Cumberland University men’s basketball coach Lonnie Thompson announced his retirement on Monday, effective immediately. Assistant coach Lindal Yarbrough will serve as the team’s Interim Head Coach for this week’s Mid-South Conference Championships in Pikeville, Ky.
Thompson spent 16 seasons at Cumberland, compiling a 248-237 record, including the 2004 TranSouth Conference regular season championships and three trips to the NAIA National Tournament, in 2004, 2008 and 2009. He also served as head coach at Motlow State Community College, posting a 74-43 mark with back-to-back TJCCAA Eastern Division Championships. He was named TJCCAA Eastern Division Coach of the Year three times at Motlow State.
“We want to thank Coach Thompson for his many years of service to Cumberland University and our basketball program,” said Ron Pavan, Director of Athletics. “He took our program to heights it had never previously seen with three trips to the national tournament.”
Yarbrough has served the five seasons as the program’s full-time assistant coach, with responsibilities including recruiting, scouting, film breakdown, day-to-day preparation and player development.
Cumberland has registered an 11-17 mark this season, 4-10 in the Mid-South Conference with eight losses by a combined 45 points, six of those to ranked opponents. The Phoenix have posted a 5-9 record this season versus ranked teams. CU dropped a 76-67 decision to 11th-ranked Georgetown College on Saturday and plays the Tigers again in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament this Friday at 1 p.m. CT.
