Austin Peay State University Men's Basketball

Rodney Hamilton is in his third season as the Austin Peay State University associate head coach after joining head coach Corey Gipson’s inaugural staff March 2023. Hamilton brought over a decade of experience to Clarksville and previously served on staffs that have produced four National Basketball Association Draft picks – including a trio of first-round selections. Hamilton worked alongside Gipson as his associate head coach at Northwestern State during the 2022-23 season, where the duo turned around a Demons’ team that won just nine games prior to their arrival into a 22-11 program that earned the No. 2 seed in the 2023 Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Championship. The 13-win turnaround is the largest in the program’s 47-year history. The Demons had two All-Southland selections last season in DeMarcus Sharp – the Southland Conference Player and Newcomer of the Year, All-Defensive Team selection, and Lou Henson Award finalist – and Ja’Monta Black, who received Second Team All-Conference honors. The duo also was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division I All-District 22 Team. Prior to his arrival in Natchitoches, Louisiana, Hamilton spent four seasons (2018-22) as Memphis’ director of basketball operations under head coach Penny Hardaway. The Tigers had the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class in 2022. It was highlighted by two NBA Draft picks in Jalen Duren (No. 13, Detroit Pistons) and Josh Minott (No. 45, Charlotte Hornets). That group came two years after Memphis produced its first top-ranked recruiting class with first-round NBA Draft picks in James Wiseman (No. 2, Golden State Warriors) and Precious Achiuwa (No. 20, Miami). Hamilton spent six seasons (2012-18) as an assistant coach at Tennessee State. The Tigers produced three winning seasons with Hamilton on staff, including a 20-win, 2018 campaign in which Tennessee State made its first appearance in a national postseason tournament at the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. During his time in Nashville, Hamilton also coached Robert Covington, who currently is on the Los Angeles Clippers and is the lone NBA player hailing from a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Prior to joining Tennessee State’s staff, Hamilton spent three seasons as the head women’s basketball coach at Indiana Tech (2009-12). Hamilton went 40-53 during his time in Fort Wayne, Indiana after taking over a program that had gone just 1-30 two seasons before his arrival. Hamilton’s Division I coaching career began at Southeast Missouri where he spent three seasons (2007-09) with the Redhawks as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Before his time in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Hamilton was an assistant coach at Crichton College (2005-07). Hamilton helped lead Crichton to an 18-12 record,  a third-place finish in the TranSouth Athletic Conference and a then program-record No. 13 ranking in the NAIA Top 25 National Rankings during the 2005-06 season. Crichton won the TSAC Regular Season and Tournament Championship in 2007 and finished the season ranked No. 7 in the country after reaching the NAIA Championship Elite Eight. Hamilton helped coach four student-athletes to All-TSAC postseason honors during his time at Crichton. After trying out for the Atlanta Hawks following his senior season at Georgia State, Hamilton spent four seasons playing professionally overseas in Sweden, Switzerland and Hungary. Hamilton’s first professional season was with 08 Stockholm, where the team won the inaugural Swedish-Finish League Championship in 1999. He then played for Fribourg Olympic of the Swiss Basketball League and was named a Ligue Nationale de Basket (LNBA) All-Star in 2000. Hamilton’s final two professional seasons were with Boras Basket of the Sweedish Basketball League and Budapesti Honvéd SE of the Nemzeti Bajnokság league in Hungary. Hamilton played collegiately at Georgia State where he became the first player in program history to have his jersey retired. He is third all-time in points (1,515) and still holds the program record for assists (535), steals (212) and starts (105) and is second all-time in free-throw percentage (83.8). He also still holds the single-game record with 14 assists in a Jan. 1996 win against Florida International. Hamilton led GSU in assists per game during all four seasons in Atlanta and led the Panthers in scoring in both his junior and senior seasons with 16.0 and 18.0 points per game, respectively. Hamilton earned First Team Atlantic Sun All-Conference honors during his senior season in 1998 after earning Second Team All-Conference honors as a junior. He also earned Atlantic Sun All-Academic honors both seasons. Hamilton earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management from Georgia State in 1998 before earned his master’s degree in education from Christian Brothers in 2003. He and his wife, Tamara, have three daughters: Bailey, Brooke and Bella. Hamilton’s Coaching Career Austin Peay (2023-Pres.) – Associate Head Coach Northwestern State (2022-2023) – Associate Head Coach Memphis (2018-22) – Director of Basketball Operations Tennessee State (2012-18) – Assistant Coach Indiana Tech (2009-12) – Head Women’s Basketball Coach Southeast Missouri (2007-09) – Assistant Coach Crichton College (2005-07) – Assistant Coach Westside High School (2001-05) –Head Coach Hamilton’s Playing Career Overseas Honvéd (2001) M7 Basket (2000-01) Fribourg (1999-00) 08 Stockholm (1998-99) College Georgia State (1994-98)

