East Texas A&M University Men's Basketball

Jaret von Rosenberg enters his ninth season as the head coach for Lion Men's Basketball. He was hired as the program's 21st head coach on April 3, 2017.  During the 2024-25 season, which was von Rosenberg's eighth season at the helm of the men's basketball programs, the Lions recorded non-conference wins over Southern and Abilene Christian, while also ending the season winning two of their last three, beating New Orleans on the road and HCU in the season finale. Following the season, Khaliq Abdul-Mateen was named to Southland Conference All-Academic team.  The 2023-24 season was the second for the Lions in Division I and the program soared to new heights with a gauntlet of Texas A&M, Texas Tech, and Kentucky to start the season. East Texas A&M had a lead as big as 13 over Kentucky, leading for most of the first half, before falling to the nationally-ranked Wildcats. East Texas A&M picked up a road win at Saint Joseph's, which is the highest NET-rated win in program history. The Lions also collected Division I non-conference wins over Stonehill and Northern Colorado. In conference play, the Lions recorded a season sweep of UIW and picked up a thrilling three-overtime win over Northwestern State on the final day of the regular season, to secure the seventh seed in the SLC Tournament. East Texas A&M met the Demons once again to begin the SLC Tournament and downed NSU for the second consecutive game, which was the program's first win in the postseason since 2019-20. East Texas A&M has recorded 13 wins in each of its first two seasons in NCAA Division I.  Prior to beginning the 2022-23 season, which was von Rosenberg's sixth at the helm of the Lion Men's Basketball program, he and East Texas A&M agreed to a multi-year contract extension. The 2022-23 season was a historic for the Lions as it was the school's first in NCAA Division I as well as the Southland Conference. The Lions collected their first win over a Division I opponent with an overtime win at Air Force, other notable non-conference wins included Eastern Kentucky and a road win at Hawail. East Texas A&M began the SLC era with a win and finished fifth in the conference, which included season sweeps of McNeese and East Texas A&M was the only team to beat A&M-Corpus Christi on the road and collected a road win over Nicholls as well, which was von Rosenberg's 150th win as the Lion coach. Demarcus Demonia was named to an all-conference team for the second straight season, being named to second team all-SLC.  von Rosenberg's fifth season as the Lions' coach began with a thrilling win at UTSA, behind a buzzer-beating three pointer from Alphonso Willis. The Lions continued to excel against Division I opponents during the season, leading by as much as 12 at South Alabama in the first half. The Lions returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2021-22 with a record of 17-8, it was the Lions' third trip to the postseason in five seasons under von Rosenberg. The Lions posted a conference record of 9-5 to tie for fourth place in the conference standings. Center Clashon Gaffney earned Defensive Player of the Year honors from the Lone Star Conference and he was among four Lions to earn all-Lone Star Conference recognition. Willis and Augustine Ene were named to second team all-LSC, Demarcus Demonia was named to third team all-LSC, and Gaffney was named to the all-defensive team as well as honorable mention all-LSC. East Texas A&M finished second in the country in shot blocking.  Challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lions played just 14 games in 2020-21, going 7-7 in the conference-only schedule. Newcomers Augustine Ene and Demarcus Demonia were selected for All-LSC honors. During the season, von Rosenberg coached his 150th game in Commerce, becoming the seventh coach to do so in school history. The Lions missed the Lone Star Conference tournament by just one game. The Lions held opponents to shoot below 30 percent from outside the three-point nationally, which was fourth in the country.  