Tennessee State University Men's Golf

McGrath joined the Tennessee State University staff as an assistant coach for the men and women's golf program in 2011Parrish McGrath

Duante Abercrombie was named head coach of the Tennessee State University men’s hockey team on April 16, 2024. He will enter his first official first season as head coach during the 2025-26 season.  The historic hire makes Abercrombie the first head coach of a hockey program at a historically Black college or university (HBCU) and the first black male to lead an NCAA Division I team.  Abercrombie is an inaugural member of the National Hockey League Coaches' Association's BIPOC Coaches Program, which aims to specifically support Black, Indigenous, and coaches of color in several areas including skills development, leadership strategies, communication tactics, networking, and career advancement opportunities. Raised in Washington, D.C., Abercrombie was mentored throughout his hockey journey by notable Black hockey figures such as Neal Henderson and Graeme Townshend. Henderson, the first Black and third person of color inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame, has led the Fort Dupont Cannons Ice Hockey Club since 1978, garnering numerous distinguished awards. Townshend, the first Jamaican-born player in the NHL, operates the Townshend Hockey School, where Abercrombie serves as a senior instructor, working with NCAA and NHL prospects. Abercrombie's dedication to hockey and community involvement has not gone unnoticed. He's been nominated by the Washington Capitals for the 2024 Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award for his work as an inaugural member of the Capitals' Black Hockey Committee and as a co-creator/ lead instructor with the Rising Stars Academy, a free program providing elite skill development and mentorship for local hockey players of color. Henderson was nominated for the inaugural award in 2018, which has since been presented annually "to an individual who – through the game of hockey – has positively impacted his or her community, culture, or society." This year's award recipient will be announced before the late-June NHL Draft in Las Vegas. Professionally, Abercrombie spent the 2022-23 season with the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs organization as a member of the coaching staff for the Maple Leafs, Toronto Marlies (American Hockey League affiliate), and the Newfoundland Growlers (East Coast Hockey League affiliate). As part of his responsibilities, Abercrombie worked closely with the video coaches to create and present detailed pre-scout and player analysis packages to individuals and the team. On the ice, he assisted in each player's development process, helped with the preparation and execution of practice, and led healthy scratches' game day preparation. During games, he was either coaching from the bench or was the 5-on-5 eye in the sky. Abercrombie has been involved with several NHL BIPOC initiatives including as a guest coach for the San Jose Sharks 2023 training camp under head coach David Quinn and Mike Grier, the first Black NHL general manager; the Boston Bruins' 2021-22 scouting mentorship program, and the Arizona Coyotes in 2021 where he was the subject of 'NHL Bound', a four-part series on ESPN which chronicled two Black hockey coaches chasing their dream to work in the NHL as part of Arizona Coyotes' first-ever coaching internship program, dedicated to creating a deeper pool of diverse talent. Viewers got a behind-the-scenes look at the Coyotes' management and coaching staff operations and Abercrombie and Nathanial Brooks' personal dedication, sacrifices, and passion for shattering stereotypes and earning their place behind an NHL bench. In 2020, The Athletic selected him for its 40-Under-40 hockey list as an individual shaping the game's future. At the time of publishing, the list included then-future and now-current front office members and head coaches such as Spencer Carbery, Washington Capitals head coach; Sheldon Keefe, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach; Kyle Dubas, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager; Brett Peterson, Florida Panthers assistant general manager and 2024 U.S. men's national team general manager; Lindsay Pennal, executive director of the NHL Coaches' Association; David Carle, University of Denver head coach; Patrick Burke, NHL senior director of player safety; Rod Braceful, director of player personnel U.S. NTDP; Stephanie Jackson, USA Hockey director of diversity & inclusion; Jeremy Collation, former Chicago Blackhawks Head Coach; and Chris Snow, former Calgary Flames assistant general manager. In 2019, Abercrombie joined the Stevenson University (NCAA Division-III) coaching staff, where at the time of his hiring, he was just one of four Black coaches in NCAA men's hockey. In 2021-22, The Mustangs recorded an 18-win season along with a nine-game winning streak to conclude the season, and Ryan Kenny was tabbed, the United Collegiate Hockey Conference Goalie and Middle Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Abercrombie attended Hampton University where he competed in track and field until an injury ended his sprinting career. Upon leaving Hampton, Abercrombie had brief stints with the West Auckland Admirals in the New Zealand Ice Hockey League (NZIHL), the Steele City Warriors, and the Brewster Bulldogs of the Federal Hockey League. An alumnus of the well-renowned Gonzaga College High School, Abercrombie led his Eagles to multiple championships as a player and a coach. He also coached at Georgetown Preparatory School, and in his first year, he helped lead his team to its first Interstate Athletic Conference (IAC) Championship. Abercrombie is married to the former Melanie Moore, a Hampton and Teachers College at Columbia University graduate and high school educator, and they are the proud parents of children Patrick and Ava. "WHAT THEY ARE SAYING"  Kyle Dubas, Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager?"I had the chance to work with Duanté last season in Toronto and came to know him as a tremendous communicator with great energy and knowledge of building out a great developmental program. It is very exciting to see Duante' get this opportunity to build the program at Tennessee State." Mike Grier, San Jose Sharks General Manager?"Duanté is a very intelligent and hard-working person. He has a great hockey mind. He is detailed and organized. Duanté has a wonderful personality and has the unique ability to connect with all of his players." Brett Peterson, Florida Panthers Assistant General Manager & Team USA GM?"Congratulations to Dante and Tennessee State on this historic hire. Dante is a driven and focused coach who has studied the game at every level in preparation for this opportunity.  I am excited to see college hockey expand its diverse vision under his leadership, and I know the program is in good hands with Dante." Sheldon Keefe, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach?"Duanté is a natural leader with an incredible passion for hockey and coaching.  I'm thrilled for him to be getting this well-deserved opportunity to guide TSU's hockey program." Lindsay Pennal, executive director of the NHL Coaches' Association?"TSU has found the right coach in Duante' Abercrombie. He has put in the time and the work to earn this role and take the reins of the new men's hockey program. He's an intelligent, passionate, and kind person who puts his players first. We can't wait to see Duanté step behind the bench when TSU plays that historic first game." Graeme Townshend, former NHL player, President of Townshend Hockey Skating Systems "Duante will prove to be one of the best hires in College Hockey. He brings a wealth of experience that is rooted in a high degree of character, compassion, and integrity. He will prove to be an incredible role model for ALL members of the Tennessee State University community."

