests within the Atlantic 10, including an 11-win A-10 campaign and a 20-13 overall finish in 2022-23. Simpkins also served on the A-10 Commission on Racial Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the George Mason Athletics Diversity & Inclusion Committee. His coaching career also includes stints at UNC Greensboro, Towson, and on the high school level at St. Albans, Sidwell Friends, and Bishop O’Connell. In 2020, he was named one of the country’s Top 50 Most Impactful Mid-Major Assistants by Silverwaves Media and has been invited to numerous national leadership and coaching development programs. A DMV basketball legend, Simpkins earned McDonald’s High School All-America honors at DeMatha Catholic under Hall of Fame coach Morgan Wootten. He was a three-time All-ACC Honorable Mention selection at the University of Maryland and helped lead the Terrapins to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Sweet 16 runs. He ranks eighth all-time in assists at Maryland with 483. Following college, Simpkins enjoyed a successful professional playing career that spanned the U.S., China, Italy, France, Belgium, and the Dominican Republic. He is the owner and director of “Power Through Sports” camps and clinics and has also worked as a basketball analyst for Comcast SportsNet. Simpkins and his wife Kirsten have three children – Kai, Darian, and Elijah.

Nate Bollinger, promoted to Associate Head Coach following American's Patriot League Championship season in 2024-25, joined head coach Duane Simpkins' staff in April of 2023.  Bollinger serves as the Eagles' offensive coordinator, specifically working with the team's guards. He also serves as the program's recruiting coordinator while coordinating non-conference scheduling and overseeing the team's academic progress. He was named to the 2024 100 Rising Stars: Men's Mid Major Assistants list. In his second year, the Eagles made a historic run, winning the 2024-25 Patriot League Championship and earning the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014. American finished 22-13 overall and 13-5 in the Patriot League, matching the program’s all-time record for league wins in a season. The championship was clinched on the Eagles’ home floor at Bender Arena in front of a packed house, capping off a season in which AU led the Patriot League in home attendance for the first time in over a decade. The team hit a program-record 299 three-pointers, and ranking third in the PL with 8.5 three-pointers made per game. Three Eagles earned postseason honors, with Matt Rogers earning All-PL First Team recognition, point guard Elijah Stephens earning All-PL Third Team, and sophomore Greg Jones being named to the PL All-Defensive Team.  In his first season as an assistant coach at American, the Eagles finished tied for second in the Patriot League, matching their third-highest regular season PL win total since 2012 with 10 wins, and had three All-Patriot League selections. American was ranked in the top-120 offensively midway through his first season at AU before finishing with the second overall offense in the PL, and the Eagles were ranked 53rd nationally in three-pointers per game, 90th in assist-to-turnover ratio, and 88th in turnovers per game. American finished atop the PL in three-pointers made while ranking second in assists per game. American also hosted a Patriot League Quarterfinal game for the first time since 2020. On the academic side, the team finished with a 3.19 GPA in Bollinger's first season and improved it to 3.26 in his second. The Eagles earned the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award in both 2024 and 2025, with nine players earning Patriot League Academic Honor Roll distinctions in both seasons, while Rogers was named to the Patriot League All-Academic Team in 2024 and graduate student Lincoln Ball earned the same honor in 2025.   Bollinger joined American from William & Mary where he spent four seasons serving as the program’s director of operations for two years before being promoted to assistant coach prior to the 2021-22 season. During Bollinger’s first season with the Tribe in 2019-20, William & Mary posted its most regular season wins since 1950 with 21. The Tribe also set a school record with 10 road wins and 13 wins in Colonial Athletic Association play, finishing second in the league regular season. Over his three seasons, Bollinger was a member of the Tribe staff that produced a CAA Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, three All-CAA players, three CAA All-Rookie choices and four CAA All-Defensive Team selections. In 2018-19, Bollinger was an assistant coach at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., where he served as the team’s offensive and recruiting coordinators. During his time at Saint Vincent, he helped the Bearcats to a 22-5 record, a Presidents Athletic Conference regular season title, and helped coach the league player of the year Tom Kromka. He was named to the NABC 30-Under-30 list, which represents 30 of the most outstanding men’s college basketball coaches under the age of 30.   Bollinger spent three seasons as the Director of Player Development at High Point University from 2015-18 where he was heavily involved in all day-to-day operations with the team, including scouting, video breakdown, skill development, recruiting and game/practice plans. In his first season in 2015-16, the Panthers compiled a 21-11 overall record and won the Big South regular season championship. Bollinger helped in mentoring five all-conference players and four 1,000-point scorers at High Point, including 2016 Big South Player of the Year John Brown, who was also an honorable mention All-American.   Bollinger got his coaching start at Divison III York College in Pennsylvania where he spent the 2014-15 season. Bollinger served as the program's top assistant and recruiting coordinator while managing camps, operations, player development and serving as the staff's lead opponent scout.   During his career, he has also worked with The Hoop Group in 2014-15 and 2018, assisting with camps, on-court coaching, and skill development.   Bollinger played collegiate basketball at Division III Delaware Valley College for two years before transferring to Division II Millersville University. He helped Delaware Valley to a Freedom Conference Championship and the program’s first trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament in 2011. As a team captain in 2012, Bollinger was named second team all-conference and set a single-game school record with 50 points against Wilkes University on Jan. 28, 2012.   After two seasons at Delaware Valley, Bollinger transferred to Millersville where he averaged 5.4 points per game in helping the Marauders to a 32-25 record with two trips to the conference tournament. Bollinger was a team captain for Millersville as a senior and finished his collegiate career with 989 points. He earned his bachelor's degree from Millersville in psychology in 2014.