During the 2019-20 season, von Rosenberg captained the Lions to an 18-12 record, with a 8-2 record in divisional games, earning the team the divisional championship. The team had a record of 13-9 in LSC games, qualifying as the eighth seed in the LSC Tournament. The Lions would go on to defeat UAFS in the LSC First Round matchup, before falling to eventual tournament champion WT in the quarterfinal round. During the season, two Lions would earn All-Conference honors. Wayne Stewart was named First Team All-LSC, while Deonta Terrell brought home Third Team All-LSC honors. During the 2018-19 season, von Rosenberg led the Lions to a 24-9 record overall, while earning a second place finish in the Lone Star Conference standings with a 13-5 record. The team advanced to the final round of the LSC Tournament and earned its third consecutive berth into the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament. The team defeated Dallas Baptist in the quarterfinal round before falling in the semifinal round. The team earned a top-25 ranking from the National Association of Basketball Coaches poll during the season, its second consecutive season earning a top-25 ranking.  During the 2018-19 season under von Rosenberg, Willie Rooks earned First Team All-District honors, Second Team All-Region honors and First Team All-LSC honors for his play. He was selected to the NABC Division II All-Star team. Reggie Reid and Trey Conrod earned Second Team All-Conference honors. During his first season, von Rosenberg led the Lions to the NCAA Tournament for the second season in a row, finishing with a 22-9 record overall, and finishing tied for third place in the LSC with a 12-6 conference record. The Lions won their first 10 games under the direction of von Rosenberg, setting the program record for most wins before their first coaching loss. The Lions excelled in close games, and went to five overtime games during the season. The team would be ranked as high as No. 10 in the nation in the NABC poll during the year. The team earned the fourth seed in the LSC Tournament, defeating Angelo State in the first round before falling to eventual champion WT. The team qualified for the NCAA Tournament as the fifth seed, and defeated Fort Lewis 78-62 before again falling to WT in the semifinal round. During the 2017-18 season under von Rosenberg, Reggie Reid was named Lone Star Conference Newcomer of the Year as well as a First Team All-Conference selection. Reid was also named Second Team All-Region by both the NABC and the D2CCA. Willie Rooks was a Third Team All-Conference selection.   A 2009 graduate of the University of Hartford, came to the Lions after two years as an assistant coach at Hartford. Prior to his time at Hartford, he served as an assistant at East Texas A&M for two seasons under head coach Sam Walker. He helped the Lions to the 2015 Lone Star Conference Championship and a top 10 national ranking.   He recruited and mentored Darrell Williams, the South Central Region Player of the Year, Lone Star Conference Player of the Year and a Division II All-American. He also brought Christian Macauley into the fold, as Macauley was twice named the Lone Star Defensive Player of the Year. Von Rosenberg was responsible for signing nine major contributors in two seasons.   Prior to joining the staff in Commerce, von Rosenberg spent two years as an assistant for Abilene Christian. He helped the Wildcats add Eric Lawton, the 2013 Lone Star Conference Newcomer of the Year and a second team all-league selection. Two other players collected All-LSC honors in von Rosenberg's two seasons in Abilene.   Additionally, in two seasons at Collin College, von Rosenberg helped the Cougars to a 48-16 combined record before heading to ACU.   von Rosenberg's three-year playing career at Hartford was highlighted by an America East All-Conference Third Team honor at the conclusion of his senior season and a pair of America East All-Academic Team nods. A 1,000-point scorer (1,021 points), his name is peppered throughout the Hawks' Division I record books as he owns the program record in free-throw percentage (.831) and ranks in the top 10 in made free throws, assists, and steals. He was an all-conference player in one season at Collin College after a solid career as a basketball and football player at Sharyland HS in the Rio Grande Valley.   