Tim Ward is in his third season on the Governors' basketball staff after joining head coach Corey Gipson's inaugural staff, March 2023. Ward also is in his first season as associate head coach, while maintaining his duties as the program's recruiting coordinator, prior to the 2025-26 season. Ward served as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator alongside Gipson at Northwestern State in 2022-23, helping turn around a Demon’s program that won just nine games prior to their arrival into a 22-11 program that earned the No. 2 seed in the 2023 Southland Conference Men’s Basketball Championship. The 13-win turnaround is the largest in the program’s 47-year history. The Demons had two All-Southland selections last season in DeMarcus Sharp – the Southland Conference Player and Newcomer of the Year, All-Defensive Team selection, and Lou Henson Award finalist – and Ja’Monta Black, who received Second Team All-Conference honors. The duo also was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Division I All-District 22 Team. Prior to arriving in Natchitoches, Louisiana, Ward was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Moberly Area Community College (2021-22), where he helped lead the Greyhounds to a 28-7 record and Midwest District and Region 16 Championship titles. MACC also advanced to the second round of the NJCAA National Tournament and had the league’s leading scorer in Sincere Parker. Ward spent a season at Talladega College, helping coach to Tornadoes to a Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Regular-Season Championship in 2020-21 after going 25-5 and 7-1 GCAC play. Talladega advanced to the second round of the NAIA National Tournament in Ward’s lone season there and had Darryl Baker earn NAIA All-America honorable mention honors. Ward began his coaching career at Arkansas Tech (2019-20), where he helped coach RJ Glasper – a Second Team Great American Conference selection. Ward was a graduate assistant at his alma mater of William Woods (2016-19). During his collegiate career, Ward played for WWU’s men’s basketball and track and field team. In addition to coaching at the collegiate level, Ward also coached numerous AAU teams from 2014-22, with over 20 of his players going on to play at the Division I level. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management in 2018 and his master's degree in education in athletics/activities administration in 2020. Ward’s Coaching Career Austin Peay (2023-Pres.) – Assistant Coach Northwestern State (2022-23) – Assistant Coach Moberly Area Community College (2021-22) – Assistant Coach Talladega College (2020-21) – Assistant Coach Arkansas Tech (2019-20) – Assistant Coach William Woods (2016-19) – Graduate Assistant

Victoria Morris enters her second season as an assistant coach and director of player development for the Governors women's basketball program after joining Brittany Young's staff in October 2023. Morris, who played collegiately at Old Dominion where Young was the assistant coach from 2017-20, joins Young's staff as an assistant coach ahead of the 2023-24 season. During her time at Old Dominion, Morris was the 2017-18 Conference USA Newcomer of the Year, an All-Conference Freshman team member, and a three-time Conference USA Freshman of the Week. She was also a Second Team All-Conference team honoree in 2018-19. Morris served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) from 2017-2021 and was the vice president for a term. She also was a representative for the Conference USA SAAC.   She spent her graduate year at Rutgers where she appeared in 31 games for the Scarlet Knights after playing professionally for Fjolnir Karfa in Reykjavik, Iceland, 2022 and the St. Louis Surge, a member of the Global Women's Basketball Association.  Morris earned her Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from Old Dominion in 2021 and earned a Master of Arts from Rutgers University in 2023.  