Jackie Manuel, promoted to Associate Head Coach following American's Patriot League Championship season in 2024-25, joined head coach Duane Simpkins' staff in April of 2023.   Manuel serves as the Eagles' defensive coordinator, specifically working with the team's post players. He also serves as the program's academic coordinator and assists with coordinating the team's community service. In his second year, the Eagles made a historic run, winning the 2024-25 Patriot League Championship and earning the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014. American finished 22-13 overall and 13-5 in the Patriot League, matching the program’s all-time record for league wins in a season. The championship was clinched on the Eagles’ home floor at Bender Arena in front of a packed house, capping off a season in which AU led the Patriot League in home attendance for the first time in over a decade. Sophomore Greg Jones was named to the Patriot League All-Defensive Team under Manuel's guidance, joining All-PL First Team honoree Matt Rogers and All-PL Third Team selection Elijah Stephens in earning postseason awards. American led the league in scoring defense at 67.7 points per game, also ranking 53rd among all teams in NCAA Division I. The Eagles led the Patriot League in scoring defense in 2024-25 at 67.7 points per game, ranking 53rd nationally, and AU ranked second in the PL in opponent three-point field-goal percentage at .313. In Manuel's first season as an assistant coach at American, the Eagles finished tied for second in the Patriot League, matching their third-highest regular season PL win total since 2012 with 10 wins. American had three All-Patriot League selections, and Manuel's defense finished the season ranked 66th nationally in scoring defense with a top-125 rebounding margin. Stephens was named to the Patriot League's All-Defensive Team. During the Patriot League season, the Eagles ranked second in the League allowing just 62.1 points per game, highlighted by a three-game stretch where AU allowed just 48 points per game.  On the academic side, the team finished with a 3.19 GPA in Manuel's first season and improved it to 3.26 in his second. The Eagles earned the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award in both 2024 and 2025, with nine players earning Patriot League Academic Honor Roll distinctions in both seasons, while Rogers was named to the Patriot League All-Academic Team in 2024 and graduate student Lincoln Ball earned the same honor in 2025.   Manuel came to Washington, D.C. after spending two seasons with UNC men’s basketball as the director of team and player development. His first season back with the men’s program saw him help the Tar Heels to another Final Four with a 29-10 record and an appearance in the national championship game.   Prior to joining his former team, Manuel spent one season as the director of player personnel, development and recruiting operations with the UNC women’s basketball team.     He spent four years at UNC Greensboro where he began his coaching career in 2012-13 on the same staff at Duane Simpkins. He was later an assistant coach at Valparaiso in 2016-17, and coached for three seasons at UNCW.   Manuel, a captain on North Carolina’s national championship team in 2005, played for the Tar Heels from 2001-05. He earned All-ACC Defensive team honors as a junior and a senior, and was Carolina’s Defensive Player of the Year and Most Inspirational Player in both 2004 and 2005.   Manuel started 86 of 126 games at Carolina, totaling 785 points, 429 rebounds, 229 assists and 148 steals. He started all 37 games as a senior in 2004-05, when the Tar Heels finished 33-4 and beat Illinois in the NCAA title game.   After Carolina he went on to play four seasons in the NBA Development League and one season in Miyazaki, Japan.   He graduated from UNC in 2005 with a degree in African-American studies. A native of West Palm Beach, Fla., he was inducted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.   Manuel and his wife Ronda, also a Carolina graduate, have two daughters, Ryann and Kameron, and a son, Jordan.