von Rosenberg is married to the former Sarah Rasor, and the couple have two sons, Jaxon and Hunter, as well as one daughter, Ava.  von Rosenberg's Career Coaching Record Year School Record Pct. Conf. Pct. Postseason  2017-18  East Texas A&M  22-9  .710  12-6  .667  LSC Semifinals, NCAA Regional Semifinals  2018-19  East Texas A&M  24-9  .727  13-5  .722  LSC Finals, NCAA Regional Semifinals  2019-20  East Texas A&M  18-12  .600  13-9  .591  LSC Quarterfinals  2020-21  East Texas A&M  7-7  .500  7-7  .500  2021-22   East Texas A&M  17-9  .654  9-5  .643  LSC First Round, NCAA Regional Quarterfinals 2022-23  East Texas A&M  13-20  .394  9-9  .500  SLC First Round, First Season in NCAA Division I 2023-24  East Texas A&M  13-20  .394  6-12  .333  SLC Quarterfinals 2024-25  East Texas A&M  5-26 .161  3-17  .150  8 seasons  TOTALS  124-112  .525  72-70  .507

Valerie King, a veteran collegiate coach at the Division I level was tabbed as the next women’s basketball coach at East Texas A&M by Director of Athletics Jim Curry in April 2023. She is the ninth head coach in program history.   She is entering her third season at the helm of the women's basketball program in 2025-26.  King and the Lions recorded marquee wins over Texas Southern during non-conference play in the 2025-26 season, which was King's second season at East Texas A&M. During conference play, the Lions swept Nicholls and recorded road wins over Nicholls and McNeese. Following the season, Jordyn Newsome was named to Southland All-Academic first team.  In her first season in Commerce, King guided the Lions to a 15-16 record, which included a trip to the Southland Conference Tournament Semifinals. The 15 wins recorded by the Lions set a new program record for most under a first year coach and Mia Deck was named to second team all-Southland, while King's first recruit in Commerce, Jordyn Newsome, was named the SLC Newcomer of the Year.  King came to Commerce after spending the last seven seasons on the coaching staff at New Mexico, including serving as associate head coach for the Lobos in 2022-23. King has had success at every level during her career as a player and coach. During her time at New Mexico the program went 141-78 (.644) and earned a postseason berth five times.    New Mexico won 20 games or more four times and won the on 2020-21 regular season title. The Lobo teams were exceptional on offense during her time in Albuquerque as UNM finished in the Top 20 nationally in three-pointers made in each of the last three seasons, finishing third in 2021-22. Prior to New Mexico, King also worked with coach Mike Bradbury at Wright State for six years. Success came quick as Wright State notched its first two NCAA Division I postseason tournament wins and the program’s first 20 win season as a Division I program. The Raiders made five postseason appearances with King on the staff, including the NCAA Tournament in 2013-14.   Prior to Wright State, King spent three seasons on the staff at Morehead State and helped turn the Eagles into one of the best shooting teams in the country. In 2009-10, Morehead State led the NCAA in three-pointers made per game (10.3). That year Morehead State finished 22-11.   As a player, King was a four-year starter for the University of Cincinnati from 2000-04. She ended her Bearcat career as the all-time leader in three-pointers made with 338, which was also the Conference USA record at the time and is second now.   To this day, she is second all-time in free-throw percentage, fourth all-time in scoring, and fifth in three-point percentage in the Conference USA record book. She was selected to the Conference USA All-Decade team for the 2000s. King garnered many honors as a player as she earned first-team all-conference honors twice and was named the 2001 and 2002 Conference USA Tournament MVP. She signed as a free agent with the Sacramento Monarchs of the WNBA.   A native of Washington Court House, Ohio, King graduated from Cincinnati with a degree in communication and earned a master’s degree from the University of Louisville in sports administration. King and her husband Brandon welcomed their first child, Camden, in July of 2021, and their second daughter, Emersyn, in July of 2022.

