Tom Church has been named Head Men’s Basketball Coach at Tiffin University.

Church most recently coached at Indiana University of Kokomo in the 2017-18 season. In his one season with the Cougars, he helped lead them to their first ever postseason appearance and a season-record 17 wins.

Church was also the head coach at St. Joseph College in Rensselaer, Ind., where for the first time since 2011 the Pumas reached the 2017 Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament. Under Church and his high-powered offense, the Pumas broke numerous records and improved their win total every year both overall and in GLVC play. The Pumas also enjoyed one of their highest offensive averages in school history at 86.2 ppg during the 2016-2017 season.

Church had the difficult task of navigating the Pumas during their final season in school history as the college closed operations following the 2017 school year.

Church went to SJC after spending three seasons as the head assistant coach at Florida Southern College. During his time at Florida Southern from 2010-13, the Moccasins were 70-25 with two Sunshine State Conference Tournament Championships in 2012 and 2013. The Moccasins made appearances in the NCAA Tournament all three years and hosted and won the South Regional to advance to the Division II Elite Eight.

Prior to Florida Southern, Church spent three years with SJC (2008-10) as an assistant coach. The Pumas held a 53-37 record with two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2008 and 2010. In 2010 the Pumas won the Great Lakes Valley Conference North Division and won three straight games as the eighth seed in the Midwest Regional to advance to the Division II Elite Eight.

Church attended Ashland University for four years, where he was twice named to the Academic All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Team and was a team captain as a senior in 2003. He started all but one game that year, averaging 8.9 points and 4.3 rebounds, and was second on the team in both three-pointers and three-point shooting percentage.

He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Education in 2003, and later earned his master’s of Education in Administration from Ashland in 2006. Church and his wife Jennifer have two children, Harrison and Evelynn.

According to Tiffin University Athletic Director Lonny Allen, “We are excited about the hiring of Tom Church. We feel with his knowledge of Ohio recruiting, the GLIAC, and the G-MAC style of play he was the perfect fit for us. His experience at the Division II level as a player, an assistant coach, and a head coach with successful programs on the court and off the court should help provide stability for our program and make us contend for regional berths.”

“I am humbled and honored to be the new leader of the program,” said Church. “I am extremely grateful to President Schumacher and Athletic Director Lonny Allen for providing my family and I with this opportunity. I am excited to transform this program to one that the university, the community, and the alumni can be proud of.”

http://www.gotiffindragons.com/sports/mbkb/2017-18/releases/20180409oa8wx5