Isaiah Tate joined Duane Simpkins' staff as an assistant coach in April of 2023, and was instrumental in helping lead the Eagles to their first Patriot League Championship in 11 years during the 2024-25 season. The Eagles finished 22-13 overall and 13-5 in the Patriot League in 2024-25, matching the program’s all-time record for league wins in a season. Three Eagles earned postseason honors, with Matt Rogers earning All-PL First Team recognition, point guard Elijah Stephens earning All-PL Third Team, and sophomore Greg Jones being named to the PL All-Defensive Team.  Tate came to American from fellow Patriot League school Holy Cross, where he spent the 2022-23 season as the director of men’s basketball operations. While with the Crusaders, he was primarily responsible for serving as the team’s travel and video coordinator in addition to being heavily involved in recruiting efforts, scheduling and day-to-day office duties.     He joined the Crusaders after spending two years with Simpkins as a graduate assistant at George Mason, and several years playing professionally in Spain, China, Finland, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Tate is a 2011 graduate of George Mason with a bachelor’s degree in health, fitness and recreation services. He played in 114 career games for the Patriots helping the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2008 and 2011, and a Colonial Athletic Association Championship in 2008. Tate averaged 6.2 points and 2.4 rebounds per game as a senior, while hitting 41.2 percent of his three-point attempts and helping George Mason to a victory over Villanova in the NCAA Tournament.

Matt Parker enters his second season on head coach Duane Simpkins' staff in 2024. Parker comes to American from Kansas State University where he served as a graduate assistant during the 2022-23 season. In his year at K-State, the Wildcats posted a 26-10 record, advancing to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. He arrived at Kansas State after a near 17-year career working as a teacher and basketball coach in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area. He was a health and physical education teacher in the District of Columbia from 2005-12, before moving to Prince George’s County from 2012 until August 2022. Parker also spent four years, from 2006-2010, as an assistant coach at famed DeMatha Catholic High School for head coach Mike Jones. During his stint, the Stags posted a 114-24 (.826) record, including back-to-back 32-4 records in 2008-09 and 2009-10, and three Washington Catholic League titles in 2007, 2009, and 2010. The 2009-10 squad included future NBA players Quinn Cook, Jerami Grant, and Victor Oladipo. Parker has also spent time working as a coach in the DC Assault (now DC Premier) AAU program based out of Washington, D.C. From 2018-2020, he was an assistant coach at Montgomery College, a NJCAA Division II school in Rockville, Md. He helped the Raptors post a 20-9 record and advance to the Region 20 quarterfinals in the 2019-20 season. Parker spent his collegiate career at Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio from 1999-2004 where he played for head coach Steve Loy. A team captain his senior season in 2003-04, he helped the Cavaliers qualify for the NAIA Tournament as a sophomore in 2001-02 while the team captured the American Mideast Conference title in 2000-01. Parker earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Walsh in 2004 and received a Master’s degree in Sports Management from Arkansas State in 2021. Parker, and his wife, Anitra, have two children, Matthew and Mikaela.

Sammy Schulman joined Duane Simpkins' staff prior to the 2025-26 season, and serves as the Video, Scouting, and Analytics Coordinator. Schulman spent the previous two seasons as a student manager for the program and was Head Manager for the 2025 Patriot League Championship team which made the school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in over a decade. During his time as a manager, Schulman assisted with day-to-day operations, long-term analytics-based projects, and contributed to the team’s game-by-game stats goals. Schulman graduated with a degree in business administration from the Kogod School of Business in the fall of 2024, specializing in analytics and minoring in data science. “I am excited about the addition of Sammy to our staff," said Simpkins. "As a former manager, not only is it great to retain an AU alum, but it is also a testament to his work ethic and growth in our program over the past two seasons. He has tremendous upside and a wealth of knowledge regarding data analytics that are specific to our team’s success, both past and future.”