 Hiwassee College Welcomes
Tigers Coach
Rodney Nelson"Coach" is a title Rodney Nelson has carried for over thirty years. Most recently as Maryville College Assistant Men's Basketball Coach and Head Men's JV Basketball Coach, Nelson's coaching experience includes twenty-four years as Head Men's Basketball Coach at Maryville High School and a total of five years as assistant at Maryville College.
Notable players he has coached include Lee Humphrey (Univ. of Florida), Tom Gallaher (Radford Univ.), Andy Tipton (Carson Newman), Tyler Gaskin (All-American at Tennessee Wesleyan), Scott Feather (Wake Forest), and Rod Cross (Hiwassee College and UTC).
Rodney's ties to Hiwassee College go back to 1977 when, as a sophomore transfer, he played basketball for Coach Donnie Jenkins. After graduating from Hiwassee in 1978, he went on to play basketball at Maryville College under Coach Rick Byrd, where he was named a Division Three, Southern Region All-American player.
Nelson says he sees his players as being in the midst of their life journey which extends off the court to their academics and character-building.
Retiring from Maryville City Schools this May is opening the door for Rodney to continue fulfilling his mission of influencing students through his new position as Athletic Director and Head Men's Basketball Coach at Hiwassee College.
Says Nelson, "When you look at Hiwassee with its great potential, it's exciting to be a part of the renewal of the college." |
Lady Tigers Coach