Dugan Lyne enters his second season as an Austin Peay basketball assistant coach, after joining head coach Corey Gipson’s staff in June 2024. Lyne returns to Clarksville after most recently serving as the head basketball coach at UT Southern, where he led the Firehawks to a 109-69 record during his six seasons at the helm of the program. The 2024 Southern States Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, Lyne led the Firehawks to a 27-6 record during the 2023-24 season – the most wins since 2015 – while also earning the SSAC Regular-Season Championship after finishing 18-2 in conference play. He also coached three players to All-SSAC selections, including Adarion Hudson, who earned First Team All-Conference recognition following the 2023-24 campaign. Lyne and the Firehawks began their 2023-24 season with their second victory against a Division I opponent in as many years, defeating Tennessee Tech 74-70 in the season opener. This comes a season after defeating Samford, 84-82. During his six years as head coach, Lyne led UTS to two NAIA National Tournaments, 13 All-Conference selections, and one SSAC Freshman of the Year (Hudson, 2020). Prior to being named the head coach of the Firehawks, Lyne served as the associate head coach at UTS for six seasons (2012-18), where he helped coach the program to three NAIA National Tournaments, a 2015 SSAC Tournament Championship, and a 2013 Transouth Regular-Season title.  Before his career in Pulaski, Tennessee, Lyne was the assistant coach at Manchester (2011-12), where he also was an assistant strength and conditioning coordinator and assisted as a game day administrator, in addition to his coaching responsibilities.  Lyne’s first assistant coaching position was at Westminster College (2010-11), helping coach the Blue Jays to a 2011 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Regular-Season title. He also served as the Blue Jays’ head men’s golf coach during his season in Fulton, Missouri. Lyne began his collegiate experience in Clarksville at Austin Peay, where he served as the Governors head manager (2004-08), graduate assistant (2008-09), and Director of Basketball Operations (2009-10) under head coach Dave Loos.  During his time on Loos’ staff, the Governors won the 2007 Ohio Valley Conference Regular-Season championship, earning a spot in the 2007 National Invitational Tournament, and the 2008 OVC Regular-Season and Tournament Championship. Lyne earned his bachelor’s in business administration from Austin Peay in 2008, and his master’s degree in health and human performance from APSU in 2009. He and his wife, Erin, have four children: Jimmy, Molly, Tommy, and Annie. Lyne’s Coaching Career Austin Peay (2024-Pres.) – Named Assistant Coach June 25, 2024 UT Southern (2018-24) – Head Coach UT Southern (2012-18) – Associate Head Coach Manchester (2011-12) – Assistant Coach Westminster College (2010-11) – Assistant Coach Austin Peay (2009-10) – Director of Basketball Operations Austin Peay (2008-09) – Graduate Assistant Austin Peay (2004-08) – Head Manager

Matthew Morgan enters his first second as the director of player development after joining head coach Corey Gipson’s staff in June 2024. Morgan joins the men’s basketball staff as the Director of Player Development, after serving as an assistant coach at Link Year Prep in Branson, Missouri, in 2023-24. His duties at LYP included overseeing player development for the regional and national post-graduate athletes, assisting in scouting, practice drills, team travel, and more. Prior to his time with the Lions, Morgan was a graduate assistant at Missouri State during the 2022-23 season, after serving as the head student manager for the Bears (2019-22), where Gipson was the associate head coach during this time. As a graduate assistant, he assisted with scouting, in-game stats, and analytics, while leading and assisting on-court player development and on-campus recruiting visits.  Morgan began his career as a student manager at Harding, where he helped organize and set up equipment for practice and game days, assisted in game and practice film, and organized databases for recruiting.  Morgan earned a bachelor's degree in general studies from Missouri State in 2022 and a master's in professional studies with a certificate in sport's management from Missouri State in 2024. Morgan’s Coaching Career Austin Peay (2024-Pres.) – Named Director of Player Development June 25, 2024 Link Year Regional (2023-24) – Assistant Coach Missouri State (2022-23) – Graduate Assistant Missouri State (2019-22) – Head Student Manager Harding (2017-19) – Student Manager