East Texas A&M head men’s basketball coach Jaret von Rosenberg has announced the promotion of Coleman Furst to the Lions’ associate head coach position in April of 2020.   Furst has been a part of three NCAA Tournament appearances and a Lone Star Conference divisional championship while being on the sidelines as well as the program's first three season in NCAA Division I and the Southland Conference.  “From day one, Coleman has been instrumental to our success both on and off the court,” von Rosenberg. “He’s not only helped us qualify for NCAA tournaments, but he has been essential in our academic operations and assisting our student-athletes as they work towards graduating.   “His dedication and loyalty to myself, our student-athletes, and program is why he is being elevated to associate head coach.  Our program wouldn’t be in this position without him.  As we strive to compete for conference, regional, and national championships, we are lucky to have him help lead the way.”   With Furst on the bench, the Lions have had five All-South Central Region selections, with at least one in each season. Each of his three seasons have featured a first team All-Lone Star Conference performer and seven total Lions have earned All-LSC honors.   “I’m very excited to be named associate head coach for this program,” Furst said. “I can’t thank Coach Rose and Tim McMurray enough for their support and confidence in me. It’s been an amazing three seasons here and I’m excited about the future. I look forward to continuing to help Coach Rose build this program and get back out on the court this season with our great group of student-athletes.” Furst joined the Lions' staff prior to the 2017-18 season. Prior to joining East Texas A&M, Furst was an assistant coach at Tarleton State for one year after a two-year graduate assistantship at TSU and played four seasons for the Texans. Durng the 2016 season, TSU finished with a 22-8 record and finished second in the Lone Star Conference. The team advanced to the South Central Regional tournament, falling in the first round. He helped coach three All-LSC players during the season and helped tutor LSC Defensive Player of the Year Romond Jenkins and Freshman of the Year Anthony Davis. In Furst’s two years as a graduate assistant coach, the Texans won back-to-back South Central Regional Championships. In 2015-16, Tarleton went 24-9 and defeated Angelo State in the Regional finals. The Texans were ranked as high as No. 1 in the NABC poll during the year. Furst’s first season as a graduate assistant coach was a memorable one as the former Texan guard helped coach his alma mater to one of its greatest seasons in history. Tarleton recorded its first 30-win season on its way to an LSC and South Central Regional Championship and its second trip to the NCAA Division II National Semifinals, making Tarleton the only school from the state of Texas to reach the Division II Final Four more than once.  Furst, a native of Denison, enjoyed a lengthy playing career in which he lifted Tarleton to two consecutive Lone Star Conference Tournament Championships – the first of which was won on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Furst. Tarleton State qualified for the NCAA regional tournament in all four seasons with Furst. During his tenure as a guard for the Texan basketball team, Furst was a part of 99 wins. His senior campaign comprised the best record of his career with a 28-3 mark, including a senior college-era record 18 consecutive wins to begin the season.  He joined the Texans after a dominant career with Denison High School where he was a McDonald’s All-American nominee and the No. 44-ranked player in the state after his District MVP-senior campaign.  Furst graduated from Tarleton State with his undergraduate degree in Fitness Management in 2014 and a master’s degree in Kinesiology. He is the son of Paige and Ed Furst and has a sister, Brooke. Furst is married to his wife, Charlie, and the two have five children, Hannah, Caysen, Miles, Rowan, and Brody. 

A.J. Holland joined the Lion coaching staff in June of 2022. While at East Texas A&M, the Lions have been able to finish in the Top 20 percent of the country in turnover rate. After establishing himself as a relentless recruiter and high-level evaluator of talent, Holland was recognized on Silver Waves Media's "75 Rising Stars: Impactful Men's Mid-Major Assistants" list and was an honored guest at the "Elite 50 Power Future Head Coaches Invitational" in April 2025. Holland joined the Lions after spending two seasons as an assistant coach working under head coach Cinco Boone at Angelo State University. There, he helped the Rams earn an at large bid to the 2021-22 NCAA Tournament while also being ranked as high as #12 in the country. During his stint in San Angelo, Holland coached five All-Conference Selections, along with an All-Defensive team member. Prior to Angelo State, Holland was an assistant at the University of Texas Permian Basin from 2018-20. Holland helped the Falcons reach the conference playoffs each year while coaching the conference’s leading scoring offense at 85.3 points per game. He coached three All-Conference selections including Jacob Ledoux who was named the Newcomer of the Year in the 2018-19 season, and a transfer guard who scored the second most single season points in program history (702). Before following Head Coach Josh Newman to UTPB, Holland began his coaching career as an assistant coach at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Under his watch, the #4 nationally ranked program UAFS posted the best record in Division II school history at 24-6 on their way to a Heartland Conference championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. He coached three All Conference selections including the Conference MVP and Newcomer of the Year during his time at UAFS. Before beginning his collegiate coaching career, Holland served as a skills trainer and was the NIKE Southeast Regional Camp Director in Atlanta, GA. There, he developed many high-level players including two first-round NBA draft picks. During his four years, Holland trained over 50 players in the Metro Atlanta area who earned collegiate scholarships and trained multiple state championship and Final Four teams in Georgia and Alabama. While building a major network in metro Atlanta, Holland played a key role in helping the company generate a revenue of over $875,000. As a player, Holland began his career at Rice University in Conference USA before transferring to College of Central Florida. At CCF, he won a region championship and set a school record for wins at 28-6. He finished his playing career at the University of Sioux Falls, helping his team to a 20-win season while leading the program in assists and averaging 10.6 points per game. The 2013 graduate of the University of Sioux Falls, Holland received his degree in Sports Management with a concentration in coaching. Holland is a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he was the 9th ranked player in the state of Alabama and a was a standout point guard at Paul W. Bryant High School. Holland and his wife Traci have two daughters, Trinity and Lia.