Nick Guerriero serves as the Director of Hockey and Assistant Athletic Director for Communications and Creative Content at Tennessee State University (TSU). Since his appointment in October 2021, he has led the media relations and creative content departments, overseeing sponsorships and broadcasting for the Tigers.  Hockey Role:  In his role as Director of Hockey, Guerriero has been instrumental in establishing TSU’s men’s ice hockey program, making it the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to offer collegiate ice hockey. He played a key role in hiring Duante’ Abercrombie, the first Black male head coach of an NCAA Division I hockey team. Guerriero also handles the day-to-day operations while building the program from scratch. Alongside Abercrombie, he assists with player recruitment, scheduling, obtaining sponsorships and private donations, and managing the team’s media requests. Beyond his administrative and operational duties, Guerriero has played a pivotal role in securing essential resources and generating media attention for the program. He negotiated an equipment deal with Bauer and worked with Under Armour to design the team’s home and away uniforms. To increase visibility, he collaborated with social media influencers and arranged podcast appearances for himself and Abercrombie. His efforts in media relations have led to interviews with major outlets such as The Hockey News, The National Post (Canada), College Hockey News, USA Today, and The Washington Post. Additionally, Guerriero represented TSU’s hockey program on a broader stage, speaking at the 2024 Herb Carnegie Initiative and Hockey Equality Summit in Toronto. Communications Role:  During his initial year as Assistant AD, Guerriero collaborated closely with TSU AD Dr. Mikki Allen to revamp the communications and creative content department, rebranding it as "Team Reflex." As part of this transformation, he successfully recruited the athletic department's first-ever full-time creative content coordinator and graduate assistant. In the summer of 2022, Guerriero achieved a significant milestone by securing a new agreement with Cromwell Media. This partnership resulted in TSU football games being aired on 94.9 FM The Fan, including a live broadcast of the homecoming game against Bethune-Cookman on 102.5 FM The Game. This historic occasion marked the first time a TSU football game was aired on Cromwell's flagship sports station. Additionally, for the 2022-23 season, TSU men's basketball returned to the airwaves, with all home, road, and OVC tournament games broadcasted on 102.1 FM, a first in program history. Recognizing the importance of revenue generation and establishing strong business relationships in the constantly evolving landscape of college athletics, Guerriero successfully forged strategic partnerships with multimedia rights holders. These partners included CSMG (College Sports Media Group) for linear production and IP sponsorship, Season One Media for ESPN+ production and activation sponsorship, and Ace Sports for digital signage. These collaborations enabled TSU to expand its reach beyond the Nashville market while ensuring an exceptional experience for the dedicated fan base at home events. Prior to his tenure at TSU, Guerriero held similar positions at various institutions, including George Washington, American, Dartmouth, Iona, Manhattanville, and St. Francis Brooklyn. Guerriero has garnered recognition as a featured speaker at multiple conventions and webinars within the collegiate athletics sphere. He notably served as the Chair of the College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Continuing Education and Professional Development Committee for four years, and presently contributes to the Division 1 Programming Committee. Additionally, he remains actively involved in the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) as the chair of the Continuing Education and Professional Development Committee. As part of his involvement, he spearheads the Teachable Tuesday webinar series on CoSIDA.com. Furthermore, Guerriero has been a mentor in the CSC Mentorship Program, offering guidance to aspiring communications professionals. He is also a proud member of the United States Basketball Writers Association. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Guerriero obtained his bachelor's degree in Communications with a concentration in broadcasting and film from St. Francis Brooklyn in 2009. He furthered his education by earning a master's degree in sports business management from Manhattanville in 2011. Guerriero has been featured in online and print articles throughout his career. CoSIDA 30 for 30 Front Office Sports Sports Video Group