Joey Heimel is in his second year as the Governors' video coordinator after joining head coach Corey Gipson's inaugural staff in May 2023. Heimel comes to Clarksville after spending the 2022-23 season as a graduate assistant at Northwestern State with Gipson. During his year in Natchitoches, Louisiana, Heimel assisted with game-strategy preparation, oversaw video game film and the team’s database, and assisted the coaching staff with in-game strategy. Prior to his season with the Demons, Heimel was an assistant coach at Mayville State, 2021-22, assisting with recruiting, game strategy, travel operations and more. Heimel also served as a Bubble Restart Team Attendant for the National Basketball Association, July-August 2020, assisting equipment managers with locker-room setup, organizing team benches, running team drills, and transporting equipment to team busses. Prior to serving as a volunteer assistant at Minnesota State during the 2019-20 season, Heimel was a member of the USA Basketball Support Staff, assisting in drills, preparing team gear, setting up for special events, and more. A 2019 graduate of Saint John’s, Heimel was a member of his alma mater’s staff from 2016-19 where he served as a team manager and video coordinator. Heimel graduated from Saint John's with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 2019. He then earned a Master of Science Health from Northwestern State in 2022.

Koby Pelissier is in his second season at Austin Peay and first as the Governors' director of operations. Pelissier joined head coach Corey Gipson's staff as a graduate assistant in September 2024 before being promoted to director of basketball operations prior to the 2025-26 season. Prior to arriving in Clarksville, Pelissier was the Director of Basketball Operations at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, during the 2023-24 season. His duties at Lynn included managing the equipment room, handling gear distribution, assisting student-athletes in numerous capacities, coordinating travel logistics, and overseeing all day-to-day operations. Pelissier also served as Video Coordinator, assisting with daily practice film, personnel analysis, and scouting reports. Before his time coaching with the Knights, Pelissier joined the Lynn basketball program as a student-athlete in August 2020, playing for the Fighting Knights for three years. During his senior season, he was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma National Honor Society and served as 2022-2023 basketball team captain. He earned SSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll recognition all three seasons and was named to the NABC Honors Court his senior year, graduating with a 3.87 GPA. Pelissier earned a bachelor’s degree in Investment Management with summa cum laude honors from Lynn University in May 2023 and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Human Health and Performance with a concentration in Performance Enhancement and Coaching. Pelissier’s Coaching Career Austin Peay (2025-Pres.) – Director of Operations Austin Peay (2024-25) – Graduate Assistant Lynn University (2023-24) – Director of Basketball Operations

Lynson Willis joined Austin Peay’s athletic training staff as an Associate Athletic Trainer in April 2023 and oversees the men's basketball program. He also assists with the cheer and dance teams. Willis comes to Clarksville after spending the past four years at Howard, where he most recently served as the Associate Athletic Director of Sports Medicine. During his time in Washington, D.C., Willis helped create and implement policies and procedures to ensure the health and well-being of 550-plus student-athletes. Willis also helped to expand Howards' athletic training staff from zero to seven members while establishing new partnerships to enhance quality care through technology and re-establishing a student-aid program. Since 2020, Willis also served as COVID-19 testing director and a COVID testing committee member for the Bison. Before his time at Howard, Willis spent nine years at Saint Francis College, where he began as an assistant athletic trainer before being promoted to associate head athletic trainer in 2018. After being elevated to the associate head athletic trainer for Terriers, Willis mentored the assistant athletic trainers on staff with their teams and cases while also coordinating care with team physicians and collaborating on preventive, corrective, and rehabilitation exercises with the strength and conditioning staff. During his time in Brooklyn, Willis also served as an athletic trainer for the Brooklyn Italians Soccer Club, the Atlantic 10 Basketball Championship, The Basketball Tournament, and the New York City Department of Education. Willis began his career in college athletics as a sports medicine volunteer at Saint Francis, where he earned his first bachelor's degree in health promotion and science in 2006. He then worked as an athletic training student at Stony Brook, where he earned his second bachelor's degree in athletic training in 2010. Willis is currently working towards a master's degree in organizational leadership at Manhattan College.