Travis Ford‘s first staff at Little Rock is officially in place — and it brings championship experience, recruiting firepower, program continuity and strong Trojan roots into a new era of men’s basketball.
Ford finalized a staff featuring assistant coaches Van Macon, Christian Nunez, Jordon Kedrowski and Ted Crass, while retaining Assistant Coach/Director of Men’s Basketball Operations Tyler Milchman and Video Coordinator Caleb Jones from the previous staff. New Assistant AD for Sports Performance and Strength and Conditioning Danny Strohm will also work closely with the program.
“I’m very, very excited about our staff,” Ford said. “I think it’s a combination of experienced professionals with some younger coaches who bring incredible energy. Guys who have different experiences as far as where they’ve worked, and they bring a lot of different geographic assets to our program. But all of them have one thing in common — they want to make every player the best player they can be, make our team the best it can be and make Little Rock Trojan basketball the best it can be.”
Four members of the staff previously worked with Ford at Saint Louis, creating immediate familiarity with his system, expectations and culture, while Crass adds strong Little Rock ties and firsthand knowledge of the program’s history.
Together, the group brings a blend of high-level recruiting experience, scouting, analytics, player development and institutional continuity as the Trojans begin a new era under Ford.
Van Macon – Associate Head Coach
A respected veteran with more than 20 years of coaching experience, Macon brings extensive recruiting success and player development expertise to Little Rock.
“I’m excited to be reuniting with Coach Ford again, especially at a program that has so much potential,” Macon said. “I look forward to building a championship program at Little Rock.”
Macon previously worked under Ford at Saint Louis, helping guide the program to the 2019 Atlantic 10 Tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Widely known for his recruiting ties, especially throughout the Northeast, Macon has helped develop multiple All-Conference performers and NBA talent during his career.
His résumé includes coaching stops at St. John’s, Rutgers and Hofstra, where he contributed to multiple postseason appearances and established himself as one of the nation’s top recruiters and post-player developers.
“Van has an incredible amount of experience,” Ford said. “He and I have worked together before. He helped build the Saint Louis program when we were there. He has played a key role in the development of numerous standout student-athletes and has helped mentor several players who advanced to the NBA.”
Christian Nunez – Assistant Coach
Christian Nunez joins the Trojans after previously serving on Ford’s staff at Saint Louis, where he played a major role in offensive implementation and player development.
“I’m truly grateful to be working alongside Coach Ford again,” Nunez said. “I am excited for the opportunity to help create a winning culture and build something special here at Little Rock.”
Nunez, who was most recently at Delaware, helped the Billikens reach multiple NIT appearances while building a reputation for skill development and strong relationships with players. His coaching background also includes a championship season at Iona Prep, along with a standout playing career at Farmingdale State.
“Christian came to me as a graduate assistant and has steadily worked his way up through the profession,” Ford said. “He brings tremendous energy and passion for the game, builds outstanding relationships with players and recruits, and has a strong overall understanding of basketball.”
Jordon Kedrowski – Assistant Coach
Jordon Kedrowski adds energy and versatility to the staff with experience in scouting, analytics, video coordination and player development.
“I am grateful and energized to join the Little Rock coaching staff,” Kedrowski said. “I appreciate Coach Ford and the administration for giving me this opportunity. The fan support in the city of Little Rock is first class, and I cannot wait to immerse myself in the city.”
A former graduate assistant under Ford at Saint Louis, Kedrowski worked extensively in game preparation and player development. He most recently worked at College of Charleston after previous stops at James Madison and Maryville.
A former 1,000-point scorer at Carthage College, Kedrowski combines playing experience with a modern approach to analytics and skill development.
“Jordon is another coach who worked his way up through the ranks after starting with me as a graduate assistant,” Ford said. “He has earned every opportunity through hard work, commitment, and loyalty, and he brings tremendous value in scouting preparation and player development.”
Ted Crass – Assistant Coach
Ted Crass returns home with strong ties to both Little Rock and the program itself.
“I’m incredibly thankful for Coach Ford and everyone at UA Little Rock for this opportunity to come home and be a part of something special,” Crass said. “Little Rock has always meant a lot to me personally, so being able to return and help build on the momentum of this program is truly exciting. You can feel the energy surrounding Trojan basketball now.”
