Appalachian State University men’s basketball and head coach Jim Fox announced two additions to his staff on Tuesday.
I.J. Poole will serve as the Mountaineers’ director of basketball operations, while Tyler Persinger will join as the director of player development.
“First of all, I would like to thank Bryan (Bender) and Mark (Polsgrove) for their commitment to our program over the last three years. With that, I am thrilled to welcome I.J. and Tyler,” said Fox. “I.J. is someone who is committed to do anything needed to make our program better. When asking coaches about I.J., they constantly reiterated what a hard worker he is and how loyal he is to the program. I.J. was able to connect with our players right away. He has a great future ahead of him as an assistant coach and we are excited to have him on board.”
Fox continued, “Tyler has been with our program for two years and he has worn many hats. He is someone who has been asked to do many different things and he always did them without hesitation and he did them well. Most important, Tyler has sacrificed to help our program over the last two years. He has been extremely loyal and we are thrilled to have him with us as member of our staff.”
Poole comes to the High Country after serving two years as a graduate manager at Tennessee on Rick Barnes’ staff. Poole also served as a student manager for Barnes for two seasons while an undergrad at Texas.
In addition to managerial responsibilities, Poole also held the role of student film coordinator during the 2014-15 season, filming practices and games and working with SportsCode and Synergy to assist the coaching staff.
During his tenure with the Longhorns, the Austin, Texas native worked with a pair of NCAA Tournament teams, and Texas averaged 22 wins per season. Poole has extensive experience as a basketball trainer, providing skill and fitness instruction with Hoop Zone, Anderson Elite Camp and the Aaron Page Shooting Academy.
Poole graduated from Texas in 2015 with a degree in exercise science and a minor in biology.
“First and foremost, I am thankful for my time with Coach Barnes and his staff,” said Poole. “I am excited about the opportunity to learn from Coach Fox and help contribute to winning here at Appalachian State.”
Persinger enters his third season with the Appalachian State basketball program after serving as a student manager and graduate assistant.
“I’m very excited to continue to be a part of the program,” said Persinger. “Coach Fox and the staff have presented me with a great opportunity and I look forward to continuing to help App State improve.”
The Charlotte, N.C. native graduated from Appalachian in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and a minor in general business. He is currently pursuing a strategic communication graduate certificate.