Conrod returned to his alma mater in 2022-23 to serve as the director of player development & community relations, during the Lions' first season in NCAA Division I. He now serves as the program's director of basketball operations and is also an assistant coach.   In his current role, he coordinates off-season training programs, coordinates camps hosted by the program, and monitors academic progress for a designated group of players. He also has a major role in the digital branding efforts of the program.  An all-conference player for the Lions, Conrod returned to the Lions after working as a development coach and camp coordinator for the San Antonio Spurs, a role he still holds during the summer. He also earned all-tournament honors as a Lion.  For the Spurs, he assists with the planning and implementation of the academy's goals and objectives and has assisted in establishing a performance criteria to evaluate players' athletic abilities on a regular basis. Conrod earned his first full-time coaching position as an assistant coach at Paris Junior College. He established, managed, and monitored academic standards for the team, while also recruiting, developing, and coaching student-athletes.  After finishing up his playing career, he served as a graduate assistant at East Texas A&M. In this role, he coordinated all official and unofficial recruiting visits and was the academic liaison for the team.  He has also worked as a Summer Camp Director at the Boys & Girls Club in Kilgore. Conrod received his bachelors of science in general studies and masters of science in international sport management from East Texas A&M. He also received his associates of science from Ranger College. 

Jared Kortsen was hired as an assistant coach for the Lion men's basketball program prior to the 2024-25 season, arriving in Commerce from West Virginia.  Kortsen most recently served as the video coordinator at West Virginia, prior to that, he served as a graduate manager on the WVU men’s basketball staff from 2019-22. He previously served as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Urbana from 2017-19 and was the U18 head coach for Team Ohio from 2014-20.    A native of Plain City, Ohio, Kortsen has worked numerous basketball camps, including the WVU men’s basketball camps, the USA Basketball Youth Development camp, Aaron Craft camp, Kentucky Basketball Pros camp and the Cleveland Cavaliers Youth Academy. He was a former President of Youth Sports Foundation, a non-profit organization that funds trips for select high school basketball players to participate in overseas tournaments.   Kortsen played basketball as a walk-on at Akron and at Emerson College in Boston, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing communication. He earned master’s degrees from WVU in sport management and in athletic coaching education.