A Little Rock native and graduate of Central High School, Crass played and coached for the Trojans under multiple head coaches and served as Director of Player Development on the historic 2015-16 NCAA Tournament team that won 30 games and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Crass returns after successful coaching stops at Abilene Christian and at the junior college level at Otero (Colorado) College, where he won back-to-back conference championships as the head coach. His familiarity with the university, community and program culture gives the Trojans a valuable bridge between the program’s past and future.
“Ted is a person who I’ve really enjoyed getting to know in the process of putting my staff together,” Ford said. “He’s a coach who I’ve heard a lot of incredible, positive things about through a lot of people that I respect.”
Tyler Milchman – Assistant Coach/Director of Operations
Tyler Milchman joined Little Rock Athletics in August of 2023 as Director of Men’s Basketball Operations and assists with the day-to-day operations of the program, including coordinating travel, film and data analysis, team equipment and monitoring student-athlete academic progress.
“I am incredibly grateful to Coach Ford and Little Rock Director of Athletics Frank Cuervo and the entire administration for the opportunity to remain at Little Rock,” Milchman said. “I am excited for the direction the program is headed with Coach Ford’s leadership. I am thrilled to continue to be a part of the Little Rock community.”
Prior to Little Rock, Milchman spent five years with the West Virginia men’s basketball program, serving as head student-manager and graduate assistant. During his time in Morgantown, the Mountaineers made two NCAA Tournament appearances and he assisted in the development of seven All-Big 12 Conference players.
“Tyler proved himself in the first couple weeks of me getting here,” Ford said. “He really loves Little Rock basketball and understands the ins and outs of the everyday aspects of the program.”
Caleb Jones – Video Coordinator
Caleb Jones returns for his fourth season as Little Rock’s Video Coordinator after previously spending four years with the UCF men’s basketball program, where he was promoted to head manager during the 2022-23 season.
“I am super excited to remain on the staff here at Little Rock under Coach Ford,” Jones said. “I wholeheartedly believe in his vision for the program and can’t wait to see it come to fruition.”
While at UCF, Jones worked closely with head coach Johnny Dawkins, a College Basketball Hall of Famer and helped the Knights reach the NIT while assisting in the development of 2023 NBA Lottery pick Taylor Hendricks.
In his current role with the Trojans, Jones oversees practice film, scouting reports, analytics and video breakdowns, while also assisting in player development and game preparation. Jones has also gained experience through opportunities with Nike EYBL, USA Basketball, Duke Men’s Basketball Camp and the NCAA College Basketball Academy.
“Caleb really understands the video role inside and out,” Ford said. “Video is such an important part of any program that I’ve run, from practices to games to individual instruction and recruiting as well.”
Danny Strohm – Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Performance
Danny Strohm recently joined Little Rock in April as Assistant AD for Sports Performance and Strength and Conditioning and will play a key role in the development of the men’s basketball program under Ford.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to work with Coach Ford and the Little Rock basketball program,” Danny Strohm said. “Coach Ford has built winning cultures everywhere he’s been, and I’m looking forward to helping develop a team that plays with toughness, discipline and relentless effort every night.”
Strohm brings extensive Division I experience to the Trojans after previous stops at Georgia Southern, Southeast Missouri State and Northern Iowa, where he worked with multiple championship-caliber programs.
While overseeing strength and conditioning responsibilities across multiple Little Rock programs, Strohm will work closely with men’s basketball on year-round training, conditioning, injury prevention and overall player performance as the Trojans enter a new era under Ford.
“Danny brings tremendous energy and experience to our program,” Ford said. “He has worked with high-level programs and understands what it takes from a strength and conditioning standpoint to help players develop every single day. He’ll have a major impact on our culture, toughness and overall player development.”
With the excitement surrounding the beginning of the Travis Ford era, a revamped coaching staff, and Little Rock’s transition into the United Athletic Conference, Trojan fans will not want to miss the energy and momentum surrounding the 2026-27 season, with season ticket and promotional information to be announced soon.