Beachum came to East Texas A&M after being part of the coaching staff at Tarleton. She was part of coach Valerie King's inaugural coaching staff in Commerce. In her lone season in Stephenville, the Texans recorded notable wins over College of Charleston, Western Illinois, Weber State, Northwestern State, UTRGV, and Seattle U. She arrived to Tarleton after a three-year coaching stint at her junior college alma matter, Western Texas College. Before transitioning to the bench, Beachum enjoyed two stellar seasons on the court for the Westerners and spent the final two years of her playing career at Illinois State. As a senior in 2016-17, Beachum led the Redbirds in scoring (11.6 ppg) and steals per game (2.3) and ranked fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference in both steals per game and total steals (70).   Beachum was a fixture in the Redbirds' backcourt during her two years in Bloomington. She made 31 starts across two seasons – 25 of which came during her senior year – and imprinted her name on the Illinois State defensive record books. Beachum finished her career tied for 13th in program history in steals per game (1.7) and tied for 18th in single-season steals. She led Illinois State with 16 double-digit scoring games and was second on the team in assists (56) and 3-point field goals (34) during her senior season. Her career on the sideline began when she accepted an assistant coaching position at Louisiana College ahead of the 2017-18 season. Beachum aided in all aspects of program operations in her lone year in Pineville. She served as the Lady Wildcats' recruiting coordinator, assisted with student athlete strength and conditioning and oversaw the program's academic progress plan. Beachum was also the school's head junior varsity basketball coach. Beachum then parlayed her defensive prowess and recruiting background into her second tour of duty at WTC. She served as the Westerners defensive coordinator and led guard development while in Snyder from 2018-2021. Beachum assisted with all recruiting and team management duties and was also responsible for creating scouting reports and film breakdown of opponents. Originally from Mexia, Texas, Beachum's journey to the Division I ranks began on the high school hoops circuit. She led Mexia High School to a 33-3 record and 3A Girls Basketball State Championship – the first in school history – as a senior in 2013. Beachum averaged 17 points per game and earned All-State and Super Centex Player of the Year recognition during her senior campaign. She joined WTC on a full athletic scholarship following her prep career and had a lasting impact on the program. Beachum led the Westerners in assists and steals as a freshman en route to her first of two sets of All-Conference honors. She then guided WTC to one of the best seasons in school history as a sophomore, averaging 14 points per game, earning All-Conference first team honors and leading the Westerners to the NJCAA Regional Tournament championship game. Beachum graduated from Illinois State in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and corrections.

Trevor Moyer arrived in Commerce after spending the two seasons at Missouri Western State. He was part of coach Valerie King's inaugural coaching staff in 2023-24. The Griffons posted 24 wins each in his two seasons in St. Joseph, including in his first year , Moyer helped lead the Griffons to a historic season reaching the Elite 8 for the first time in over two decades. Missouri Western finished 24-10 overall and 14-8 in the MIAA, including a fourth-place finish in the conference. During the 2022-23 season, the program had an impressive record of 24-7 overall and 18-4 in the MIAA, which included wins over multiple ranked teams thorughout the season. Their success earned them a spot in the conference tournament. The team boasted the talented Brionna Budgetts, who was awarded the MIAA Player of the Week title twice (Jan 24 2023 and Feb 6 2023). Additionally, four players were selected for the All-MIAA teams.   Moyer began his career at MWSU after graduating from Oklahoma State. He was the manager of the Cowgirl women's basketball team for three seasons and earned the Kurt Budke Scholarship in 2020. Moyer also has gives private basketball lessons during the summers and he played college basketball for one season at the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas. Moyer received his masters in sport & fitness management from Missouri Western State and received his bachelors degree in sport management from Oklahoma State. He is married to Katy Moyer.

Trey Conrod joined the Lion basketball staff as a graduate assistant in the summer of 2019 after a stellar two-year playing career for the Lions. Conrod played in 64 games with 49 starts in his two-year A&M-Commerce career, playing more than 1,600 career minutes. He scored 655 career points with 264 rebounds and 108 assists with a 49.2 shooting percentage. He was a member of two NCAA Tournament and  All-Lone Star Conference selection and All tournament team as a senior and a three-time LSC Player of the Week.

Jaedyn De La Cerda reunited with Valerie King at East Texas A&M in 2023-24 after playing at New Mexico, while King was on the coaching staff.   She appeared in five seasons for the Lobos and ended her career as the winningest single player in UNM women's basketball history. She played in 130 games, scoring 1,409 career games, which is 10th all-time. De La Cerda was named an all-Mountain West Conference player twice in her career.   After her college career, De La Cerda played professionally for the Central District Lions and Southern Tigers in the National Basketball League 1 in Australia.   De La Cerda graduated from New Mexico with a degree in Psychology and a minor in family child studies.